Student-funded sustainability projects at the University of Wisconsin-Eau
Claire will be scaled down this semester from the $10 student fee passed in
last year’s student referendum. The itemized fee created by the Student Senate
will be cut from $10 to $1 by the student budget and finance committee, in part
because of administrators' concerns over the rising cost of tuition.
Similar programs are thriving at schools around the country, including UC
Berkeley, the University of Georgia, the University of North Carolina, Oregon
State, the University of Utah, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Oberlin College.
These schools use a variety of systems for aggregating and collecting the funds
for sustainability programs. Some of the fees are approved by referendum, some
created and implemented by the elected student government, some optional and
some mandatory.
The Association for Advancement of of Sustainability in Higher Education writes
on their website, "Student fees are a popular source of funding for
sustainability because there are usually clear and straightforward processes in
place for accessing them. Moreover, when they have been proposed, dedicated
student fees for sustainability are generally approved by large majorities in
student elections."
Even though the Eau Claire fee is being scaled back, students at other campuses
are establishing fees. This past
February, UNC students voted to renew and expand their $4-per-semester fee.
Thus far, UNC's fee has funded 172 solar thermal panels for a residence hall,
30 geothermal wells, and the conversion of cars to 20% biodiesel.
More from Spectator News
More from AASHE
More from the UNC Sustainablog
