WHEREAS the Student Sustainability Task Force created a petition entitled “RPI Climate Action Plan”;
WHEREAS the petition garnered 301 signatures as of the 9th of September, 2019;
WHEREAS the Student Sustainability Task Force presented to the Senate, their concerns and plans to take action in an effort to improve RPI’s sustainability and climate advocacy; and
WHEREAS a Global Challenge Rensselaer aims to face, as listed in the Rensselaer Plan 2024, is “establishing a sustainable and resilient national and international infrastructure.”
The Rensselaer Union 50th Student Senate hereby RESOLVES:
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To thank the Student Sustainability Task Force for presenting to the Student Senate about their concerns with current sustainability efforts on campus and providing valuable insight into where improvements can be made,
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To recognize Rensselaer’s responsibility as an institution to advance environmental sustainability efforts, as aligned with the Global Challenges in the Rensselaer 2024 Plan, thereby substantiating the imminent need for campus-wide climate action and carbon neutrality plan,
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To recognize the necessity of a Director of Sustainability or an equivalent permanent staff member tasked in strengthening the long-term evaluation, development and implementation of environmental sustainability initiatives at Rensselaer thereby assisting in the efforts of the Student Sustainability Task Force,
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To advocate for collaboration between the Student Sustainability Task Force, the Facilities and Services Committee, and the related Administrators, including the aforementioned Director of Sustainability, for the design and implementation of comprehensive climate and carbon neutrality plans into Rensselaer’s operational activities and community functions.
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To advocate for the completion of current projects through this new collaboration, for the purpose of minimizing the Institute’s environmental impact.