One year in, the University of Alaska-Fairbanks is struggling to spend a new green fee effectively.  As more and more campuses add fees for energy conservation, renewable energy and other environmental sustainability projects, Alaska’s experience highlights key questions schools will need to answer.

Last year, students approved a $20 per semester fee to fund conservation and renewable energy.  The University pledged to match the fee resulting in roughly $500,000 per year to fund sustainability projects.

The fee that was approved, however, was intentionally vague and the total budget will likely be larger than the cost of the projects discussed during the fee vote.  Now, administrators and student leaders are trying to decide how to spend the money. 

Spending plans for the green fee will be split between a campus sustainability office and a student board called RISE (review of infrastructure, sustainability and energy).  The campus sustainability office will have 14 part time student staff focused on specific green projects.  That effort, however, will still leave a large amount of money unspent, which the RISE board will help to allocate. 

Even those boards, however, are still struggling to determine the long-term plans for the fee revenue.  As a consequence, administrators are now looking to roll over revenue until the campus has a long-term plan. 

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