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About Model UN
Model United Nations is an authentic simulation of the U.N. In Model U.N., students step into the shoes of ambassadors of U.N. member states to debate current issues on the Organization's vast agenda. The students, acting as delegates, prepare draft resolutions, plot strategy, negotiate with supporters and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and master the U.N.'s rules of procedure. Before playing their ambassadorial roles in Model U.N., students do research on the particular global problems to be addressed. The problems are drawn from today's headlines. Students learn how the international community acts on its concerns about:

· peace and security · human rights · terrorism · food and hunger ·international law ·trade and development · economic development ·globalization · gender & racial equality · intellectual property· human health · rights of indigenous peoples · crime prevention/criminal justice · the environment

Through Model United Nations, students develop skills such as:

· Research · Writing · Public speaking · Problem solving · Networking · Consensus building · Compromise and cooperation · Conflict resolution · Parliamentary Procedure

Western Carolina University's Model UN team is a University recognized student organization that is open to all students and members of the WCU Community, regardless of major, field of study, or year. WCUMUN seeks to provide students and the WCU community with an understanding of global issues through open weekly meetings and seminars. WCUMUN will be attending two conferences throughout the 2006-2007 school year. You can find out more about these conferences by visting our conference briefings located in the navigation menu under "Conferences."

WCUMUN team members will gain experience through Model UN that can not be gained anywhere else. An article written in the Journal of Education for Business states,
"Undergraduate business programs in the United States are increasingly under attack for the quality of their product. Critics of undergraduate business education point to the narrowness of the curriculum, the heavy emphasis on technical skills, graduates' lack of adequate communication skills, the failure to address issues of cultural diversity, and the need for a global perspective. To get the "product" they require to be competitive, some employers have gone so far as to hire liberal arts graduates for entry-level positions that previously were filled by graduates of business programs (Berton, 1994).

Business educators are responding to the critics in a number of ways. At an increasing number of schools, mission statements are being rewritten to reflect a global perspective. Undergraduate curricula are being reviewed and revised, and courses in communications are being added. In summary, business faculties are searching for ways to (a) broaden the educational experience, (b) improve written and oral communication skills, (c) encourage active learning, (d) promote effective teamwork, and (e) instill a global perspective in students. Not surprisingly, there already exists a mechanism to help achieve all of these goals: the Model United Nations (MUN)."