Spring Break
SEA wants optional tuition charge for clean energy
by Lital Shair
News | 4/17/07
Posted online at 10:28 PM EST on 4/16/07
/ Last updated at 6:13 AM EST on 4/16/07
In an effort to raise money for environmentally friendly energy sources, Students for Environmental Action has proposed the addition of an new line-item to tuition bills. Students would have the option of paying the proposed line-item, a $30 charge that would fund wind energy.
If the proposal passes, the money would go to the New England Wind Fund, which supports community wind turbines as a renewable source of energy, according to SEA Energy Coordinator Jamie Pottern '09 and General Coordinator Stephanie Sofer '09.
"We're minimizing the use of fossil fuels … for more of a renewable resource," Sofer said.
Any changes in tuition require approval from the Board of Trustees. In early lobbying efforts, SEA decided to pursue a Student Union referendum and collected about 700 signatures in two days, more than the approximately 500 votes (15 percent of the student body) needed, Pottern said.
Union Secretary Alex Braver '09 validated the signatures, and members of SEA presented the referendum at the Senate meeting two weeks ago, meaning that the proposal will go on the ballot during the April 26 election, according to Union Director of Executive Affairs Adam Gartner '07.
Gartner said if over 50 percent of students support the measure then it becomes the official position of the student body. SEA representatives and others who want the measure to pass will discuss it with the Union, the University Board of Trustees and the administration in order to add the item to the budget.
The idea of having this option added to the tuition bill was first brought up at a Brandeis Environmental Sustainability Team meeting earlier this year, Pottern said. She added that Prof. Eric Olson (Heller), who is part of the Green Decade Coalition, proposed the idea of supporting the New England Wind Fund.
According to both Olson and Pottern, the idea was influenced by Clark University's decision to make this option available on its housing agreement, especially because there was a high level of participation.
If the proposal passes, the money would go to the New England Wind Fund, which supports community wind turbines as a renewable source of energy, according to SEA Energy Coordinator Jamie Pottern '09 and General Coordinator Stephanie Sofer '09.
"We're minimizing the use of fossil fuels … for more of a renewable resource," Sofer said.
Any changes in tuition require approval from the Board of Trustees. In early lobbying efforts, SEA decided to pursue a Student Union referendum and collected about 700 signatures in two days, more than the approximately 500 votes (15 percent of the student body) needed, Pottern said.
Union Secretary Alex Braver '09 validated the signatures, and members of SEA presented the referendum at the Senate meeting two weeks ago, meaning that the proposal will go on the ballot during the April 26 election, according to Union Director of Executive Affairs Adam Gartner '07.
Gartner said if over 50 percent of students support the measure then it becomes the official position of the student body. SEA representatives and others who want the measure to pass will discuss it with the Union, the University Board of Trustees and the administration in order to add the item to the budget.
The idea of having this option added to the tuition bill was first brought up at a Brandeis Environmental Sustainability Team meeting earlier this year, Pottern said. She added that Prof. Eric Olson (Heller), who is part of the Green Decade Coalition, proposed the idea of supporting the New England Wind Fund.
According to both Olson and Pottern, the idea was influenced by Clark University's decision to make this option available on its housing agreement, especially because there was a high level of participation.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
tomgraywind
Tom Gray
posted 4/21/07 @ 6:56 PM EST
This sounds like a great idea. Thanks for spreading the word about it.
Regards,
Thomas O. Gray
American Wind Energy Association
www.awea.org
risingwind. (Continued…)
JesseJenkins
JesseJenkins
posted 4/26/07 @ 7:17 PM EST
This is definitely a great idea. While I was student at the University of Oregon, we tried to implement a similar student-led initiative to allow dorm residents to pay an optional fee on their housing bill to purchase wind power to cover their personal share of dorm energy consumption. (Continued…)
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