Letter to the Editor:
Sustain Mizzou credits MSA, student supporters
Thank you to all who have supported Sustain Mizzou
Published Dec. 11, 2008
This semester has seen an incredible increase in interest and advocacy for environmental sustainability at MU. There have been many people involved in promoting the cause and we would like to give credit where credit is due.
Missouri Students Association President Jim Kelley has served as an excellent advocate for environmental sustainability issues this semester. Kelley has connected Sustain Mizzou to all levels of campus administration, allowing for honest and effective dialogs and transparency between administrative views and student desires. He has been an excellent example of leadership development as well.
When Sustain Mizzou began working with Kelley, he would take the lead on many of our issues, but as the semester moved forward he transitioned himself to an advisory role, allowing us to advocate for our own issues with the tools he provided. Kelley has made the work of all future MSA presidents more difficult by setting the bar so high.
MSA Vice President Chelsea Johnson has been another key advocate for sustainability this semester. She has dedicated a lot of time and effort to writing and supporting sustainability legislation and went above and beyond the call of duty when working with the budget to help us try and find money for sustainability initiatives. Her efforts have moved sustainability forward by leaps and bounds.
MSA Senate Speaker Jonathan Mays has also been invaluable in researching and writing legislation in support of sustainability efforts.
Much credit is also due to members of the Administrative Leadership Development Program Class of 2007, who have invested so much time and effort in researching various sustainability practices in order to make recommendations for a comprehensive campus sustainability plan. Having seen the significant efforts of the ALDP members over several months, my only hope is that Chancellor Brady Deaton and Vice Chancellors Jackie Jones and Cathy Scroggs will carefully consider every idea the group will propose. I have confidence that they will do so.
The ongoing efforts of the Environmental Affairs Committee and Environmental Health and Safety Director Peter Ashbrook have been immensely valuable as well, and School of Natural Resources Director Jan Weaver's tireless efforts in educating students about sustainability have been key to enacting positive change on campus.
Lastly, thanks to all of you — the student body — for supporting the various efforts on campus, being open to the message of sustainability and for letting your voices be heard on how we should proceed in addressing this issue. Your input and assistance has been invaluable and will continue to be invaluable as we proceed.
Thank you!
Ben Datema
Former President, Sustain Mizzou
bpdm89@mizzou.edu
Patrick Margherio
President, Sustain Mizzou
pjmwd6@mizzou.edu