Note: Carolina Indian Circle is hosting an Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration on October 8th at 6pm. The event will be held at The Gift on the Carolina Union Plaza, and will feature food and performances. The Carolina Union Activities Board is an event partner.
Forty-four years ago, when there were fewer than 10 American Indians enrolled at UNC, a small group of students with Native heritage came together to form Carolina Indian Circle. Today, CIC is a thriving student organization that leads efforts to foster and advance Native cultures at Carolina.
"We want to provide a family for Native students on campus," Gabrielle James, President of CIC, said. "That's why we were founded and that's our ultimate goal. We also want to make UNC a home for Native students, so educating the campus and educating the broader North Carolina community about American Indian people is important."
Native students often arrive at college and feel isolated or like their culture isn't recognized by others, so CIC plays an important role in establishing a presence on campus to help students feel a sense of belonging, as well as create understanding among the broader UNC community.
"When I got to college, I felt overwhelmed by the amount of people that did not understand my experience or did not acknowledge that my ethnicity was valid," said Lexy Locklear, a member of the group. "It's something I face in the classroom and in life on campus. Staying on top of your studies and having a social life while always having to present your side of the conversation and being the only person there to present that side creates an emotional toll."
By building a presence, CIC hopes to alleviate pressures Native students can feel to represent their cultures and identities. "That's why the educational part of what we do is so important, and we want to connect with everyone on our campus," Locklear said.
CIC hosts several events throughout the year that both celebrate and educate. These include:
Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration (October 8, at The Gift on the Carolina Union Plaza)
The CIC Cultural Show (November 26, Carolina Union's Great Hall)
The CIC Powwow (held in March at Fetzer Gym)
James emphasized that CIC and its events are open and welcoming to all students, regardless of cultural or ethnic heritage. In fact, their mission to educate makes participation of others an essential component to CIC's success.
"It's important to have non-Native people involved," she said. "There can be a misperception that advocacy against cultural appropriation means that our group or events aren't meant for others. But it's the opposite. We want to share our culture and we encourage participation from everyone. So come to our events, come to our celebrations, and always feel welcomed to get involved with our group."
Students who want to get involved with CIC can join a group meeting, held every Tuesday at 6:30pm in Room 2423 of the Carolina Union.Carolina Indian Circle Snapshot
President: Gabrielle James
Email: [email protected]
Heel Life: https://heellife.unc.edu/organization/carolina-indian-circle
Twitter: @CIC_UNC
Note: Student Org Spotlights are a recurring series on the Carolina Union website that showcase UNC student organizations. If you would like your student organization to be considered for the Spotlight series, please email [email protected] with the subject line “Student Org Spotlight Request”.
Mary Catherine Adams, who goes by MC, is a junior at UNC. She’s a psychology major, is working on a neuroscience minor, and is also an administrative assistant in the administration office and the president of the Carolina Union Employee Forum (CUEF). Learn more about all the great work she does for the Union below!
What do your jobs (administrative assistant and CUEF president) entail?
In the administration suite, we’re responsible for a lot of the organizational stuff that goes on for the Union as a whole, so that means compiling spreadsheets and documents, sending out and creating forms, as well as doing a lot of RPS and invoices and sprucing up things around the admin suite and the Union.
For the employee forum, we serve as the liaison for the student staff and the full-time staff. We’re responsible for creating pop-up events and organizing activities so the student staff gets a chance to interact with each other and full-time staff.
Some things that we’re doing: we brought back a Game of Thrones theme to our office, so we’re incorporating that into a lot of events this year, as well as revamping Employee of the Month, so we’re focusing it more on character traits as opposed to just picking a person you think did really well this semester.
What have you learned?
I’ve learned a lot of administrative stuff; how to be more professional in a professional environment, how to deal with situations that are pretty tough to handle or confrontational, or things that don’t make a lot of sense where you’ve got to really use all of your resources and dig for your answers.
I’ve also learned a lot of long-term planning skills. I see what really goes into organizing all of these events, because on a surface level they may seem pretty simple, like doing a catering order, but then when you get a little deeper it’s like, “oh, I’ve gotta account for this and this and that and I’ve got to make sure that this many people are coming, and that I have all the right stuff.”
I’ve learned that there are a lot more ins and outs to a lot of the daily processes that go on here, as well as just figuring out all of that stuff for regular life too, making sure that I have all the details and taking care of everything that I need to.
How are your jobs preparing you for your future career?
