Launching a new forum for students to raise concerns directly with university leadership last week, Coastal Carolina University’s first Campus Conversation addressed students’ questions about student organization funding changes and campus safety.
The inaugural session took place on Tuesday, Sept. 23, hosted by Mariel Pagán Smith, the interim vice president of student engagement, and Provost Gibbs Knotts.
In addition to a $4,000 cap on allocations, student organizations are no longer awarded their amount in full but must be requested through the Student Government Association (SGA).
“Student organizations should still be able to get that amount of money. The difference is they have to request it,” Pagán Smith said.
In addition to requesting funds, there is a new requirement where organizations must have 20% of the requested amount in their accounts at the time of requesting.
Students raised concerns about such restraints making it difficult for organizations to support their own causes and maintain cultural traditions, directly affecting signature events such as the Donning of the Kente ceremony and DEI Summit, costing $10,000 and $15,000, respectively.
Representing the African American Initiative for Men (AAIM), junior Juan Dozier spoke up about the sudden change, as multiple student organizations are concerned about seeking outside help. Making organizations that may be associated with DEI at the will of donors, organizations or other institutions whose interests may not align with the groups’ cultural tradition could result in inconsistency.
He asked, “why wasn’t there more of a grace period for organizations to prepare?”
Pagán Smith responded that university staff have been wildly overloaded with executive orders from both the state and federal governments, not quite knowing the right course of action.
Suggested solutions included seeking donor support, additional SGA advocacy and exploring other campus funding sources.
“Now we’ve got to do fundraisers and stuff of that nature, and I don’t want that to be the representative of AAIM. I don’t want students to come in and feel that we’re trying to work them to get funding, and they don’t get nothing out of it,” CCU alum and AAIM advisor Jordan Pinkney said.
Participants also emphasized the need for clear communication channels when handling visits from political figures, using President Trump’s campus campaigning rally in February of 2024 as an example of feeling unprepared or unsafe. One student noted that inadequate or late notification time can create security risks when controversial guests are invited to speak. Other students chimed in to the volatile political climate and past incidents on college campuses that have resulted in danger.
Administrators acknowledged student concerns and said efforts are underway to improve communication while also supporting First Amendment initiatives.
The next campus conversation meeting, co-hosted with SGA, is scheduled for Oct. 20. Attendees were encouraged to RSVP to receive updates.
