Austin Peay State University (Southern Energy Network)
Passed Green Energy Fee Referendum
Students Organized to Advance Renewable Energy (SOARE) at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN organized a student body vote in January to approve a $10 per student per semester Renewable Energy fee that will increase energy efficiency and the use renewable energy for the campus. The referendum was approved by an overwhelming 83% majority. The fee must yet be approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents in June 2007. SOARE has used this victory to leverage even more support for climate action: because of education and advocacy from the students at APSU, the mayor of Clarksville is now entertaining the prospect of joining the Cool Cities pledge. He will host a weekend working group to investigate the advantages and costs of Cool Cities in June.
Coastal Carolina University (Southern Energy Network)
Green Fee Campaign
After a failed attempt at getting a renewable energy fee at Coastal Carolina early in the school year because SGA did not believe in a "mandated" fee. Students reworked their proposal and then towards the very end of the semester, students passed a resolution for a voluntary green fee through their SGA with wide support.
Cornell University (Sierra Student Coalition (SSC))
Led by Katherine McEachern and Carlos Rymer, the students of KyotoNOW! at Cornell University achieved two victories in the spring 2007 semester.
Green Fee
The second victory was the passage of a “green fee.” Students secured this victory by passing a student government referendum and organizing a “get out the vote” effort for the student fee, which was passed by the student body. Students will continue to secure short term policy victories and should remain involved with the development of a climate neutrality plan for Cornell.
Duke University (Students United from a Global Social Environment (SURGE))
Green Fee
SURGE began working with Duke University students in fall 2006 on a number of campus initiatives, including a petition for a $10/semester campus green fee led by the Duke Environmental Alliance. During the spring 2007 semester, student leader Vanessa Barnett-Loro became a SURGE fellow and was able to spend a significant amount of time on campus sustainability efforts through the EA and Students for Sustainable Living (SSL). As a result of their work, the Duke Student government approved the student green fee proposal, which will be voted on by the student body for final approval in the 2007-2008 academic year.
Georgia State University (Southern Energy Network)
Green Fee
The Sustainable Energy Tribe student group presented a green fee resolution based on Valdosta's model to their SGA in a process similar to a straw-poll. The resolution passed through this process unanimously and will go to the official vote in the fall semester.
Hollins University (Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN))
Student leaders - Sarah Whitney, Sara Geres, Dana Leeper, Robin Mizzel, Caroline Walz, Stephanie Pratt, Sarah Black, Morgan Davis, and Liz Schwartz.
Green Fee
Students have been very active on environmental and energy issues for a number of years at Hollins University. After attending the Youth Energy Summit in November, students began to organize a green fee campaign on campus. At least 400 people signed their petition to institute the green fee and many more were attracted to the group via energy events and outreach.
Maryland (Student PIRGS)
Clean Energy Fee Referendum
Working with CCAN and the UMD College Park Student Government Association, Maryland PIRG students won a referendum vote by 91% to increase student fees $4 to pay for clean energy on campus, and will increase to $12 in the next 4 years. Students with the Climate Challenge group, led by coordinator Joanna Calabrese and SGA Environmental Affairs Committee chair Sam Snellings, helped lead the effort.
McGill University (Sierra Youth Coalition)
Green Fund
A new fee levy was passed this year at McGill to create a green fund. The new fund will get 1.25$ per student per session and will be used for new projects next year. This will be managed by the student government (SSMU).
St. Mary's College of Southern (Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN)) Student Leaders - Co-presidents: Rachel Clement, Meredith Epstein, Vice President: Mary Clapp, Treasurer: Anna Vaudin, Secretary: Shane Hall
100% Clean Energy
Next year, SMCM will be purchasing 100% Clean Energy. Students passed the referendum 1005 to 75, to raise tuition fees $25 per year to pay for 100% clean, renewable energy. The referendum was brought in front of the student body as a result of a supporting bill's passage through the SGA. Students gathered 714 petition signatures for the bill, representing over 500 more students than voted in the SGA elections. Students employed a number of novel tactics to raise awareness and generate support for the referendum, including dorm storming, writing messages on every chalkboard on campus, and handing out 1,000 pinwheels, over the summer, clean energy providers will be submitting "bids" for clean energy contracts with the college and subsequent decisions will be made. (NOTE: decisions will be based on criteria beyond lowest cost) Because of funding cycles, student fees will start paying for clean energy in the beginning of the 2008 academic year. In the interim, the SGA will pull from a large budget surplus to provide the funds necessary to get clean energy online by the beginning of the 2007 academic year. http://www.smcm.edu/newsevents/release.cfm?id=548
Berkeley (Student PIRGS)
CALPIRG, the California Student Sustainability Coalition and a host of campus organizations helped convince the University of California to sign the President’s Climate Commitment, which covers all 9 campuses in the UC system. CALPIRG, CSSC and campus groups like the UCSB Environmental Affairs Board ran a quiet persuasion campaign, focused on the most supportive Chancellors in the UC system (such as UCSB’s Henry Yang). This included personally making the case to these Chancellors, as well as generating visibility for the university’s current initiatives.
