The Student Senate held a brief meeting on Monday following Vice President for Student Life Eddie Ade Knowles’ cross-cutting performance plan review.
The main focus of the meeting was a motion presented to the Senate by graduate senator Ben Cohen and senator Ben Hunt ’10.
The motion was developed as a result of the Student Sustainability Task Force’s work toward making the RPI campus more environmentally friendly. The SSTF has been making as much headway as possible, according to Cohen, but can only do so much without help and support from the administration.
Grand Marshal Kara Chesal ’09 opened the discussion by telling senators a little bit of background on the motion and that it was “very well thought-out,” and just needed the Senate’s support to ask the administration for help.
“We are asking the administration to make clear statements about what sustainability means at this school,” Cohen said. “We need leadership from the top, and that’s what we’re asking for.”
Hunt echoed Cohen’s statements, telling the Senate that the SSTF wants to “demonstrate to the administration that we are concerned with the situation and we hope to get results and concrete actions to address things.”
As a result, the motion that would be brought to President Shirley Ann Jackson before Chesal’s meeting with her this coming Monday, if passed, requests that: “1.) The administration of Rensselaer make clear, substantive statements outlining specific areas to address energy and sustainability innovation here at Rensselaer in order to better guide the performance planning process. Possible areas where specific aims could be made include: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving the recycling program, composting, setting energy and resource use reduction targets, installing gray water systems in new construction and facilities retrofits, starting new conservation efforts, and improving community education in sustainability matters. 2.) The administration be encouraged to outline an approach and implementation timetable specifically for ‘Energy and the Environment’ directives with quantifiable, measurable metrics to assess the current state and progress of Rensselaer with regard to operations, education, research, and culture and to regularly update the campus community on the progress being made in these areas. 3.) An Institute-wide Sustainability Task Force be formed to assess the directives set forth by the Institute administration, ensure they are carried out in a timely manner, review the proposal generated by the summer student group, and to work with the Student Sustainability Task Force towards their common goals.”
The motion was passed by the Senate in a vote of 18-0-0. Chesal will be presenting the motion at her one-on-one meeting with Jackson Monday prior to the Senate’s meeting, as Jackson will be visiting the Senate meeting to make her fall semester presentation.
