Fossil Free WSU
ESA Subcommittee Meeting Minutes, February 1, 2022
Present: Stephen Fawcett, Mason Burns, Ryan Culp, Bill Engels
- Review, follow-up of the minutes from January 18, 2022
Stevie said the prize for the student survey participant was being purchased and the recipient was selected.
The group decided that our campaign’s official name would be “Fossil Free WSU.”
Bill said that he would contact WSU’s Chief Financial Officer for information about the endowment and investment strategies before the next meeting.
Stevie said that he was scheduled to present on fuel divestment and the campaign at the next meeting of the ASWSU on either February 7th or 14th.
He also said he had not received a reply from Regent Dickinson to his letter about meeting with a member of the Board of Regents. Since the letter was sent about one week before, Bill said he would send Stevie suggested wording for a follow-up email.
Ryan was commended for his work in providing a public comment at the Board of Regents meeting on January 21, 2022. He shared his impressions of how it went. Bill also provided a public comment.
- New Actions
Stevie will forward to Bill the email from a WSU environmental group that has expressed interest in our campaign and is a potential collaborator.
Bill shared that a reporter with The Daily Evergreen will be interviewing him about the campaign on February 2nd. Ryan and Mason agreed to join him at the interview. Stevie will be interviewed on the 4th. The article will include the aswsu.esa email address for readers to contact us. Stevie will alert Mack that we may be receiving emails at that address. Our meeting time and location will also be included. Student readers will also be encouraged to sign the upcoming online petition to be presented to the WSU administration.
The group began organizing the petition. Stevie will set up one for individual students and one for student organizations. He will present the second petition to ASWSA when he gives his presentation to them.
Bill indicated that a few years ago a WSU fossil fuel divestment petition was posted on gofossilfree.org using that organization’s template, but that we would need a separate petition since anyone could sign the earlier one. He said he would try to contact the person who posted it for possible information useful for our campaign.
Stevie shared a concern of some students during the November survey about loss of funding for university programs should WSU divest. He suggested that language about alternative, green investments be included in the petition.
Due to lack of members currently, the group decided to plan on an unattended display table with a sign and/or banner in the CUB. Fliers with the QR code linking to the petition could be left on the table. Ryan will help Stevie in reserving the table.
Stevie pointed out that the Earthweek event during the week of April 15th would be an excellent opportunity to collect signatures for the petition.
He also said that WSU faculty members have expressed support for our campaign. The group decided to discuss at the next meeting following up on an invitation to present the petition before the Faculty Senate.
Stevie shared a request from a representative of a group against clearcutting to include companies engaged in clearcutting among those we’re demanding WSU to divest from.
Next meeting day and time: Tuesday, February 15, 5:30-6 pm.
Fossil Free WSU 