Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / News / Students pass recycling fee proposal

Students pass recycling fee proposal

April 20, 2017 by Haley Remenar

A Students’ Association-backed resolution calling for a campus-wide sustainability fund passed Thursday with about 10 percent of the student body voting. The fund would cost students $25 per year and would establish a campus-wide recycling program.

A total of 480 students voted, with 324 voting for, 148 voting against and eight abstaining. Because the proposal passed, the Students’ Association will petition the university administration to implement the proposal, called the Genesis Fund. The fund would have about $100,000 paid by a mandatory $25 fee charged to all students, according to an SA document prepared by Dr. Joshua Brokaw, assistant professor of biology.

The fund would provide for a recycling program maintained by Facilitates and Campus Management. A sustainability council comprised of three students, three staff members, three faculty members and one facilities representative would allocate the funds to any other sustainability measures supported by the Genesis Fund. Other initiatives could include supplies for sustainability related service activities by student organizations such as recycling or clean-up outreach campaigns, solar panels or sustainability enhancement projects by campus offices to engage students such as water stations that encourage reusable bottles.

“I have been encouraged by the wide scope of involvement that we have had in preparing for the Genesis Fund,” said Abbey Moses, SA president. “The demand for sustainability at ACU is coming from a diverse group of people, and I think that the unity showed is telling of the need for the fund.”

SA gathered student opinions about sustainability through a survey sent to the student body last semester, and 399 students participated. Eighty-one percent of the surveyed students agreed or strongly agreed that recycling should be available in every building on campus, and 61.1 percent said they would be comfortable with a $25 fee for sustainability.

Students who don’t support the fee said the university doesn’t need $100,000 to pay for recycling. Matthew Tidmore, junior management major from Amarillo, said $25 may not seem like much but for some students that money could help pay for rent or food. Recipients of Pell Grants could appeal the fee, but Tidmore said many students who don’t have Pell Grants struggle with finances. 

“Recycling in itself is a good thing, but there are bigger problems at hand,” Tidmore said. “It doesn’t really make sense that they need that much money to do that.” 

Tidmore said most students he talked to were indifferent or against the fund. He said he also voted against the Student Activity fee, which students voted on two years ago and charges students $25 per semester to pay for concerts and on-campus activities.

Filed Under: News

Other News:

  • Arch apartments receive complaints from students, issues with communication, maintenance

  • Undergraduate Research, Creativity and Innovation Festival accepting abstracts for presentations until Friday

  • Annual Lunar New Year celebration held by ASO

About Haley Remenar

2017-2018 Editor in Chief

You are here: Home / News / Students pass recycling fee proposal

Other News:

  • Arch apartments receive complaints from students, issues with communication, maintenance

  • Undergraduate Research, Creativity and Innovation Festival accepting abstracts for presentations until Friday

  • Annual Lunar New Year celebration held by ASO

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
2 Feb

BREAKING: Campus will be operating remotely in the morning. Any classes after 1 p.m. will be in person.

Reply on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Retweet on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Like on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Twitter 1620939263557734401
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
31 Jan

BREAKING: Campus will continue operating remotely Wednesday due to continued icy conditions.

Reply on Twitter 1620523455421779970 Retweet on Twitter 1620523455421779970 Like on Twitter 1620523455421779970 1 Twitter 1620523455421779970

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

5 days ago

The Optimist
ACU’s Alpha Psi Omega chapter raised money for the Living Waters Charity by putting on a show in the span of 24 hours. See more photos from our gallery: ... See MoreSee Less

Gallery: 24-Hour Musical tells the heartwarming story of Junie B. Jones - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

ACU’s Alpha Psi Omega chapter raised money for the Living Waters Charity by putting on a show in the span of 24 hours. This year, the department chose to perform the beloved children’s musical “...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

1 week ago

The Optimist
Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. Read more: ... See MoreSee Less

Student life implements new software, updates rushing process - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. The Campus Director software has an algorithm programmed to match rushe...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Tune in to this week's newscast for a look at Greek Life rushing, the annual ... [Read More…]

  • Women’s tournament run ended by first-round exit against UTRGV
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 22. 2022
  • Optimist Newscast 2.16.2022

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved