TO THE EDITOR:
UNC’s Board of Trustees will meet this afternoon. As a University student and member of the Sierra Student Coalition, I am proud that the Beyond Coal campaign is on the agenda.
This meeting will continue last semester’s forward momentum, when 77 percent of University students voted in favor of divestment.
The Beyond Coal campaign calls on the University to divest our $2.1 billion endowment from the coal industry. Coal presents dangers to the environment and public health and is becoming an increasingly risky investment. Smart investment in sustainability is the way to move forward.
Considering that the campaign did not make it to the agenda last year, I am grateful that we can now make our voices heard on behalf of divestment. The support of the board’s members is vital to the campaign’s progress.
This is a pivotal moment for the University. It is a chance for the Board of Trustees to engage with students on an issue that matters to all of us. We believe that the University can lead the way forward to a more sustainable, financially secure future.
Students are invited to attend a pre-meeting rally at 1 p.m. on the steps of Wilson Library and to follow the Sierra Student Coalition to the board meeting at 2 p.m. We will give our presentation at 2:30.
We have been granted an amazing opportunity to deliver our message. We thank the Board of Trustees for providing us the platform. We thank them for listening.
Lauren Moore ’16
Environmental science
