Fossil Free WSU
ESA Subcommittee Meeting Minutes, February 15, 2022
Present: Stephen Fawcett, Mason Burns, Ryan Culp, Guthrie Kuester, Juana Angel-Ramos, Joel Guerra, Simon Smith, Bill Engels
- Update on WSU Foundation’s response to the divestment campaign
Bill shared that the Foundation has begun taking steps toward divestment from fossil fuels. The CEO, Mike Connell, reported in the Regents’ Strategic and Operational Excellence Committee meeting on January 20, 2022, that they had invited Mercer, their outside advisor, to speak to them about divestment at the Investment Committee meeting on November 30, 2021, that he had reached out to UWINCO, the U of W’s investment committee regarding fossil fuel divestment, and that they were in the process of implementing Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) investing. Bill also reported that he had written to Mr. Connell (on February 15th) asking if ESG investing would lead to divestment from the top 200 publicly listed fossil fuel companies worldwide and, if so, when. He sent the survey results to Mr. Connell.
- Review, follow-up of the minutes from February 1, 2022 meeting
Stevie said the prize had been given to the student survey participant.
He also reported that he had given a power point and presented the petition at a meeting of the ASWSU the day before. They seemed receptive to the campaign and a few signed the petition. He said ASWSU planned to help with advertising the petition among student organizations.
Juana said she would share the petition with the architecture club she belongs to.
Bill shared the response of Phil Weiler to his email to WSU’s Chief Financial Officer asking about the composition of the endowment and the investment strategies. Mr. Weiler replied that the WSU Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit and is a separate entity, so the “CFO doesn’t have visibility into or influence over the Foundation’s investment strategy.”
Stevie indicated that he is checking for any communications for Fossil Fuel WSU sent through wsu.esa@wsu.edu. He will resend to Bill the email from the WSU environmental group who expressed an interest last fall in the campaign. Bill will reach out to them about collaboration.
The group discussed the article that appeared in the electronic edition of The Daily News on February 8th. The article was well done. The question of whether it would have had greater visibility if it appeared in the printed paper was brought up.
- New Actions
The group continued organizing the student petition campaign. How to arrange specifically for WSU student signing was discussed. If non-students do sign, we might inform the WSU administration in submitting the petition where it was posted, so they know not all signees were WSU students. We may also be able to identify student signees from their email address and town.
It was decided to have the table in the CUB at 11 am-2 pm. Those who could tend the table next week indicated which days and times they were available.
Stevie said the email announcement to faculty asking them to tell their students about the petition would be sent on February 28th.
Stevie and Mason shared that they will be interviewed tomorrow on the divestment campaign by a WSU student who is apparently making a video.
Next meeting day and time: Tuesday, March 1, 5:30-6 pm.
Fossil Free WSU 