Message from the Candidates
On 3/26/2024
"Although we support the renovation of the stairs and lighting in the Expression Tunnel, Kathryn and Amarah do not support the extermination of the Expression Tunnels, as we feel that students should have access to a place of free expression. The Expression Tunnels added character to our campus, and now it feels as if we are trying to place students into a box. We do not believe that the tunnels will be restored by the University, but after hearing from our student body, we urge the University to hire a student artist to paint a mural in the tunnel and offer an alternative place of free expression in another campus location as soon as possible.
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Kathryn and Amarah firmly stand in support of the Art Students who are working in both hazardous and morally questionable environments. We want to use our platform to uplift the voices of these students, and we urge the University to support these students and affirm the risks that our students are currently facing. We support necessary renovations to our campus, but we do not support the lack of planning for a place to accommodate students or the lack of communication between changes to our campus and our students. Students should never feel unsafe about their class conditions: the University must absolutely prioritize students’ health, safety, and well-being over campus construction.
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We question University administrators on the recent changes to language and cancellation regarding LGBTQ+ events. We stand firm that this decision comprises the pride in the identities of students on our campus. We want to know if these changes were made just at our University or is this a threat to the LGBTQ+ community across all UNC-System schools?
We were recently notified of several negative hiring decisions regarding members of the LGBTQ+ community, one that both Kathryn and Amarah have worked with in the past regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) education within Orientation training. We find this as a shock, and we urge the University to provide clarity and be transparent in their decisions, as these faculty members provided constant support and guidance to both the student body and Kathryn and Amarah.
When discussing issues regarding underrepresented communities on campus, we stand firm in our belief that those students should have a seat at the table. The same applies to amplifying the voices of members of the LGBTQ+ community. The voices of these individuals are vital to the cause of further developing community values of DEI.
We are both aware that no social media post could possibly summarize or encompass the complexity and severity of the issues that our students have been facing over the past couple of weeks. We ask that you continue to advocate for yourselves, as we feel that student voices are being heard now more than we have ever experienced in our three years on campus.
You deserve to be represented and advocated for, in both the Student Government Association (SGA) and to our University Administration. We hear you and we see you, and we stand with you in order for you to have a fulfilling collegiate experience.
Your advocacy inspires us, and you remind us daily of why we want to continue to advocate for all students at Appalachian."
-Kathryn Long and Amarah Din