Student Union swore in freshman Senators and shared an update on their Green Energy Report relating to waste emissions and energy sustainability at Washington University Sept. 17.

The meeting opened with the introduction and swearing in of nine new senators: freshmen Nkemjika Emenike, Zachary Fisher, Amaan Mahadevan, Chloe Doumar, Nicole Leers, Ruchika Kamojjala, Eric Miller, Jonathan Oshinsky and Kevin He.

As the Senate meeting continued, Senators Diva Harsoor and Philip Keisler, both sophomores, presented a late draft of their Green Energy Report, a document designed to address student demands for more environmentally-conscious policies at the University by evaluating its current goals and practices.

One drafted recommendation of the Green Energy Report, narrated by Senator freshman Kevin He, urged the University to “establish and commit to a clear, ambitious goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.”

Some of the goals listed included the University reaching carbon neutrality by planting trees, as well as investing in renewable energy. The report also called for transparency around environmental action by the University.

Co-director of Fossil Free Wash. U junior Eddie Ives expressed his support for the report and believes that the University should be taking more action.

“If Wash. U. is to be the environmental leaders that the administration claims we are, we must embed sustainability into every aspect of the University, from the investments in our endowment to the sources of energy for all University operations,” Ives wrote in a statement to Student Life. “System-wide change is imperative in the face of this climate crisis and SU’s initiative is one of the many steps that must be taken before time runs out.”

Keisler mentioned some possible concerns regarding the report and highlighted the fact that because environmental advocacy can be interpreted as a political issue, Senate would be prohibited from taking a stance by their constitution.

“There is somewhat of a question of whether we can advocate the issue of University action on climate change, so that is something we’re looking to try and change [on] the statute so we can effectively advocate for the students and for environmental action on campus,” Keisler said.

Senator sophomore Gaby Smith also shared an update on SU’s directive to amend the notation for medical leaves of absence on official transcripts.

“We’re really hoping that this will encourage students who are thinking that it’s in their best interest to take a medical leave but still concerned about their transcript,” Smith said. “We’re
hoping that this will encourage them to do what’s best for their mental, emotional and physical health instead of worrying about their transcript and how it might look to a grad school or advisor.”

The project is now in the public relations and student response phase which includes reaching out to and informing the student body of this change.