Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF students marched from the Quad to Chancellor Kent Syverud’s office Monday morning to deliver letters and signatures persuading him to discuss fossil fuel divestment with the Board of Trustees.

About a dozen Divest SU and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry members brought letters to Syverud’s office in Crouse-Hinds Hall. Ella Mendonsa, a member of Divest SU and ESF, said she hoped to meet with Syverud to discuss what the university’s next steps are.

“I hope he continues Syracuse’s sustainable legacy,” she said. “We’re actually known as one of the leading schools in sustainability in the nation and I think we should stand behind that. I think that’s what makes us a great school.”

It took the organization about a week and a half to organize the event, Mendonsa said.

Of the 70 letters students had for Syverud, some were handwritten, while others filled out a stock letter that Divest SU and ESF provided.

According to the stock letter, 496 colleges, local governments and religious institutions are campaigning to stop investing in the fossil fuel industry.

Students and faculty gathered on the Quad to share why they think divestment is important. Bob Wilson, an associate professor of geography, reflected on Earth Day’s founding and SU students’ role in the first Earth Day. He said SU students planted trees, directed others to park their cars to take the bus to campus, demanded action for a cleanup downtown and met with the mayor.

“Earth Day was the most physical symbol of 1970s’ environmental awakening. People led, politicians and university chancellors followed,” Wilson said.

The 1970s also came with a legislative movement defined by environmental consciousness. Wilson used the Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act and other acts of Congress as examples of this.

Once several students and faculty members spoke, they walked to Crouse-Hinds Hall — many holding up signs. Then, they climbed six flights of stairs to the chancellor’s office and showed Kevin Quinn, senior vice president for public affairs, the letters.

They also handed him a Student Association resolution from the 57th Legislative Session supporting SU’s divestment from fossil fuel companies and the resolution from the April 16 University Senate meeting that also outlined support for the divestment petition.

Quinn said Syverud was at a meeting when the students arrived. He added that the SU administration was not aware of the rally or the fact that letters would be delivered until they saw an article published in The Daily Orange that morning.

Mendonsa said she and other members of Divest SU and ESF have emailed Syverud multiple times. They asked him to meet to discuss divestment, but she said they never received a response.

Though the groups have yet to meet, Quinn said the university has created a committee on socially responsible investing, and he hopes that they will quickly receive and review the letters.

Published on April 22, 2014 at 12:52 am

Contact Ellen: ekmeyers@syr.edu | @ellenkmeyers