green fund
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Green Fund come into existence?
Approval of the Green Fund was given by student
referendum in the spring semester of 2013. The vote
was over 70% in favor of approving the Green Fund.
How much money is available in the Green Fund and
where does it come from?
The monies in the Green Fund come exclusively from
students. $12 dollars in fees ($6 per semester) are collected from the currently enrolled UW-SP students. This
amounts to about $115,000 available for the Green
Fund over the course of an academic year.
How do I get involved?
There are numerous ways students can become
involved with the Green Fund. The easiest way is to
come to the first Green Council meeting on October
29th. It is at this meeting where five students will be
elected to sit on the Green Fund Steering Committee.
Individual students and organizations can also start
submitting project proposals at any time.
What is the Green Council and what do they do?
The Green Council is open to all students, student
organizations, and faculty members. The first purpose
of the Green Council is to elect five students to the
Green Fund Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is vested with the power to approve projects
seeking Green Fund monies. The Green Council also
acts as a powerful advertising, advising, and outreach
tool. The students who make up the Green Council will
be responsible for soliciting input from the student
body about what sustainability measures ought to be
implemented and inquiring about the overall effectiveness of the University relating to these matters.
The diverse connections of Green Council members
with student, faculty, and community organizations will
also be a tremendous help soliciting projects.
What is the Green Fund Steering Committee and what
do they do?
The Green Fund Steering Committee shall be composed of the Steering Committee Chair (SGA ESI
Director), one SGA seat, a Student Sustainability
Coordinator seat, two RHA seats, a non-voting faculty
seat, a non-voting seat for the university Sustainability
Coordinator, and the five voting seats elected by the
Green Council. The Steering Committee, once filled, is
responsible for vetting and approving projects seek-
ing Green Fund monies. They will also be tasked with
creating a one and three-year strategic vision for the
Green Fund.
What kind of projects can use Green Fund money?
The Green Fund is intended to encourage and fund
projects that positively affect the sustainability of the
UWSP campus community. The fund has enough monies to encourage long-term, high visibility projects that
affect the way our campus uses energy and our shared
natural resources. Projects are meant to encourage
collaboration between students, student organizations,
faculty, and the tremendous amount of expertise we
have in the community at-large. The Fund cannot be
used for conferences or travel expenses and there is a
limited amount of funding allocated to project outreach and education.
Why should I care?
Simply put, students should care about the Green Fund
because it is their money at stake. Encouraging involvement from all campus stakeholders is necessary for the
success of this program. The Green Fund allows UWSP
students to take an active role in leading, planning,
and implementing large scale sustainability projects
that will not only expand and enhance the reputation
of this university, but also the community and state
of Wisconsin. It will provide excellent training for an
increasingly competitive job market and will help to
establish professional connections that will continue to
pay dividends well after graduation.
In Summation
Students of the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
have been vested with a tremendous opportunity for
involvement that will positively affect the lifestyles for
their peers and subsequent generations of students.
The key point to remember is that this is a student fund
– voted for by a huge margin of students, organized
and lead by students, and utilized by students with
vision.