Student presidential candidates aim for campus collaboration

All three student body president candidates this year — Houston Summers, Kathryn Walker and David Marsh — said they want to see more connection between different sectors of UNC’s community, but they have different strategies for obtaining that goal.

Greek life

Summers plans to provide third-party monitoring at student parties and is encouraging Greek councils to change their bylaws to require use of a trained monitor.

His idea was met with support from both the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council.

“I actually think it will draw people to parties, especially non-Greeks who have the idea that the Greek parties aren’t safe,” said Peter Diaz, president of the Interfraternity Council.

Diaz and Panhellenic Council President Julia Mullendore both said the Greek community wants to feel more in sync with the rest of campus and reduce the stigma surrounding the Greek system — an idea Marsh had addressed in his platform by proposing a section in The Daily Tar Heel highlighting Greek accomplishments.

While Mullendore said she is on board with this idea, Diaz has some hesitations.

“I think it should spotlight more than just Greeks,” Diaz said. “I don’t know how the rest of campus would feel about having a solely Greek column.”

The National Pan-Hellenic Council, which houses the eight historically black Greek letter organizations, has a unique set of needs. Summers was the only candidate to mention the addition of National Pan-Hellenic Council plots in his platform, but Walker also said she supported the initiative.

“We have all these frat houses and monuments to them on campus, but you don’t see anything for the NPHC community,” said Summer Holmes, National Pan-Hellenic Council vice president.

LGBTQ community

All three candidates support gender-neutral bathrooms in their platforms.

“It is a really simple fix,” Summers said. “Take the stinkin’ sign down and put a sign up that is more inclusive.”

Lauren Martin, board member for Sexuality and Gender Alliance, is skeptical the change would be that easy.

“I don’t think they’ve looked into how expensive it is to implement gender-neutral bathrooms,” Martin said. “For them to just put it on there and not really have specific plans on how they’re going to do it, it just seems very superficial.”

Martin said the LGBTQ community needs assistance reducing bullying on campus and dealing with health issues, not just gender-neutral bathrooms. Only Walker mentions bullying in her platform.

“The LGBTQ center does a climate survey every year, and every year some of the high-risk areas of being bullied or harassed are the Pit, Greek court and Franklin Street,” Martin said.

Student-athletes

Following the release of the Wainstein report and its student-athlete implications, some athletes have said they just want to return to normal.

“Our academics have come under attack,” Walker said. “I think it’s important that (athletes) are getting the education that they deserve.”

Matt Williams, wrestler and member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, said he hopes the next student body president will make the class climate better for athletes.

“I try not to wear my athlete stuff to class, especially the first weeks or so — you don’t want to get labeled as the student-athlete,” Williams said. “There’s no difference except we work a 20-hour-a-week job.”

Marsh said he thinks students often think athletes have an advantage, and he plans to make it clear they’re not getting special treatment.

“I know for me, I’m a student before an athlete ... they should just address that,” Williams said.

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