Mainly, working with other people. I’ve done a lot of customer service jobs, but that was when I was working in retail and then working in the food industry, but this is more of an actual office environment. I think something that it’s helped me plan for in the future is working with people, getting all of my communication skills. I work with people that are in positions higher than me or in different positions from me and I have had to find good ways to communicate with both sets of people.
As the president of the employee forum I don’t want to come off as or be this overbearing figure. I want other people to be able to come to me with their opinions and be on a personal level with them, not an authority figure level.
The key is understanding how crucial organization is. I think a lot of the things that we do, you need a lot of organization to make them actually happen.
What’s your favorite thing about working in the Union?
I just really like the people. I think it’s a cool environment, and I know this is something that people say all the time but the inclusivity of this place is so great. I think we really do try our best to make sure that all people are accounted for and feel like they’re at home. I think that’s what I like the most, is that this is the central hub for everyone to go to and feel like they’re a part of something.
Interested in applying to work at the Union? You can find an overview of the careers offered at https://carolinaunion.unc.edu/get-involved/employment/job-opportunities.
The pastel pink building in Polk Place directly below South Building is always plastered with social justice posters. This building houses the Campus Y, a vital hub for action, service, and social issue advocacy on campus.
The Campus Y’s official mission is to engage students, the UNC campus, and communities in the pursuit of social justice. There are 31 committees that make up the Campus Y, all of which have different social justice focuses. “Anything from environmentalism, criminal justice, homelessness, everything is sort of packed into this one building,” said Raymond Tu, the Campus Y’s Director of Communications and a sophomore from Ontario, Canada. In addition to the Campus Y’s action and service mission, their social justice presence on campus is strong, especially in anti-racist movements.
At the beginning of the semester, and all through last year, anti-Silent Sam posters were featured both inside and outside the Campus Y. This inclination to take on social justice issues is quite different from the time of the group’s founding. The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCA) established presences in Chapel Hill in 1860 and 1935, respectively. In 1963, the two organizations merged, subsequently dropping their religious and gendered affiliations while maintaining their strong commitments to service.
The Campus Y, as we know it, was born from this merger and would go on to effectively serve as “a hub for student leadership and social activism and as the leading organization for student action, addressing issues of integration, free speech, gender equality, workers’ rights, world hunger, apartheid, and armed conflict,” according to their website.
Innovation has always been strong in the Campus Y, often in ways that most people are unaware of. “We’re always spinning these things out, making these things that UNC is always like ‘wait, this is really cool,’” said Tu. Campus Y programs are then often implemented more broadly by the University. For example, Carolina Kickoff was once the only form of new student orientation that UNC had, and once UNC’s administration saw how it was succeeding they decided to enact it on a larger scale. Carolina Public Scholars, also a creation of the Campus Y, was an inspiration for the creation of the APPLES Service-Learning Program.
The Meantime Coffee Co. is housed inside of the Campus Y and is a non-profit, student-run coffee shop. All profits from Meantime go toward student scholarships and grants.
When asked why students should join the Campus Y, Tu’s answer was immediate. “I think that students should join the Campus Y if they want to get involved with service or if they want to get involved with advocacy,” he said. “Anyone can join the Y, because so long as you have a passion, you can find it represented there.”
The Campus Y invites new members to apply all year long. Their application can be accessed at https://campusy.unc.edu/connect/join-the-y/.
Campus Y Snapshot
Co-presidents: Alli Whitenack and Jessica Bolin
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://campusy.unc.edu
Heel Life: https://heellife.unc.edu/organization/campus-y
Twitter: @CampusY_UNC
Instagram: campusyunc
Note: Student Org Spotlights are a recurring series on the Carolina Union website that showcase UNC student organizations. If you would like your student organization to be considered for the Spotlight series, please email [email protected] with the subject line “Student Org Spotlight Request”.
As recruitment season is underway and new member processes begin, the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life at UNC is bringing awareness to national anti-hazing efforts and resources that are available to students. National Hazing Prevention Week at UNC is a program to empower UNC students and organizations to prevent hazing.
Fraternity & Sorority Life, Student Wellness, and Student Life & Leadership will host a reception and information session on September 27th in the Carolina Union West Lounge . The event, called “Donut” Haze, will provide coffee and donuts, and offer an opportunity for students to learn more about hazing prevention.
“It is very important that we do not fall into the format of groupthink when we know what is asked of us is wrong,” said Ion Outterbridge, UNC Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life. “Instead, we want to change our mindset to incorporate healthy behavior that develops stronger members in all organizations, especially fraternities and sororities.”
