\r\n\r\n \r\nDr. William J. McKinney\r\n \r\nDear President McKinney,\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nAs happy as we are about VSU’s continuing efforts to “go\r\ngreen,” I am writing to you in regard to\r\nS.A.V.E.’s ongoing\r\nfossil fuel divestment campaign and\r\n\r\nthe recent response we received<\/a>\r\nfrom the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the VSU Foundation. If\r\nyou have not yet read the letter, I have attached a copy for your\r\nconvenience.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nWe were clearly disappointed to hear that\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n \r\nThe question is, do you feel that this response was acceptable and\r\nhow do you plan on addressing it?\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nIn closing I would like to share two quotes from our panel\r\ndiscussion on divestment with you:\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n![](\"http:\/\/www.valdosta.edu\/administration\/president\/images\/dr.-william-j.-mckinney.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n\r\nNovember 13, 2013<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nPresident\r\n
\r\nValdosta State University\r\n![](\"http:\/\/www.valdosta.edu\/about\/news\/releases\/images\/solar-canopy.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\nThank you very much for agreeing to be a part of\r\n\r\nour ceremony for the new solar canopy this Friday<\/a>. We are excited\r\nfor it, and we are glad that you will be able to come. We definitely\r\nappreciate your support, and we hope to have a nice turnout!\r\n<\/p>\r\n![](\"https:\/\/fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net\/hprofile-ak-prn2\/c63.4.425.425\/s200x200\/1383279_569133779803130_166203546_n.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n\r\nour request<\/a> had been\r\ndenied, but what troubled us the most was the condescending tone\r\nused by Mr. Edwards in the last part of his letter. To end his\r\nletter on University (not Foundation) letterhead with sarcasm and\r\ncavalier dismissal of our concerns is unacceptable, especially as we\r\nhave acted in a respectful manner throughout this process. Within\r\nhis response, Mr. Edwards downplays the importance of practicing\r\nsocial responsibility and belittles the validity of past divestment\r\ncampaigns that have been used to counteract injustices such as\r\n\r\nSouth Africa’s Apartheid regime<\/a>, which represented an inhumane and\r\nrepressive system that needed to be challenged.\r\n<\/p>\r\n![](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017c33eef0c2970b-pi.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\nWe also find the apparent lack of interest and concern with the\r\nscientific and social basis of our request troubling. As students at\r\nan institution of higher learning, we, collectively, decided to make\r\nan effort to ensure that our university better represent the\r\nknowledge and values being taught within our classrooms. Our request\r\nwas received and denied within the span of twelve days. We do not\r\nbelieve this is an adequate amount of time to fully consider and\r\nresearch the feasibility and importance of a request meant to\r\naddress an issue as urgent and distressing as climate change.\r\n<\/p>\r\n![](\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7327\/10848175305_0f26269ce8_n.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\nLast night S.A.V.E. also hosted\r\n\r\na panel discussion on global warming\r\nand the divestment movement<\/a>. In Mr. Edwards’ response he challenges\r\nthe intellectual honesty of\r\n\r\nthe IPCC report referenced in our request<\/a>.\r\nThe report was discussed and analyzed, in depth, by a\r\nclimatologist at the event. Subsequently, panelists provided\r\n\r\nevidence supporting the fact that socially responsible investing\r\n\r\ndoes not harm, and may even better, the returns of an investment\r\nportfolio.\r\n\r\n![](\"http:\/\/farm4.staticflickr.com\/3831\/10191122464_a6dab95a3b_m.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n Thus, we made a strong case for the cause that we are\r\nadvocating. However, not a single member from the Board of Trustees\r\nwas in attendance, which further suggests that there seems to be a\r\ncomplete lack of concern with our request.\r\n<\/p>\r\n![](\"https:\/\/fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net\/hprofile-ak-prn1\/c160.27.616.616\/s200x200\/943696_363122640454111_876300661_n.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\nWe will continue our campaign, and we ask that you please assist us\r\nin ensuring that this conversation does not end. Issues of\r\ntransparency have disabled us from reaching out to the majority of\r\nthe board, so we are asking you, as our president, to ensure that\r\nthe Board of Trustees and Mr. Edwards, as Chairman, take part in\r\nhealthy and honest dialogue.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
![](\"http:\/\/ww2.valdosta.edu\/~danawilliams\/dana_photo.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n“It is unethical to claim that there should be no limits on\r\ninvestment sources—otherwise why not invest in crack cocaine,\r\nblood diamonds, or human trafficking? Society agrees that such\r\nsupport is wrong, therefore such investments are prohibited. The\r\neffect of coal-burning on the planet is threatening the existence of\r\nhumans and other life, and stopping it now is not only ethical, but\r\nintelligent and sane.”\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n
![](\"http:\/\/ww2.valdosta.edu\/~mgnoll\/Michael%20Noll.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n“I have difficulties to believe that even the most\r\nconservative BOT members prefer to invest in stocks connected with,\r\nsay, an Apartheid-like regime or the fracking industry, if better\r\nalternatives are available. Fiduciary responsibility and social and\r\nenvironmental responsibilities do not have to contradict each\r\nother.”\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n![](\"https:\/\/fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net\/hprofile-ak-ash3\/c0.25.408.408\/s320x320\/574552_10151858404692902_1847164337_n.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\nSincerely,\r\n