Group pushes $10 green fee

Citing little support from the Boston University administration for environmental initiatives, the Environmental Student Organization asked the Student Union to support its proposal to add an optional $10 fee to students' tuition to fund renewable sources last night at the Union meeting in the Photonics Center.

The proposal, which its supporters say would help offset university energy costs, would allow students the chance to opt out of paying the extra $10, similar to the optional sports pass, said ESO President Vicki Barbato, a School of Education senior.

The funds generated by the extra money would be used to purchase renewable energy credits from clean energy industries, Barbato said.

Although Assistant Provost Michael Field supports the ESO proposal, other administrators, including Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore, have expressed doubt about students' willingness to pay more for tuition, said ESO Secretary Rachel Leone.

If BU administrators dismiss their proposal as costly, they are overlooking the rising energy costs, which contribute significantly to BU's tuition increases, said Leone, a College of Arts and Sciences junior.

"We've worked with the administration, and they don't want to do it," Leone said. "They think it's going to cost them money."

The ESO has been discussing the proposal for several months with geography and environment professor Cleveland Cutler, who has been a liaison to the administration.

Several GA members, including CAS senior Ashley Robshaw, questioned whether increasing tuition is the most effective way to offset rising energy costs.

"I think it's kind of drastic to put it on the entire university's budget," Robshaw said. "I don't think students are educated enough about this, so you can't just put this on their bill."

Given the recent attention environmental issues have received in the media, Leone said many students are fairly educated about alternative energy.

"I think we should all be asked to pay 10 dollars, because we all contribute to this problem," Leone said.

"You guys aren't paying it -- your parents are," she continued.

John Grant, who is running for Union vice president, said the cost of attending BU would increase significantly if every student group could receive funding for its cause by increasing the tuition, as ESO is proposing for itself.

"Although it's only 10 dollars, it's kind of a slippery slope," the CAS sophomore said. "Who else is going to ask for 10 dollars to increase tuition?"

CAS sophomore Sidney Efromovich said the need to make BU more environmentally friendly outweighs the relatively small cost students would incur if the administration accepts the proposal.

"We need to see this as an investment," Efromovich said. "Ten dollars? That's less than what you spend to go out at night.

"If we show that the student body supports an action to make the school greener, the administration will back this up," he continued.

In other business about the upcoming election, the General Assembly voted to set aside $990.54 of its budget to fund a campaign encouraging students to vote in the upcoming Union elections, scheduled to begin April 17.

In last year's election, 1,608 students voted to elect Brooke Feldman, who ran unopposed.

"It's always difficult on a campus as large as ours to get students' attention," said Elections Commission Chairman Drew Phillips, a School of Management sophomore. "Our goal with the advertising is to get students who may not otherwise [vote] to realize why this is important."

Elmore could not be reached for comment by press time.