The Wrong Kind of Green

Tennessee's public universities (of which I am an alum) seem to be focusing on energy lately.  Not research, mind you, but the use of it.  Among fee increases for the coming academic year approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents was a "green power" fee for students at Middle Tennessee State University.  The extra $16 a year was "voted" for by the student body earlier this year.

 

This information comes on the heels of announcements by three state universities, including my Alma Mater Tennessee Tech, that purchases of electrical generators meant to reduce overall electricity costs through peak demand arrangement with TVA will actually cost more due to fuel costs.  On this, it is probably a case of how ideas conjured up by academics in professional fields like economics often fail when faced with real world realities that practitioners recognize at first glance.  Of course, given the fluid nature of energy prices in recent years, everybody may have been in the dark on this one.

 

Regarding MTSU, I want to first say something about referendum votes.  The idea that the indicate the desires of the student body as a whole is grossly inaccurate.  Most students do not participate in these elections, partly because of apathy, but mainly because their lives are too busy to be occupied with trivial matters like "green power."  A total of 3,800 votes were cast in the election, which based on my projection, represents about 20% of the student body.  While I did serve in Student Government as an undergrad and feel that administrators should listen to the ideas expressed by their students, they must do what is best for the institution as a whole.  Raising costs on all students for a pet cause is not acceptable.  It may not sound like much, but it is wrong on general principle.

 

I also noticed that a similar referendum was passed at TTU, which alarms me greatly.  I expect better from them.  They should think about the nontraditionals, the part-timers with full-time jobs and full-time families, who will likely fit the bill.