University of Florida becomes first public college student government to pass Green New Deal resolution

The University of Florida (UF) Student Senate passed a Green New Deal (GND) resolution Tuesday, with supporters saying they were the first public college in the country to do so.  

The five-volume resolution was passed unanimously and demanded the university take more action in combatting climate change on campus. 

The student government is calling for the university to implement the school’s Department of Sustainability climate plan, more transparency in investments that UF has in the private sector, the cutting off of any additional funding from the fossil fuel industry for research, divesting the school’s endowment from the fossil fuel industry and including groups in the plan that have been most impacted by climate change.  

“This is a momentous milestone for the climate movement. The unanimous passage of a first of its kind GND resolution by UF's elected student government has now placed even more pressure on public universities to meet the moment by taking action on the greatest crisis of our time,” said Cameron Driggers, the executive director of Youth Action Fund and a student at UF.  

“The student body at the University of Florida has proven that bold climate solutions is not only possible at private institutions in liberal states, and it has also sharply rebuked the climate denialism of the DeSantis administration,” Driggers added, referring to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

The Hill has reached out to UF for comment.  

The resolution now moves on to the university’s governing board, which will vote on following through with the financial aspect of the mandate in a meeting in March, according to The Guardian.