We set some 2017 New Years resolutions for UNC

New Years is a time for reflection and change. According to Chancellor Folt’s Spring Commencement speech, 2016 was the year of student change. So maybe 2017 would be a great year for institutional change. We love you, UNC, but we all know there are some things you can do better. We set some (semi-) reasonable resolutions for the university in 2017. Don’t worry, we aren’t asking UNC to lose any weight.

Better parking for students

Parking for students is basically non-existent before 5pm, and even after-hours it can be difficult to find spots in Cobb on busy days. Not to mention, full-time students are kicked out of parking structures for game days or Memorial Hall performances– and the signs are usually super confusing.

In 2017, UNC should be looking at new space for parking, especially near the stadiums, to let the poor souls who need to spend game days in Davis the comfort of driving from their home in Carrboro. Making daytime parking more attainable for more students would be great too.

A better student section in the Dean Dome

Roy Williams has spoken, and he has asked for a more pumped up student center that is closer to the players. Right now, most of us are either lucky enough to get bleacher seats or stuck in the upper bowl of the stadium. While its great that alumni have the chance to sit close to the action, the ‘wine and cheese crowd’ is hardly as hype as our students can be. For the sake of the students, the team, and our season record, UNC should consider seating students closer to the court in 2017.

A better spring concert

In 2016, CUAB caught some heat for having Chase Rice perform at UNC’s spring concert after they sent a survey mentioning bigger artists like The Weeknd or ODEZA. This year, the Student Union could work to get an artist students can be genuinely excited about– J. Cole just dropped a new album and he loves Carolina, so I nominate him.

More student diversity

UNC loves to herald its diversity. But according to the office of Undergraduate Admissions, 71% of the class of 2020 is white and less than 10% are Latinx or Hispanic. In 2017, Carolina could work to diversify its incoming class by being more inclusive of applicants of color and working to continue its strong efforts to provide generous need-based aid to low-income families.

More CAPS funding

The APA reports that 48.7% of college students sought mental health treatment in 2014 and 30% had contemplated suicide. In 2016, UNC’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) lists only 16 employees including the office’s administration, interns, and internship coordinators. UNC’s psychological services are under-financed and under-staffed, making it difficult to schedule appointments or receive quick drop-in care.

In 2017, UNC could dedicate more of the Health Services fee to the CAPS office or seek other forms of funding that would allow the school to provide more comprehensive mental health care.

Photo: campushealth.unc.edu

More transparency

In 2016, the UNC administration screwed up big time by refusing to release sexual assault records to the DTH and supporting publications who have pledged to sue the university for access to the public information. In 2017, the school could right its wrongs by agreeing to provide these records to the public and working to create real change in how the university system handles cases of sexual assault. We doubt this one will happen, so we commend the journalists working to keep the university honest.

Cleaner Davis bathrooms

Enough said.