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Climate activists upset with Wiley
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Also by Jon Musser:
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Several representatives from a number of different climate-friendly student groups participated in a rally on Library Mall Wednesday that culminated in a disappointing march to Chancellor John Wiley's office.
The protesters, whose ultimate goal was to get Wiley to sign the Presidents Climate Commitment, were surprised to find an "Office Temporarily Closed" sign on the chancellor's door.
According to Rachel Butler, Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group chair, Wiley and others were notified about the intended visit and the students' desire to adopt the PCC.
"We sent [Wiley] a notice letting him know we would be coming today around 4 (p.m.)," Butler said. "Conveniently, they had to close the office early for 'staffing issues.'"
The American College and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment is a climate neutrality initiative that seeks to get higher education institutions across the country to commit to the fight against global warming.
The PCC also requires universities to develop a long-term plan to achieve climate neutrality through the gradual reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions.
Although he did not face the protesters Wednesday afternoon, Wiley issued a statement to The Badger Herald about his reasons for shying away from the PCC.
"I will not be signing the American College and University Climate Commitment," Wiley said in the statement. "I believe it is ill-advised to sign a pledge in which the goals are poorly defined and where the cost to taxpayers is unknown."
Wiley's three-page list of reasons went on to say that he agrees with the students about the issue of environmental ethics, but he said he has reservations about the ambiguous means by which the commitment aims to solve the problem.
Wiley also said that he does not have the authority to make such long-term, costly commitments for UW.
Butler, however, said Wiley's refusal is peculiar because it goes against the decisions of several other major universities around the nation, and he added that UW could find the appropriate funding.
"Where there's a will, there's a way — this is a huge university with tons of resources," Butler said. "If there was true will to do it, I'm sure we could make it happen."
Butler added WISPIRG and other student organizations, such as the Associated Students of Madison and the Fair Trade Action Alliance, have been conducting a campaign over the last few months to get the chancellor to sign the PCC.
The group posted a sign on Wiley's door that read "UW: Go Climate Neutrality," along with a petition containing more than 400 student signatures supporting the PCC.
According to Lauren Crane, co-coordinator of WISPIRG'S Big Red Go Green campaign, it is crucial for the university to sign the PCC and develop a plan for renewable energy sources.
"We'd really like them to sign onto this so we can have a long term plan for renewables," Crane said.
According to Butler, UW should set an example on how to fight global warming for other colleges and the state as a whole.
"As the flagship university for our state, it's really bad that we are not being the leaders of Wisconsin, embodying the Wisconsin Idea," Butler said. "We should be living up to our standard of being a leading institution."
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“he added that UW could find the appropriate funding.”
I wonder if he’s willing to open his wallet. With all the existing funding issues (for little things like faculty salaries) I wonder where he thinks that the money will come from?
Its nice to see some new faces participating in proactive activism on campus. However, I do have one comment… amateurs.
First… its a little late in the year to begin an action campaign.
Second… never, EVER notify the target of the action before the action occurs. Their march may have been more successful if they hadn’t tipped off the office. The sentimental courtesy of kindly informing the target of a militant action kind of defeats the purpose, anyway.
I would, though, like to see what happens with this campaign in the future if the involved parties get their act together. Never take no for an answer if you know you’re right.
Proactive activism? Hmmm…
Captain Kirk: “Sulu! Activate the proactive-activism-action-activity device!”
1:21
Some people call themselves activists but don’t actually “proactively” organize behind their respective issues… they just do a lot of talking, basically.
Interesting groupthink. Other universities signed, so we should too.
Are these folks aware of the WE CONSERVE program that was started on campus more than a year ago? This is a Wiley-initiated campus program to systematically reduce energy consumption. I’m sure it is more moderate than the PCC goals, but an initiative underway is a real, definite step.
Yes, WE CONSERVE is far short of the carbon neutrality advocated in PCC. Would it be more constructive to critique the existing initiative and help it become more significant? PCC goals seem to be solving the entire sustainability problem for the world; some folks may prefer setting challenging goals that might be achieved in the short term to get some momentum going.