The Sustainability Wild Goose Chase8212;

You can never have too much sustainability, or so the U seems to think.

In April 2008, U President Michael Young signed the Presidents’ Climate Commitment, a commitment to take several measures to reduce the U’s impact on the environment. As an effort to meet this commitment, the U Office of Sustainability has recently been recruiting sustainability task teams composed of students, faculty and staff. These task teams would gather sustainability project ideas from the campus public and bring them to the President’s Sustainability Advisory Board for direction. Myron Willson, director of the Office of Sustainability, said the task forces would also contribute to the institutional action plan for becoming climate neutral, due this May.

This program sounds awfully similar to the sustainability initiative pushed haphazardly through the U Board of Trustees by the Associated Students of the University of Utah last spring. The sustainability initiative, though currently inoperable, would have student groups bring environmental projects to a sustainability committee led by an adviser whose salary would be paid for by already collected student fees. This committee would then give these projects direction and ensure they are financially viable.

To have two programs with nearly identical goals and organization, one supported financially by administration and another by student fees, is redundant and wasteful. Shouldn’t one of these organizations be enough to meet the goals of the PCC? President Young, who signed the PCC and voted for the sustainability initiative, should have known better. Sustainability is a worthy effort, but it’s time to stop wasting student money in the name of excess.

Miss

Peace in Greece8212;
Being greek at the U can sometimes feel like a West Side Story revival. With U fraternities and sororities defined according to their affiliation with the Latter-day Saint Student Association, Greek Row or cultural-based organizations, it isn’t hard to find space for disagreements and criticisms. That’s why it’s nice to finally see the Greek community making an effort to unify, despite differences. Some of the recent efforts include organizing service projects that include all fraternities and sororities, breaching social, cultural and religious lines.

We hope to see all U fraternities and sororities continue in this resolve and put the often childish contention behind them.
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Samoan Relief Efforts8212;
The tsunami that recently devastated Samoa might be sinking to the back of the public’s memory, but the U football team hasn’t forgotten.
At Saturday’s game, the team will be asking game-goers to donate $1 at the entrance toward Project One Hope United to contribute to Samoan relief efforts. The team will be working with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the Student Alumni Association, the Polynesian Coaches Association and the Center for Ethnic Student Affairs to raise money. Students and fans should support this worthy effort at the game. Don’t forget to donate $1 this Saturday.

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