September 21, 2009

by Katie Throne

Kudos to UGA Students and The Go Green Alliance

Kudos to UGA students and The Go Green Alliance for showing some real gumption!

When UGA President Michael Adams told a grassroots group of UGA students the school could not fund a proposed Office of Sustainability, they decided to put it to a vote to see what kind of support they had from their peers.

The referendum passed with more than 80% of voters in favor of increasing student fees by $3 per semester (the price of a cup of coffee!) to raise funds for sustainability initiatives on campus.

Now the student-driven group, the Go Green Alliance, is drafting a proposal for an Office of Sustainability that has to pass a University fees committee, the president's office and the Board of Regents before the $3 fee is implemented and a director is hired. The proposal is expected to be finished next month. If it passes, it would be implemented next Fall.

The students want to establish an Office of Sustainability at UGA to help coordinate initiatives, collaborate with groups within and outside of UGA, and educate the UGA community about sustainability.

According to GreenReportCard.org, a website that grades colleges and universities on sustainability practices, UGA earned a C - overall. 

Sources: The Red and Black, Go Green Alliance

UGA | Sustainability

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