Viewpoints: Separation gives all students equal power on campus

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story used the wrong photo for Dylan Russell. The story has been update to reflect this change. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.

THE ISSUE: The vote on the future of graduate student governance is Friday. The editorial board invited student leaders to discuss both sides of the issue. You can read the other viewpoint here.

By Dylan Russell

Frequently, students email GPSF asking for help paying for medical bills and daycare after unforeseen financial troubles. But GPSF’s emergency fund only can help so many students. I love Carolina, but we can do better. This Friday, we are asking the entire student body to vote for “Two for Two,” so that graduate and professional students can have a voice. “Two for Two” ensures that every student will have a government administered by people who understand their life situations and needs. We love Carolina, and this is our attempt to do better.

Student Congress has three individuals representing over 10,000 graduate students. “Two for Two” provides better representation by making the official legislative body for grad students the GPSF Senate, which has 70 active Senators, representing 93 percent of graduate and professional student programs. Congress’s structure and schedule work for undergraduates, but long, late-night meetings do not work when most grad students have families to care for or live outside of Chapel Hill.

The current allocation of student fees is inequitable for graduate and professional students. Grad students pay more to Congress than GPSF. Those funds make up 25 percent of Congress’ budget, yet Congress only spent 18 percent of its budget on graduate students last year. “Two for Two” ensures the fair allocation of fees by assigning them to the government of those who paid them. With this extra funding, GPSF will be able to expand the emergency fund and provide more funds for academic and conference travel.

Currently, graduate students depend on the undergraduate student body president to voice their issues to the Board of Trustees. “Two for Two” ensures greater representation. Under separate “Two for Two” governments, the Trustees must pursue an option to make representation more equitable. The Board would have to add an additional seat (legal precedent exists), create an ex-officio seat or create a rotating seat like some of our peer institutions.

The opposition claims to preserve the symbolic nature of one student government. But you will never have one student government while the needs and concerns of 37 percent of the student body are consistently ignored. Congress has spent 45 years trying to repress graduate voices by attempting to defund and disband the GPSF, including last year. That’s why I’m imploring you to vote for “Two for Two”. Because I love Carolina, and we can do better by voting for “Two for Two”.