The future of the UNC Campus Y building – which was closed temporarily by the university administration during protests in May – is now in the hands of a committee appointed by Chancellor Lee Roberts.
The Daily Tar Heel, in a story by Akash Bhowmik, reported this week:
“The committee, comprised of 15 alumni, students and faculty, will be tasked with providing recommendations to the chancellor on building usage, including operating hours and access.
“Chaired by chancellor emeritus James Moeser and former Board of Trustees chair Richard Stevens, the group is scheduled to meet each Friday and deliver a final report by Nov. 1.”
The DTH described the Campus Y as “UNC’s largest public service student organization, consisting of three separate entities, UNC Y— a department within Student Affairs, the Campus Y Student Organization and the Campus Y building itself.”
DTH story: https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2024/08/university-campus-y-committee
Stevens, one of the committee chairs, said, “We were told at our first meeting that there are over 900 recognized student groups, so the process of how space is reserved for meetings for various groups is certainly important,”
Roberts appointed the committee this summer, and the first meeting was August 1.
University administrators closed the Y building last April 30, the day 36 members of a pro-Palestinian protest were charged with trespassing.
After the closing, Korie Dean wrote in The News & Observer May 9, “outcry from the campus and the broader university community poured in immediately.”
The N&O quoted one alum:
“This is absolutely insane. As an alum who considered the Y a second home during my time at UNC, I cannot reiterate enough how detrimental this is for the student body. This is quite literally destroying any sense of community that many students have. It is not only affecting students and faculty, but also the greater Chapel Hill community that relies on organizations housed within the Y for resources and support.”
N&O story: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article288351085.html#storylink=cpy
We encourage alumni and members of our Coalition who have opinions about the Campus Y to contact the Chancellor or members of the committee. Or send us your comments, and we will post them and bring them to the attention of UNC’s leadership.