WSA throws support behind sustainability fee

By Megan Higdon
Western Herald

When it comes to making decisions about funding using students’ money, the Western Student Association does not take the responsibility lightly.

After two motions to extend the time on discussion and a lot of patience, members of the WSA finally made a decision yesterday to support the Sustainability Fund fee referendum.

The sustainability fee is already on the ballot for students to vote on in next week’s election. If voted “yes” the fee will be included in every student’s tuition, $8 each fall and spring semester and $4 during summer sessions.

To be placed on the ballot, the committee needed to receive between 130 and 140 signatures from students on campus, which was 5 percent of students that voted in the WSA elections last year. They exceeded that number and received 500 signatures.

To start the discussion, members of the university-wide Sustainability Committee including Matt Hollander and WSA senators Joe Szuszwalak and Ryan Koziatek explained what this fee will entail and how it will be used.

The proposed Sustainability Fund Initiative will include allocations for the sustainability fund: $313,794, student green jobs: $72,414 and the sustainability office: $96,552.

Hollander explained that allocations would be 100 percent student controlled and the committee would be made up of nine undergraduate students, and two graduate students.

The Sustainability Fund Allocations Committee would award funding to students for sustainable projects and research, initiatives to propose to the administration, or educational events to promote sustainability.
Many members of WSA had worries about whether or not students would be aware of the SFI and if they would have equal opportunities to take advantage of this initiative and put their ideas into effect.

Hollander assured that students would be aware of the SFI because they will be doing universitywide press release.

“I guarantee that everyone in this room could come up with a project that has to do with sustainability,” Hollander said.

Hollander also assured WSA members that if there were funds left over at the end of each semester they would roll over and stay within the SFI.

However, it took some time to put a few senators’ minds at ease about the proposed new fee.

“I am not convinced that it will benefit everyone equally,” said Isaac Adler, senator for the College of Aviation, during the discussion.

Another major concern that members had was that because they had only recently learned about this initiative, it would be difficult to inform students who are not as involved on campus in time for next week’s election.

“I think it is unfair to students that they have to educate themselves so quickly on this,” said Campus Activities Board senator Christopher Rettich.

Rettich is also the vice-presidential candidate for Andrew Ladd’s campaign.

The discussion went back and forth between the amount of the sustainability fee and whether or not it was worth it and if students would benefit.

“I think that the fee is more than reasonable for students to manage,” said senator Koziatek.

Finally, the WSA voted to support the SFI in a roll vote.

“64.5 percent of the WSA senate voted in favor of a resolution of general support of the Sustainability Fund Initiative,” said Nate Knappen, WSA president.

Despite the focus on the SFI, WSA still managed to welcome Special Olympian Tracy Mcitugh to speak a little about her story with the Special Olympics in regards to the Polar Plunge that will be held Saturday, March 20 at noon in Lawson Ice Arena.

“It has helped my self confidence,” Mcitugh said. “It is a great program and has made my life better.”
There is a $50 entry fee to take the plunge, and all donations from the Polar Plunge will go directly to the Special Olympics of Michigan.

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Posted by HeraldAdmin on Mar 11 2010. Filed under Breaking, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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