To: Board of Regents of the University of Hawaiʻi, Chancellor Tom Apple, and Robert Bley-Vroman, Interim Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Manoa
UH Manoa: Allow the launch of the Student Sustainability Fund
As sustainability comes to the forefront of discussion at our University with the Sustainability Policy Statement of 2012, the 2003 UHM Charter of Sustainability, the UHM Strategic Plan of 2011-2015 and the newly adopted BOR Sustainability Policy, it is pragmatic and beneficial for students and the campus as a whole to have funding for sustainability efforts.
Why is this important?
As nearly no funding exists for sustainability and environmental efforts on our campuses and students pay nearly 30% of their tuition dollars directly to pay the utility bill of UH Mānoa, the Student Sustainability Fund (SSF) makes students the leaders in funding sustainability to find solutions to issues like these.
The SSF will directly benefit students, clubs, departments and our campus as a whole. The Student Sustainability Fund will be $4 a semester for each student and give UH a way to empower and engage students in active involvement in this arena. As the athletic fee is $50 a semester, a $4 fee for the SSF is a small step towards a brighter future for all those at UH Mānoa.
Sustainability and greening efforts on hundreds of campuses typically result in a 1-3 year payback with a high return on investment.
To manage projects like recycling, renewable energy, student gardens and more, financial support is necessary and the SSF will provide an initial push for the administration to then come on board with their own investments.
Fore more information and access to a survey on the SSF, check out http://www.hawaii.edu/sustainability/ssch/ssf.
The mission of the Student Sustainability Coalition of Hawaiʻi / Hui Haumāna Mālama Hawaiʻi is to cultivate a system of sustainable learning environments throughout Hawaiʻi.