Several UNC chapters are organizing their own anti-hazing events, as well. UNC’s Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. launched a #KnOckoutHazing effort on social media last week, and has several events planned this week. KnOwledge is Power, hosted with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., will be held on Tuesday, September 25th, from 6:30pm to 8pm in Gardner 309. Dateline: The College Fraternity Crisis will be Wednesday, September 26th, from 6:30pm to 8pm, in Manning 209.
Tuesday’s event will feature panelists from the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life, UNC Counseling and Psychological Services, and UNC Police. “We will have a discussion to help students understand what is hazing, what resources are available if you see it, and what are the ramifications of hazing from a mental health perspective,” said Keondra Jenkins, a member of the sorority and its Educational Development Co-Chair.
Wednesday’s event will be a screening of a Dateline documentary about hazing challenges that have faced fraternities in recent years. The sorority will also host a table in The Pit on Friday where students can sign a pledge to seek resources if they see or experience hazing. Jenkins encouraged all students to attend. “Hazing can happen in any organization,” she said. “We want everyone to understand what it is and the resources they have to prevent it.”
Meanwhile, UNC has resources and help available to chapter members and recruits. Students can anonymously report incidents at http://go.unc.edu/Kd6i5, or call the office of Fraternity & Sorority life at 919-962-8298.
Ready to get more involved in campus life? Looking for great student organizations to join? UNC Student Life & Leadership is hosting a series of involvement fairs from September 24 – 26 across campus. With dozens of participating student organizations, there will be many opportunities to take the leap and join groups that match your interests and passions.
Ehringhaus Residence Hall First Year Involvement Fair
Free ice cream! Come create your sundae and grab other fun giveaways as you meet student organizations. This is the first of several involvement fairs in First-Year dorms this fall, and is hosted by Student Life & Leadership in collaboration with Housing & Residence Life, Carolina Dining Services, CUAB, and Community Government. Make sure to navigate the lounge spaces on each E-haus floor to learn about all groups!
Who: First-Year Students
When: Monday, September 24 from 6pm-8pm
Where: Lounge spaces of Ehringhaus Residence HallRSVP Here
First-Year Faves Involvement Fair
Eat up! This involvement fair, in collaboration with Carolina Dining Services, will feature favorite First-Year meals away from home as well as the chance to engage with great student organizations. There’s no better way to bond than over great food!
Who: First-Year Students
When: Tuesday, September 25 from 5pm-8pm
Where: Rams Head PlazaRSVP Here
Student Organization Fall Involvement Fair
Your big chance to dive into campus life! Learn about 40+ student organizations, all looking to recruit new members right in The Pit.
Who: All UNC Students
When: Wednesday, September 26 from 11am-2pm
Where: The PitRSVP Here
Carolina Union Board of Directors Chair Jordan Bermudez has big goals for the 2018-2019 school year.
A senior exercise and sports sciences major from Durham, Jordan has been involved with the Carolina Union since her first year at UNC, previously serving as the president of its Activities Board (CUAB). With this experience, she has seen the potential of the Union to support student goals and provide a safe space for conversation and development.
Bermudez highlighted the celebration of the Carolina Union’s 50th anniversary, an update to the Union auditorium, and increasing student awareness of the Carolina Union’s services as her major goals for the year.
She hinted that students should be on the lookout for 50th Anniversary events with great giveaways. “Expect random pop-up events where we give away 50 items. Campus Y is one of our partners, so it might be a Campus Y event where we show up with 50 items (to hand out),” she said.
Major renovations to the auditorium are a big focus for Jordan this fall. “It’s one of the highest usage spaces in the Union,” she said. “With orientation and diversity and inclusion programs, it’s the front door of campus in a lot of ways, and one of the first places a lot of students see. So being able to revamp it, make it look innovative, and really feel like Carolina is what I hope to do.”
Bermudez also oversaw summer improvements to the Carolina Union, and has noticed that students seem to appreciate the building’s new look.
“We’ve gotten to unveil the new updates to the West Lounge and the Aquarium Lounge,” she said. “The Aquarium Lounge has been full since the day we opened so everyone has enjoyed getting to try out the new recliners and rocking chars.”
Bermudez additionally described the Carolina Union’s importance in facilitating student discussion and healing in the wake of events such as the toppling of Silent Sam: “The biggest thing the Union can be is a safe space for students to come and know that they can talk about the issue with other students, administration, and faculty and feel like their voice is being heard,” Bermudez said.
Above all, Bermudez wants students to know that the Carolina Union is a building for students, by students.
“It is the one building on campus that you completely pay for and honestly, in my opinion, have the most control over,” said Bermudez. “The sky’s the limit on what you can do here.”
Check out extended excerpts from our interview below.