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)
The CalPIRG chapter at UC Berkeley, along with a large coalition of other student groups, helped pass a fee referendum (called TGIF: The Green Initiative Fund) that would assess $5/student/semester to purchase renewable energy credits. The initiative passed with 69% support by the voting student body. CalPIRG's role included providing advice and training to activists on campaigning tactics such as tabling and class raps, about 25 volunteer hours tabling/campaigning, connections with the campus paper to get an op-ed printed, and advice from CalPIRG advocate Emily Rusch on how to prepare for a meeting with an editorial board (TGIF was the only fee referendum to get endorsed by the Daily Cal).
University of Colorado Denver (Student PIRGS)
Renewed and Increased Renewable Energy Fee
The CoPIRG chapter worked with a coalition of other campus organizations to renew the student fee for renewable energy. The fee, created in 2004, was increased to $3/semester and expanded to cover wind purchases, campus energy efficiency programs of campus buildings, increasing current recycling and integrated waste management programs, reducing the campus per capita water use, and increasing the fuel efficiency of campus fleet vehicles.
University of Florida (Southern Energy Network)
Renewable Energy Fee
The University of Florida group Gators for Sustainable Campus passed a student referendum calling for a Renewable Energy Fee. Campaigning for the fee included meetings with campus leaders and SG nominees and club advisers. UF President Machin has pledged support to the student effort which will be up for review by the Board of Trustees this summer.
University of Maryland, College Park (Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN)) and (Environmental Justice Climate Change Initiative)
Student Leaders - Amy Dewan, Joanna Calabre, David Rogner and Andrew Nazdin
100% Clean Energy Referendum
Students voted on a non-binding referendum to increase tuition fees by $12 to meet all students' energy needs by renewable energy. The increased fee would begin at $4 the first year and increase $2 each additional year until reaching a maximum of $12. The referendum passed with 3,803 votes. To raise awareness UMD students relentlessly tabled and gathered petition signatures just to get the referendum on the ballot. Leading up to the vote, they held an event titled "Climate Climax" that features spoken word artists, an "environmental justice speaker", and Mike Tidwell Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Since the referendum is non-binding, next steps include pressuring the administration to purchase clean energy. http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/media/storage/paper873/news/2007/04/18/News/Students.Pushing.For.Referendum.Support-2849020.shtml
University of Memphis (Southern Energy Network)
Green Power Referendum
The Environmental Action Club (EAC) at the University of Memphis campaigned to pass a referendum to purchase green power and fund on-campus sustainability projects, such as recycling and energy efficiency. Over 1,600 students -- the largest voter turn-out in school history -- approved the referendum with a 69% majority. Beyond the voted support, the EAC and 105 student volunteers also collected over 2,500 signatures specifying that the fee be set at $20/student/semester, which would make the University of Memphis the largest user of green power in the Southeast. The new Green Power fee must be approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents in June 2007.
University of North Carolina, Charlotte (Students United from a Global Social Environment (SURGE))
Green Fee Initiatives
SURGE began working with UNC-Charlotte students in fall 2006. Several UNCC students attended the October 2006 Climate Summit, and met with SURGE staff (and other nonprofit allies) in December 2006 to discuss various campus greening initiatives and partnership opportunities. UNCC Earth Club president, John Avery, with SURGE support, worked with the student government on a green fee initiative for campus. In spring 2007, the student government approved the green fee vote, and a final decision will be voted on during fall 2007 by the UNCC student body. In addition to this on-campus work, UNCC students helped lead the fight against the Cliffside coal plant west of Charlotte, and submitted numerous petitions and letters on the subject to local newspapers and elected leaders.
University of North Carolina, Greensboro (Students United from a Global Social Environment (SURGE))
Student Green Fee Initiative
UNCG, under the leadership of UNCGreen's, Tom Patterson, began a huge campus-wide initiative to support a student green fee during the 2006-2007 academic year. UNCGreen, the campus environmental organization, had several representatives at the October 2006 NC Climate Summit and gathered support and ideas from other NC students through subsequent statewide conference calls. UNCGreen polled students in the fall 2006 semester and began an outreach campaign to promote a student green fee. The campus response was supportive, and the UNCG student government is poised to pass a green fee in the next academic year.
University of Tennessee, Chattanooga (Southern Energy Network)
Green Fee Referendum
Ecological Decisions for a Global Environment (EDGE) led a successful campaign this semester at the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga, where 847 students voted in support of the Clean Campus Initiative. With 12% of the total student population in support of bringing renewable energy, efficiency, recycling, and other sustainability efforts to the campus should prove to be exciting. The campus is currently researching electric bus routes and sustainable fuels.