Students to vote on green fee

Students will have the chance to vote over the creation of a ‘green' fee during the Student Government Association elections April 21 and 22.

If passed, students will pay an extra $3 per long-term semesters and $1.50 in summer semesters to their tuition.

Since June 2009, a state law allows public university students to raise their own fees to create environmental funds.

"An institution of higher education may charge each student enrolled an environmental service fee, if the fee has been approved by a majority vote of the students enrolled who participate in a general student election," states the Texas House Bill 3353.

 

The UTEP Green Fund initiative is part of a statewide campaign where seven public universities are encouraging college campuses to go green.

"The Texas Green Fund campaign is a state effort created by students for students to go greener," said Rafael Rivera, junior environmental sciences major and president of the Environmental Advocates.

In the past weeks, similar referendums were approved at the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M.

Students at the University of North Texas, University of Houston, University of Texas-Pan American and University of Texas at San Antonio will also vote on a green fund this week.

More than 700 students were surveyed at the beginning of the spring semester by the Environmental Advocates with the sponsorship of the SGA. Students surveyed agreed with a fee between $2 and $5.

"I was thinking that it would be much more but it's only a few bucks per semester not per credit hour," said Mariana Cantu, freshmen pre-business major.

According to Environmental Advocates, the student group leading the Green Fund campaign, most of the students favored the maximum permitted fee of $5 but the average was $3.

The green funds will be used for recycling, energy efficiency, renewable energy, transportation, employment, product purchasing, planning and maintenance and irrigation projects.

If the green fee is passed by more than 51 percent of student votes, four students, three staff or faculty members and four non-voting advisers will integrate the Green Fund Grant Making Committee in charge of managing the environmental funds.

"Everyone would apply to be part of the committee, which will be elected based on their knowledge and skills on environmental issues," said Alex Muñoz, SGA president.

Any students, faculty or staff members will be encouraged to propose environmental projects.

"It's up to students. They will pass the fee and later, students will do proposals for the use of the green funds," Rivera said.

More information is available at the UTEP Green Fund campaign Web site gfutep.kk5.org or thinkgreenfund.org.

Nicole Chávez may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.