An Activities Board at Work

A Digital Story by Sutton Cavalchire

The Carolina Union Activities Board (CUAB) is a student organization at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that provides high-quality programming and events for the entire Carolina community, from undergraduates to graduate and professional students and their families. CUAB aims to create spaces that allow students to have a good time, have meaningful conversations and create genuine connections with each other.

Something for Everyone

One of CUAB’s goals is to provide a diverse range of programs that has the capability to appeal to the entire student body.

But despite constant efforts to gather students with interactive and creative events, CUAB still struggles to get consistent and high numbers at their events. From comedy shows and concerts to movies and crafts, students just don’t seem to be interested in participating in campus programming like they used to in previous years. While there are many students that look forward to CUAB events, it is usually the same people that always attend them.

CUAB is a wonderful organization that is constantly working to bring great events and fun things to do to the students of UNC. From all the comedy shows to give the students a chance to gather together and laugh, to the many giveaways in the pit to help the students get some wonderful UNC swag. They are constantly giving the students something to look forward to.

Debbie Reid, Facebook

In order to combat low attendance, CUAB has started to integrate “intentional programming,” that is, programming with a purpose as described by Jordanne “Jo” Briggs, CUAB’s current president.

Intentional Programming

Generally, when planning an event, you start with the “what,” meaning what will happen at the event, whether that be a performance, movie or another activity. What’s missing is the why. Why does the event matter? Is it to share an idea or inform others of Often, CUAB would leave this question to advertising and marketing.

But intentional programming starts with the “why” and since CUAB is funded by student fees, this is essential in helping create productive events that UNC is proud of and supports.

The mission of the Carolina Union Activities Board (CUAB) is to create fun, diverse, inclusive and engaging student programmed events that unite the Carolina community.

The Carolina Union Activities Board Organizational Guidelines

An example of a CUAB intentional programmed event was their Create a Reusable Tote event. For this event, they started with the “why” — to inform students about the harmful effects of single-use plastics and promote more sustainable practices. The “what” to this “why” was a crafting event where attendants could design their own canvas tote bag.

A Promising Future

Film showings are a type of event that CUAB has had trouble getting proper attendance for. Booksmart and Halloweentown had minimal attendance with normal marketing and advertising. Joker, The Farewell and Toy Story 4 succeeded due to creative marketing campaigns, campus partnerships and a change in the event location.

These tactics alongside intentional programming hint toward a new future for CUAB.

Why a Story on CUAB?

The Carolina Union Activities Board enhances life at Carolina through high-quality programming and events for the entire Carolina community. Their attendance issues and combative marketing techniques are particularly interesting to me because of my involvement in the organization and my future career goal of being a public relations and advertising professional.