Minutes from Fossil Free WSU Meeting on April 11, 2023
Present: Stevie Smith, Ryan Culp, Daniel Howell, Simon Smith, Danielle Weinberger, Gil Rezin, Bill Engels
1. Faculty & Staff Survey
Stevie reported that, of 463 respondents to the survey posted on Mary 28th, 52% agreed that WSU should divest and 35.5% disagreed. The remaining 12.3% were undecided. Only one email had been sent, a comment that, although addressed as a faculty member in the accompanying email, the recipient wasn’t on the faculty.
2. Sustainability Task Force
Bill went over some highlights from Jason Sampson’s sharing at our March 28th FFWSU meeting, including his suggestions that
- we first get our goal approved by the Board of Regents as part of the collective goals recommended by the Task Force, then seek the Divestment Resolution approval by the Regents
- we ask Mike Connell for recommendations on alternative investments to propose to the student managers of the Cougar Fund.
Bill will write to Mr. Connell. The group decided to ask Julie Padowski, co-chair with Mr. Sampson of the Task Force, to speak to us in the fall semester.
3. Student Petition
Stevie reported the number of signatures was 878. He presented to WSU’s Water Resources Club, which is not part of ASWSU, and they signed as a group. He had not heard back after reaching out to other ASWSU groups.
Ryan printed 72 half-sheet flyers with the student petition and would print another 100 for distributing during ESA’s tabling this week and at the Earth Week events next week. Bill said he put up several of the new version of the flyer with colored lettering in the CUB and Terrell Library the day before. Stevie will inquire whether the petition is still being displayed on electronic signage on campus and, if not, arrange to have it posted.
The group decided not to post flyers with the petition in the dorms again this spring.
4. Rally at Ruby St. Park on Earth Day
Ryan printed 36 full-page flyers on the rally. Stevie inquired about a reporter from the Daily Evergreen and Simon will post an announcement in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Bill will send Stevie a sample speech and Gil and Ryan will edit and use their speech’s from the October rally.
The group decided to focus on rallying, instead of both rallying and marching. Ryan will purchase a megaphone and chalk for marking up the sidewalks with slogans around the park. Stevie and Gil will bring their Bluetooth speakers. The signs from the October rally and march will be used. Members of the group will arrive at 3 pm to hand out flyers before the previous event, collecting used pizza boxes for a pilot biochar project, ends at 4 pm.
Update: An article covering the event was posted in the online Daily Evergreen paper on April 24th:
‘WSU must divest now!’ WSU students rally for Fossil Fuel Divestment – The Daily Evergreen
5. Public Comments at May 5th Board of Regents Meeting
Gil volunteered to give a public comment. Bill will send him a sample comment.
6. Divest Washington/SJCON
Bill shared that he was contacted recently by Divest Washington, a campaign for divesting the holdings of the state’s Investment Board from fossil fuels. Stevie shared that his presentation at SJCON will be on Friday, April 21st.
Next meeting: This is the final meeting of the spring semester. Meetings will resume after the start of classes in the fall.
Fossil Free WSU 