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Statement Regarding Executive Order No. 2

 

On July 6, the UNC Undergraduate Executive Branch released an Executive Order requiring that the branch use sellers and contractors that protect reproductive freedoms. We seek to clarify any misconceptions about the implications of this order for members of the UNC student body with concerns about this aspect of our student governance process.

 

The Vann Administration fully believes in and endorses human rights for all members of our community. In response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, our administration recognizes our responsibility to use the power vested in us to protect the bodily autonomy of all students, and Executive Order No. 2 enables us to do that.

 

We strongly view the issue of bodily autonomy that our Executive Order focuses on as a human rights problem, not a political one. Our administration maintains our right to affiliate with businesses that publicly support reproductive rights for all people, and our exercising of this right does not threaten any Registered Student Organizations.

 

It is the responsibility of campus fee distributors, like the Undergraduate Senate, to allocate funding from mandatory fees to all RSOs on a viewpoint-neutral basis. The Executive Branch utilizes funds for our policy work that are not sourced from the mandatory student fee in addition to being a recipient of mandatory fee funding from the Undergraduate Senate. All Registered Student Organizations have the opportunity to apply for Senate funding during the year, and the Vann Administration encourages all interested RSOs to do so. 

 

The Executive Order is applicable solely to the Executive Branch and does not govern any other student organizations. This policy only affects the Executive Branch’s external relations & financial dealings and does not prevent us from collaborating and engaging with other on-campus student groups as we always have.

 

Our mission is to uplift and provide support to our student community, and it is essential to protect the ability of our students to exercise and assert their human rights. In line with our mission to maintain transparency with our student body, we remain eager to adapt to your comments and concerns to continue our work in service of the UNC student body.