Want to get involved in the Carolina Union Board of Directors? Applications are now being accepted for the Student Member-at-Large and is open to any registered, full-time student, not scheduled to graduate prior to the conclusion of the term they are to serve.
This position is a vital voice to the operations and the consciousness of the board. Deadline is Friday, September 28, at 5:00pm. Application details can be found here.
If you are a UNC student, chances are you’ve experienced one of the Carolina Union Activities Board’s (CUAB) many great events. From large bashes such as Spring Jubilee to smaller events such as Heels on Wheels and Bubble Soccer, CUAB creates a breadth of activities that help make life at Carolina so much fun.
This year, CUAB is focused on reaching more diverse segments of the student body with more diverse programs. “When CUAB was first created, we were primarily focused on undergraduate students” said Alex Wang, Vice President of Programming. “However, as CUAB has grown we have expanded our horizons. Now we have a graduate and professional committee whose sole purpose is to put on programming aimed at graduate and professional students as well as their families.” In fact, all CUAB programs are open to graduate and professional students as well as faculty members - not just undergraduate students.
CUAB is also putting more emphasis this year on offering events that appeal to a diverse range of interests. “The goal of CUAB is that every UNC student can find a place within the organization or at an event we program” said Madison Langston, Vice President of Finance. “As each year passes, CUAB learns more and is able to create new programming to target different audiences. Through all of our different committees, we have put on so many different and diverse events that literally every student at Carolina can find something within CUAB that they enjoy.”
To ensure a broad offering of events, CUAB is aiming to widen the different types of experiences is creates. “Since the beginning, the entertainment committee within CUAB has always been prominent, but as CUAB gets more funding and experience, we try to place more focus on committees such as the arts committee,” Alex Wang said. The result of this is adding originality and creativity and offering new events to students in ways that were not thought of before.
Programming diversity has also been strengthened by CUAB’s collaborations with other on-campus organizations. “CUAB strongly encourages other organizations to collaborate with us whether it be for funding or a dialogue about an event they would like to see,” said Amber Goodwin, CUAB’s Professional Development Coordinator. If organizations are looking to collaborate with CUAB, they can reach out to [email protected] or complete the Collaboration Form on the CUAB’s web page or on HeelLife.
Yearly changes to its leadership team also help CUAB embrace fresh thinking and ideas, keeping the organization in a constant cycle of positive change. “As the leadership changes, CUAB’s goals change” said Molly Burke, Vice President of External Affairs. “Every person brings different experiences and perspectives to the table, which adds to the ability of CUAB to grow each year.”
CUAB offers a rolling member application that opens as soon as chairs request new members. New members will be added to committees on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit CUAB’s HeelLife Page to learn more.
CUAB Snapshot
President: Viviane Mao
Email: [email protected]
Heel Life: https://heellife.unc.edu/organization/carolina-union-activities-board
Twitter: @CUAB
Instagram: cuab_unc
Note: Student Org Spotlights are a recurring series on the Carolina Union website that showcase UNC student organizations. If you would like your student organization to be considered for the Spotlight series, please email [email protected] with the subject line “Student Org Spotlight Request”.
We had so much fun at FallFest 2018 and were so happy to welcome UNC students as they prepared to start the new school year! Dance teams, a capella groups, club sports, diversity organizations - you name it, they were at FallFest 2018. The night was filled with games, giveaways, photo ops, and fun! Chancellor Folt even stopped by to take pictures with students and give away some free swag. There may have been a little rain, but it didn’t keep us from having a blast! Thank you so much to everyone that showed up and participated in this wonderful Tar Heel tradition.
Enjoy the highlights and visit our photo gallery here: http://go.unc.edu/w9STb
Need space for your student organization's or university department's next event or meeting? Make a reservation at the Carolina Union! We have large event and performance venues, as well as smaller classrooms and meeting rooms available. We can help you find the perfect spot for your needs. Officially registered student organizations and university departments may begin making online reservation requests at 9:00am on Thursday, September 6th for the following:
General Purpose Classrooms - Fall 2018
Union Meeting and Event spaces - Spring 2018 (Fall 2018 is already available)
Visit ReserveCarolina.unc.edu to make your reservation. All organizations and departments wishing to book space must have a pre-existing Reserve Carolina account. If a new account needs to be requested or a password reset, please select the link under accounts on the Reserve Carolina webpage. Due to increased volume, account requests and password resets must be completed by Monday, Sept 3, to ensure that all organizations receive a username and password prior to the first day of reservations. Walk-in reservations will be accepted at the Event Services office (Carolina Union Room 3105) on September 6th starting at 1pm.
