The University recently announced the implementation of the Brandeis Sustainable Energy Program. For the next 16 months, the initiative will include a campus-wide upgrade to reduce energy costs and improve building infrastructure. To date, the Board of Trustees has invested five million dollars into these projects and intends to continue financing the program. We appreciate the University's commitment to having an environmentally conscious campus that is sustainable in the long-term, but we encourage the administration to also consider investing in short-term improvements to the campus as well.

As part of the Campus Sustainability Initiative, the program will focus on three projects that will be managed by the University's Office of Facilities Services, according to the program's website. These projects include replacing the current lighting with longer lasting fixtures, upgrading the heating and cooling systems and increasing the efficiency of the energy saving systems already in place in select buildings.

While the program intends to expand the initiatives to the entire campus, the projects will first target eight academic and administrative buildings, including Volen Science Complex, Sachar International Center and Sherman Dining Hall and Hassenfeld Conference Center. Considering the various states of disrepair these buildings and their mechanical systems are currently in, we applaud efforts to upgrade the systems, as several are no longer functioning reliably. In addition to creating a more sustainable campus, the projects will be conducting much needed maintenance repairs and improving the working conditions for students and faculty.

According to the Campus Sustainability Initiative website, these proposals are expected to reduce carbon emissions by 1,614 metric tons and reduce energy costs by $540,000 per year. These initiatives are making the University more environmentally friendly, but they will also save the administration money that it can invest elsewhere.

The University can now use these funds for more pressing repairs on campus, such as improving the condition of paved roads on campus, addressing the failing state of the Usen Castle and making repairs to residence halls across campus.

Though it is important to have a sustainable campus, students' living conditions and the aesthetic appeal of our campus should also be top priorities.

While we understand the benefits of making the campus more sustainable in the long-term, this board urges the

University to also consider the current opportunities to enhance students' quality of life.

Reducing carbon emissions and upgrading administrative buildings are important goals, but the as administration moves forward with these initiatives, we encourage the University to keep in mind the other important repairs that can be made now to improve students' living conditions.