Students will vote on whether to be less comfortable
Enterprise-Record 4/3/07
Student initiatives will be released Wednesday, and include an advisory vote to allow temperatures inside buildings to increase three degrees on warm days and decrease three degrees during colder months.
Currently the temperature ranges from 78-68 degrees. If the student vote is successful, that range will change from 81-65 degrees.
The vote will be held April 18 and 19.
Chico State senior Owen Bettis said the idea came from a class on environmental thought and action.
The curriculum asks the students to brainstorm and come up with ideas to improve the campus. About 15 students are in the class.
Bettis said they've done some calculations, and estimate the campus would save $150,000 a year, $10,000 of that just from the Bell Memorial Union.
The money will be absorbed into the general fund.
"Even though we are shareholders in the A.S. Corporation, we can't tell them how to spend the money," Bettis said.
Of course, there will be certain buildings on campus that are sensitive and the new heat guideline would need to be modified, Bettis said.
The students needed 500 signatures to get the measure on the ballot, and ended up turning in about 1,500. To get the signatures, students set up a booth and also made presentations in classes.
Bettis said the students' grades are based upon how much effort they put into their cause.
"Our idea is it's easier to put a sweater on than to put a blanket on the earth," Bettis said.
Another measure planned for the student ballot this month includes an advisory vote to ban smoking on campus.