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Staff Editorial: Student body should join in letter-writing campaign
Issue date: 4/21/09 Section: Opinions
In a democracy, participation by the constituents is a vital part of how the government operates.
By lobbying state or federal lawmakers, one can achieve a given goal, granted enough support is there to support the issue at hand.
With that in mind, Student Government has lobbied the Illinois General Assembly in the past months for the proposed Renewable Energy Center.
Citing the current plant's aging technology and its inability to keep up with modern needs, Student Government has sent more than 1,624 letters from students across campus to state legislators pleading Eastern's case for a new source of energy.
Their efforts aren't going unnoticed.
At Wednesday's Student Senate meeting, state Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, visited with senate members, urging them to keep sending letters to their local legislators in order to spread awareness of Eastern's growing need for a new source of energy. A bill currently sits in the General Assembly that would amend the Public University Energy Conservation Act.
If successful, the bill will provide $40 million of the $60 million needed to construct the Renewable Energy Center and would allow Eastern to construct it without the Illinois Capital Development Board.
Righter said while university administrators carry some clout in the General Assembly, the true voice of the university is its students.
"We're asking for a green light from Springfield, and even though we are not asking for money, we still need 'grass-root' support from the students," Righter said.
Without student feedback, Righter said, the cause will not have nearly as much impact and will likely be pushed to the wayside. Righter urged Student Government to keep sending in letters pushing for the Renewable Energy Center, but the student body can't just sit idly expecting Student Government to handle most of the work.
This is a job for the entire student body.
Student Government has made abundantly clear in its letters that Eastern truly needs a new power plant, that the 83-year-old plant is rapidly declining in its efficiency and its ability to provide Eastern with the proper amount of energy.
Letters sent from a fairly large group of student legislators and their constituents is a good start, and it's obviously caught the attention of state legislators, but more needs to be done if the General Assembly is to be won over.
Write to your local representatives and let them know your university needs a new power plant.
The editorial is the majority opinion of The DEN editorial board. Reach the opinions editor at: DENopinions@gmail.com.
By lobbying state or federal lawmakers, one can achieve a given goal, granted enough support is there to support the issue at hand.
With that in mind, Student Government has lobbied the Illinois General Assembly in the past months for the proposed Renewable Energy Center.
Citing the current plant's aging technology and its inability to keep up with modern needs, Student Government has sent more than 1,624 letters from students across campus to state legislators pleading Eastern's case for a new source of energy.
Their efforts aren't going unnoticed.
At Wednesday's Student Senate meeting, state Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, visited with senate members, urging them to keep sending letters to their local legislators in order to spread awareness of Eastern's growing need for a new source of energy. A bill currently sits in the General Assembly that would amend the Public University Energy Conservation Act.
If successful, the bill will provide $40 million of the $60 million needed to construct the Renewable Energy Center and would allow Eastern to construct it without the Illinois Capital Development Board.
Righter said while university administrators carry some clout in the General Assembly, the true voice of the university is its students.
"We're asking for a green light from Springfield, and even though we are not asking for money, we still need 'grass-root' support from the students," Righter said.
Without student feedback, Righter said, the cause will not have nearly as much impact and will likely be pushed to the wayside. Righter urged Student Government to keep sending in letters pushing for the Renewable Energy Center, but the student body can't just sit idly expecting Student Government to handle most of the work.
This is a job for the entire student body.
Student Government has made abundantly clear in its letters that Eastern truly needs a new power plant, that the 83-year-old plant is rapidly declining in its efficiency and its ability to provide Eastern with the proper amount of energy.
Letters sent from a fairly large group of student legislators and their constituents is a good start, and it's obviously caught the attention of state legislators, but more needs to be done if the General Assembly is to be won over.
Write to your local representatives and let them know your university needs a new power plant.
The editorial is the majority opinion of The DEN editorial board. Reach the opinions editor at: DENopinions@gmail.com.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Big Brother
posted 4/21/09 @ 2:13 PM CST
First, the cost to build the Renewable Energy Center is $40 million NOT $60 million. That's the point with the bill. The university would not need ANY state or student money to pay for construction. (Continued…)
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