RESET proposal to reappear in spring election

By Amanda MacDonald     3/7/13 6:00pm

 

The student body voted against a $9 blanket tax for the Rice Endowment For Sustainable Energy and Technology in the most recent Student Association election but will have the chance to change its vote in the upcoming spring election, according to chair of the RESET committee Savannah Ritter. 

In 2010, the student body approved a $9 blanket tax for the creation of RESET fund, which allows students to implement projects for improving sustainability at Rice University, according to Ritter, a Martel College senior. 

---

---

"This year marked the end of the initial three-year trial period," Ritter said. "So students had to once again approve the blanket tax in order for RESET to continue as a permanent organization." 

The proposal, which required a two-thirds majority, failed to pass by a margin of 1 percent, according to Ritter. 

Because of the slim margin and the importance of RESET to the Rice community, the Student Senate voted to allow the question to reappear in the spring election, taking place March 11-15, according to SA Internal Vice President Nathan Liu. 

Environmental Committee co-head and RESET committee member Archit Chaba said he was surprised by the outcome of the vote. 

"We really expected it to pass again," Chaba, a Will Rice College sophomore, said. "RESET has acted as a liaison between students and the administration, for when students have an idea but don't know how to implement it." 

Liu, a Wiess College junior, said he believed a lack of education about the proposal and about RESET's function in general was a possible reason for the failure of the proposal to pass. 

"I believe that RESET does fill an important role on this campus, but students do also deserve to know where their $9 every year are going," Liu said. 

The ballot item for the RESET proposal read, "To continue to fund the Rice Endowment for Sustainable Energy Technology with $9 in blanket tax." 

Will Rice freshman Julianna Drew said she misunderstood the proposal and did not realize it was for the continuation of an existing tax but rather thought she was being asked for a new $9. 

"I support sustainability, but $9 per student seemed like a lot of money, and I don't even know what they're using it for," Drew said. 

Ritter said RESET has funded many successful small-scale projects such as weatherizing buildings and installing high efficiency toilets that not only help the environment, but also save students money. 

"LED lights were recently installed in Will Rice Commons, and this will save $3,400 in electricity costs annually," Ritter said. "There are plans to do the same for Lovett and Sid." 

Chaba said members of the RESET committee intend to raise awareness about RESET projects and the proposal before the next election. 

"We're planning to attend each college's [student government meetings]," Chaba said. "Before the last election, we didn't do as good a job directly talking to every college." 

According to Liu, many other top universities have programs similar to RESET. 

"Rice is very much a role model and leader in Houston and Texas," Liu said. "Taking away RESET will not only send the message that Rice and its student body do not view our environmental impact as a priority, but will also set us years behind our peer institutions." 

Students can vote in the spring election by visiting sa.rice.edu. 

---