Email:[email protected], Kristen Carver Mission Statement: NCPIRG is a non-profit, non-partisan student activist group that advocates for public interest issues such as protecting the environment, public health, and promoting democracy.
About:
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) began in 1971 as a grassroots organization to advocate for political change based on the desires of community members. After its inception nationally, state and local levels followed suit with their own PIRG organizations.
Less than two years ago, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro founded their own PIRG branch under the North Carolina branch, known as NCPIRG. The nonpartisan organization acts as a voice for the student body by advocating for issues at the university.
The main activities the group performs include petitioning, tabling, phone banking and office hoping to advocate for three issues every year. The issues are turned into campaigns, with one becoming the major focus for the group.
“Throughout the course of the year, per semester, we have a lead campaign, one that is emphasized and focused on more,” said Kameryn Taylor, a grass-tops coordinator, who is second in lead after the lead campaign manager, Terence Rollins. “But, the other [campaigns] are still worked on very diligently.”
The lead campaign for this year is the free textbooks campaign. The other two campaigns are protecting and promoting democracy and the hunger and homelessness campaign. Protecting and promoting democracy campaign advocates for online voting registration, while the hunger and homelessness campaign focuses on food waste at UNCG and the needs of the community.
“It’s pretty wonderful to see how many students are passionate about the issues,” said Taylor, referencing the current campaign issues.
Leadership roles played by Taylor and Rollins, consists of office hopping, or visiting professors and telling them about the lead campaign and alternatives for what they are doing. The main goal for the free textbooks campaign is finding Open Educational Resources (OERs) for professors, so they can keep students in mind. Once a professor signs the campaign petition, they will receive alternative and affordable ways to select textbooks for students.
Though UNCG’s NCPIRG is new, they have accomplished a major step in their lead campaign -- getting approval from Martin Halbert, the Dean of Libraries. After a few members of the organization met with Dean Halbert, he agreed to support their campaign and assist the organization however they need. This success has allowed the organization to continue with their lead campaign without any hiccups.
The current goal for UNCG’s NCPIRG is to have more teachers become knowledgeable about OERs and by the end of the spring 2018 semester have at least 60 professors sign their lead campaign petition, in which professors agree to research alternative and affordable textbook options.
New volunteers are always welcome. To take part in UNCG’s NCPIRG, reach out to the group via social media or at a tabling event.
“We are really just here to represent the students and we want more students to be involved because, at the end of the day, these are issues that concern them,” Taylor said.
Weekly meetings take place on Tuesdays. Follow UNCG’s NCPIRG on their Instagram and Twitter accounts to find out more information about upcoming events and opportunities to get involved.