On Campus

Mount Allison students ask for higher fees

With nearly 80 per cent of the vote, students say yes to a new “green fee”

According to The Sackville Tribune, Mount Allison students have overwhelmingly voted to raise their own student fees by $10. For the planet, that is.

In a recent student referendum, nearly 80 per cent of students voted in favour of the hike, the proceeds of which will purportedly go towards reducing carbon emissions both on and off-campus. The new fee will probably bring in between $20,000 to $24,000 every year.

The so-called SAC Green Investment Fund will fund carbon offsetting projects in the city, which could include solar and geo-thermal projects, installing higher-quality insulation in some buildings and partnering with local business to develop tree nurseries.

According to the group, priority will be given to projects that reduce the most carbon in the shortest period of time.

Student council president Mike Currie says some of the council’s representatives have already met with a number of municipal officials to discuss potential coordination.

“My conversations with town councillors and other members of the community have been very positive,” he says. “Although this is the first project of its kind that we are aware, the town has stressed that it is possible that we will be able to leverage the fund to work on joint projects of even greater impact.”

The environmental fund will be governed by an all-student committee that will solicit project recommendations from university staff and faculty, town representatives, university administration, and local climate change experts starting this fall.

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