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Iowa State University’s Government of the Student Body voted unanimously Wednesday to urge the school’s administration to continue to decrease its use of its coal energy and begin utilizing more clean energy solutions
Since last August, the student environmental group ActivUS has challenged the ISU administration to shut down the campus coal plant and switch to renewable energy.The group called Wednesday’s vote a landmark victory.
“The symbolism of this vote is breathtaking,” said Derek Hauer, vice president of ActivUs. “On the eve of the 40th Earth Day, Iowa State students are making the right move for campus and for our planet.”
Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy and Vice President of Finance Warren Madden have met with ActivUS members twice since the fall 2009 semester. Graham Jordison, a 2009 ISU graduate and Sierra Club Beyond Coal organizer for Iowa, said each time students have met with administrators “their excuse for not taking action is ‘we need to hear from the student body.’ One [student] senator acknowledged that this was representing the voice of the entire student body.”
“Iowa State’s administration will need to answer to this impressive call for an end to coal and more renewable energy,” said Greenpeace Student Network organizer David Pinsky, who visited campus earlier this week to meet with ActivUS members.
ActivUS also collected and delivered 600 petitions from students to the school’s administration calling on the university to end its reliance on coal.
The school has responded to student activism regarding the university coal plant before. Following numerous media reports and student protests, the school bowed to pressure last fall and agreed to conduct groundwater monitoring at a coal ash disposal site is shares with the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.
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