First-year senator Jack Benage just wants President Turner’s signature.
Benage hopes that Turner will sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, which aims to make educational institutions climate neutral.
Senators will vote on his legislation, which encourages Turner to sign the commitment, Feb. 3 at the Student Senate meeting at 3 p.m. in the Hughes-Trigg forum.
“Initially, I was approached by students that were proponents of the commitment,” Benage said in an email interview. “After learning about the commitment, what it entailed, and noting the prestigious universities that had already signed the commitment, it seemed that the agreement would be a great way to exhibit SMU’s position of concern for the environment.”
Turner would not be required to sign the commitment if Senate passes the legislation, but the resolution would let him know that Senate would be in favor of it.
609 presidents from across the nation have signed the commitment, including the presidents of Duke University, Rice University, Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas.
“By signing the commitment President Turner would be pledging SMU to continue to be environmentally friendly,” Benage said, noting that SMU is already fulfilling the requirement for reducing greenhouse gases in at least two ways.
SMU fulfills this requirement by encouraging and offering public transportation for the community through the Mustang Express and participating in the RecycleMania competition.
SMU has also implemented building to Leadership in Energy and Environment Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The J. Lindsey Embrey Engineering Building earned gold LEED certification, while the new Caruth building and Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall are being constructed to gold LEED standards.
In addition to measures already underway, SMU would commit to developing a plan to achieve climate neutrality within two years of signing the commitment, including “actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experience for all students.”
Institutions under the commitment also pledge to “complete a comprehensive inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions and update the inventory every other year thereafter” within one year of signing the commitment.
Benage said “going green” is a much-discussed topic and “the legislation seemed like an easy way for SMU to publicly recognize our dedicated efforts to protect the environment.”
