Fossil Free WSU
ESA Subcommittee Meeting Minutes, March 22, 2022
Present: Stephen Fawcett, Mason Burns, Ryan Culp, Simon Smith, Bill Engels
Bill shared Mike Connell’s email response to him on March 4th indicating that President Schulz’s office would be in charge of the ESG investing project. The office would consult with other universities and seek input from WSU students, faculty, alumni, staff, and others in developing guidelines for WSU’s ESG investing for approval by the Board of Regents and Foundation Board of Directors. Mr. Connell copied the Presidents’ Executive Assistant on the email so Bill will write to the President’s office to request an opportunity for Fossil Free WSU to provide input in a meeting or presentation. Stevie and, possibly, Mason are available for this.
Ryan shared that 115 posters on the student petition with the QR code were put up in the WSU student dorms and that they would be up for another week.
Stevie shared that he had arranged for President Schulz to address two questions in the President’s address to the Faculty Senate on April 9th:
- When can we expect WSU to divest from fossil fuels?
- Will WSU divest from the top 200 fossil fuel companies?
Stevie reported on his Zoom meeting with Regent Dickinson on March 8th. She encouraged Fossil Free WSU to continue spreading awareness and dialoguing and working openly with the administration and said that we had the attention of the Board of Regents and President Schulz.
Simon and Bill shared how their public comments at the March 11th Board of Regents meeting went. Both thanked the administration for the progress being made. Simon mentioned the concern of two WSU donors about where the endowment was being invested and Bill requested an opportunity for Fossil Free WSU to provide input on divestment from the Carbon Underground 200 to the President’s office.
Stevie shared the current number of petition signees: 478. Signatures were being added slowly. He planned to promote the petition and our campaign at the WSU Social Justice Conference on March 25-26, where he would be presenting. He mentioned that Roben White, the keynote speaker, and Desiree, an English professor at the Vancouver campus, were interested in our campaign. In addition, the petition would be featured during ESA’s Earthweek Program at the Pullman campus beginning April 11th.
Stevie said that the Faculty Senate wants him to present on divestment and our campaign in August. They asked that he remind them beforehand. His presentation can be in conjunction with Fossil Free WSU’s launching of the faculty petition.
The group continued discussing the proposed march in April. It was suggested that we wait until hearing President Schulz’s response to the two questions at his address to the Faculty Senate before organizing it. A concern was raised that a march might send the wrong message to the university administration and be counterproductive if done at this time. Other ways of raising awareness about our campaign were discussed. These included advertising at the WSU Social Justice Conference and through various media outlets in the area and state. We might arrange a press release about an event such as the meeting with or presentation at the President’s office or an ESA talk event. Bill asked the group to think of ideas for events and bring them to our next meeting.
Next meeting: 5:30 pm, Tuesday, April 5th
Fossil Free WSU 