In a previous version of this article online, the demands of the 350.org divestment campaign were unclear. The campaign says that divestment is feasible with a phase-out plan of five years, which includes immediate steps the university can take right away and starts with a freeze on new investments in fossil fuels.

Sunday afternoon, in the sustainability office in Smith Hall, a group of Syracuse University students discussed ways to contribute to a campaign that began on campus nearly two years ago.

The group, called Divest SU and ESF, is working toward asking SU administration to pull its endowments from the fossil fuel industry on the basis that they harm the environment.

Divestment is a movement to convince universities to take investments out of fossil fuels, said Emma Edwards, a junior policy studies major and member of the organization.

Divest SU and ESF got its start when Bill McKibben, founder of the environmental group 350.org, visited Syracuse University on Oct. 10, 2012, as part of the University Lectures Series.

He spoke about the need to control climate change and ways to do so. His message sparked an interest in the founders of Divest SU and ESF, who went on to form the organization.

On Sunday afternoon, group members received advice from 350.org field organizer K.C. Alvey. 

Alvey said full divestment wouldn’t happen right away. The process would involve the university taking investments out of fossil fuels through many years. The campaign says that divestment is feasible with a phase-out plan of five years, which includes immediate steps the university can take right away and starts with a freeze on new investments in fossil fuels.

During the training session, Alvey spoke with the six students in attendance about campaign tactics to make the divestment movement successful at SU, as well as setting goals the group could each achieve this semester.

Edwards added that making progress on divestment helps the group work toward a single and unified purpose.

“It gives us a concrete goal as environmentalists, and it allows us to be taken more seriously if we have a concrete goal,” she said.

Edwards said Divest SU and ESF also try to make progress by meeting with university officials and writing them letters. She said the most important thing at the moment is to get students interested in the cause.

“It’s difficult to get more members, though, because some students think it’s a cool idea, but don’t want to put in the effort to come to meetings,” Edwards said. “But the most pressing issue is that a lot of people don’t think divestment is the way to go.”

Devon Huck, a founder of Divest SU and ESF, said training events like the one on Sunday take place about once a semester. She said the organization also holds rallies once a semester to demonstrate student support for divestment.

Huck said the group started with five students, but has since grown and continues to grow after the organization holds events such as film screenings.

Bob Wilson, an associate professor of geography at SU, was at the meeting to give advice to students about why tackling climate change is important, as well as some of the obstacles they might encounter.

SU has close to $1 billion in its endowment fund. Most universities allot 10 percent of their funds to energy investments, 3 percent of which is often put toward fossil fuels, Wilson said.

Wilson said climate change is one of the many struggles of the students’ generation, and they need to be dedicated to divestment.

“It’s important for you to believe in what you’re doing because not everybody is going to be on board with this,” he said.

Approximately 60 professors have signed a petition in favor of divestment, but Wilson said he believes there will be some push back from faculty. He added that because the divestment movement at SU and ESF started with the students, it might grab the attention of university administration.

Edwards said the organization has gotten around 2,000 student signatures on petitions in favor of divestment, but said it can be difficult to truly measure success.

“It’s tough because it won’t be fully successful until we reach full divestment, but we’ve made progress by gaining members,” she said. “It shows it’s something we’re actively pursuing.”

Published on January 27, 2014 at 1:38 am

Contact Brett: blsamuel@syr.edu | @Brett_Samuels27