Out of the 13 four-year UW System campuses, UW-La Crosse is one of only three without a sustainability coordinator or a similarly functioning role.
Between last spring and this fall, the UW-La Crosse Students for Sustainability reached its goal of 2,500 student signatures — roughly a fourth of campus — on a petition asking the university to add the position to campus.
However, the university hasn’t budged, citing budget constraints.
SFS co-Chair Ben Zess said a sustainability coordinator is necessary to centralize sustainability efforts at UW-La Crosse. The role could also direct money obtained through Green Fund grants and provide the oversight needed to implement sustainability internships, which don’t currently exist at UW-La Crosse.
“It would really just add the educational aspect, an awareness aspect to students on campus,” Zess said. “[The coordinator] could work on so many different projects, provide continuity from one year to the next with working on these projects instead of the high turnover rate we see now with students.”
Chancellor Joe Gow isn’t opposed to the idea of a sustainability coordinator — but cost is the limiting factor.
“A sustainability coordinator position has the potential to bring great benefits to UWL. Unfortunately, however, our university currently faces a budget deficit and we do not have the resources needed to fund this kind of position,” Gow said in a statement. “Therefore, the best way to raise the funding for a sustainability coordinator may be through a new version of our current student Green Fund.”
But Zess believes if UW-La Crosse is willing to make the position a main concern, the university would find the necessary funds.
“If this was a priority in the budget, as it was in other schools, they would have money,” Zess said. “They've been trying to get this position on our campus for around 10 years now, and [Gow’s] had a different excuse every time.”
Last year, administration needed to see student support for the position, Zess said, so SFS created the petition. Now, he said money is the main concern.
Zess added that he doesn’t know every financial detail, but has a meeting scheduled with administration in the next few weeks to discuss more options.
In the meantime, Zess said, “we’re doing our best” to improve campus sustainability without the authority that comes with an administrative role.
“This is a really good position that La Crosse should have, especially if sustainability's in the news more often,” he said. “And we have student support.”
