You can watch the recorded student and faculty forums here:
Faculty Forum – October 6, 2020
Student Forum – October 7, 2020
On October 7, 2020, the Sustainability Institute hosted an “informational session”/”student forum” regarding the CHP/natural gas plant currently being built on west campus next to the Howlett Greenhouses and VetMed Center. 31 student organizations were contacted, and two students from each org were allowed to attend. A week later, students protested. This is why.
Despite the students being picked for their leadership regarding sustainability, half the session (45 minutes) was initially planned to be devoted to explaining to these student leaders what CHP means and how OSU will financially benefit.
Dozens of students had been preparing for this event by doing extensive research into every document related to the plant (at least the ones that were released), yet these OSU representatives think that student leaders on sustainability don’t know anything. Students were angry – asking for panelists to answer their questions, asking for someone to listen to their voices instead money. They were met with patronizing comments and dismissal, just like the Sierra Club was met with when they fought the approval of this plant over the summer.
After just half an hour, the Zoom chat was chaotic enough that Elena Irwin, the Director of the Sustainability Institute, decided to go straight into the Q&A portion against the plan. They called it a Q&A, at least, though students weren’t even able to unmute themselves and speak. The only way to have your voice heard was through the paraphrasing of the hosts and panelists. No student got to speak at this “student forum.” I have never seen the student voice be so blatantly dismissed on this campus.
Many questions were brought up that were never answered – Why didn’t OSU consider the release of methane during the fracking process in their emissions calculations? Why was there no representation of people of color on this project? Why is OSU not investing so heavily in green, renewable sources of energy? Why did a University Senator have to file with the Ohio Supreme Court just to get vital documents for this project released? Why did OSU refuse to release those documents until the day after the University Senate vote on the project?
And maybe most potent of all: Why is this informational session being held just a week before construction begins? Answer: they don’t want to hear our voices. They want us to shut up.
We were told that the Sustainability Institute would post the questions that were not answered on their website with answers from the panelists. As far as I can tell, this never happened. I will update this post if that changes.
As students, we have a right to know what happens on this campus. We deserve a say regarding what happens on this campus. We will not be silent until someone listens.
If you would like to join us in future protests and opposition to this plant, please click the “Get Involved” page. General information and documents can be found on other pages linked at the top of the page. Please reach out with questions!