Sustainable projects like the TIGUrS garden are funded by the student green fee.
Every semester, $10 from student tuition goes toward the sustainable campus fee, more commonly known as the green fee, and this Friday marks the last chance this semester students will have a chance to influence where the money will go.
The University of Memphis Green Fee Committee is currently seeking proposals from students, faculty, staff and academic or administrative departments on how to make the campus more sustainable.
Every spring the committee, along with student representation, funds different projects after its president approves these recommendations.
To submit a proposal or idea, students or faculty members may visit the University green fee website.
The green fee keeps the campus garden alive, said Karyl Buddington, director of animal care facilities at the U of M and unofficial director of the TIGUrS garden.
“It’s helped out tremendously,†Buddington said. “It’s given us the ability to hire five students to take care of the garden. It gives them a source of income, and they can stay in school.â€
Buddington said she would absolutely encourage students to take advantage of this “unique†chance the U of M is giving to students to affect what the fee helps.
“There are many universities out there who don’t have that mechanism,†Buddington said. “Even though [the students who proposed the green fee] have graduated – they’re still positively influencing the University and students that are here. Any idea that somebody wants to throw out there, I would say please go for it.â€
The Green Fee Committee said two different ways students and faculty could give input before Friday are “proposals†and “ideas.â€
“Proposals†are for those seeking funding from the Green Fee Committee. Those submitting proposals must be capable of managing the funds in a university account and actually carrying out what is needed to fulfill an accepted proposal.
“Ideas,†however, are thoughts on how the green fee could be spent and students with ideas do not need to be able to actually carry out the project envisioned in an idea.
Buddington generally feels that students have the power to change things at the U of M.
“What’s happening right now is that our students have the ability to have far reaching effects on everything we do at this university,†Buddington said. “I think that’s something we should be very proud of.â€
The garden director also mentioned an upcoming event, Earth Day, which will be April 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Earth Day is the day where we can go outside and appreciate our environment,†Buddington said. “We’re going to have all kinds of entertainment. Free food. Free giveaways. We’re going to have vendors here on campus that can sell arts and crafts and just do fun things.â€
Buddington hopes that events like Earth Day will bring attention to bettering the campus and the environment.
“I think it’s incredibly important to protect the green areas on campus that we have now,†Buddington said. “I think we should really focus on taking our green spaces and doing the most with them that we possibly can.â€
Buddington said students should do their part to help keep the campus clean year-round.
“I don’t think you can say enough about sustainability on campus,†Buddington said. “There are so many opportunities to reuse and recycle. Think about the generation of waste, and how can we prevent it. There’s so much to do. Look around, and when you see things on the ground, just take a minute and pick them up.â€
