Bowdoin Student Government
Office of the Executive Committee
For Immediate Release
2 April 2013
Statement by the Executive Committee on Divestment
To the Bowdoin Community:
We recognize and value the work of the students, faculty and staff associated with Bowdoin Climate Action (a subsidiary of Green Bowdoin Alliance) in putting forth a proposal to have the College divest from fossil fuels. The Executive Committee of Bowdoin Student Government has discussed this issue at length, and while we do not agree with the proposal for a variety of reasons, this effort has brought renewed attention to issues of sustainability and climate change on campus, which we believe are worthy of discussion.
Further, it has highlighted an opportunity to improve the College structure so student representatives can formally propose and discuss large-scale sustainability projects like divestment. As such, we have worked with the College to develop an advisory committee with student representation called the Bowdoin Climate Action Plan Committee, which will replace the Bowdoin Climate Action Plan Implementation Committee and begin work next year.
The charge of the Committee will be to evaluate and implement the plan to become carbon neutral by 2020 as well as review ideas for other sustainability initiatives. The Committee will also explore sustainability-related educational opportunities. Its membership will include:
- Katy Longley, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration & Treasurer,
- Ted Stam, Director of Facilities Operations and Maintenance,
- Keisha Payson, Sustainability Coordinator,
- Del Wilson, Budget Director, as well as
- 2 faculty representatives, and
- 2 to 3 student representatives.
The student representatives will include Bowdoin Student Government’s Vice President for Facilities & Sustainability as well as 1 to 2 students chosen by the BSG Executive Committee from within the membership of Green Bowdoin Alliance and Sustainable Bowdoin. We hope that students will use this Committee to implement innovative sustainability initiatives on campus.
The Executive Committee of Bowdoin Student Government
Daniela Chediak ’13, President
Chris Breen ’15, Vice President for Student Government Affairs
Allen Wong Yu ’14, Vice President for Student Affairs
Leah Greenberg ’13, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Brian Kim ’13, Vice President for Student Organizations (Chair, SOOC)
Tessa Kramer ’13, Vice President for Facilities and Sustainability
Charlie Cubeta ’13, Vice President of the Treasury (Chair, SAFC)
Bernie Clevens ’15, Programming Director