Considering making a senior gift? Think twice. Your lack of financial support could promote more positive global change than your gift could.

Fossil fuel companies contribute significantly to global climate change and pollution of our precious natural resources. It is wrong for Syracuse University to financially support these companies, as the role of a university is to support the future of its students. Yet, SU makes a political statement in support of devastating climate change by remaining invested in fossil fuel companies.

Furthermore, fossil fuels are not a wise investment. As our global economy shifts away from the finite resources of coal and oil and towards modern technology like renewable energy, their stock will become vulnerable.
SU does not have direct investments in fossil fuels; in fact, they do not directly invest in anything. However, SU is invested in fossil fuels indirectly through mutual funds. The Socially Responsible Investment Matters Committee has made a commitment towards minimizing such exposure but has not yet begun making any steps in this direction.
The sustainable initiatives that SU has already enacted on campus are certainly commendable. Solar panels, energy efficiency and signing the Presidents’ Climate Commitment, to name a few, are wonderful steps in the right direction.

In order to remain a global leader in sustainability, SU needs to extend its leadership on climate change into its investment portfolio.

For these reasons, students and alumni considering making donations to SU should withhold them until administrators decide to stand on the right side of history and divest from fossil fuels.

Please don’t misconstrue my message. I am not saying that students and alumni should not make financial gifts to SU. On the contrary, gifts from alumni are very important and are even factored into college and university rankings. Students and alumni should give to SU, but they should know what kind of future their dollars are supporting and instead use those dollars to send a message.

SU does not deserve your money until they make a stand to support your future on a livable planet with clean water and clean air. After all, what good is a degree if there is no planet to use it on?
Don’t let your hard-earned dollars fund the climate crisis.

Please sign our petition on change.org, entitled, “I pledge to withhold donations until SU divests from fossil fuels!”

Sincerely,
Emma Edwards
Policy Studies and Geography, Class of 2015
Divest SU

Published on March 29, 2015 at 11:32 pm