Growing numbers of students are calling on Nebraska colleges to divest from fossil

Last updated Jan 5, 2021

Endacott said less than 4% of the foundation’s investments, including those that Carter referred to, are in companies that deal with fossil fuels, but that most of those companies also handle alternative fuels.

Carter said only 1.4% of the university’s own investments, or about $4.6 million, are commingled with some of the top 200 coal, oil and gas companies, called the Carbon Underground 200.

Carter also told the regents that all of the NU campuses have “sustainability” plans, or intentions to avoid expanding their carbon footprint.

After three students spoke to the regents in early December, Carter said: “We’re listening and we’re actively engaged in the issue.”

Zee Elmer, a University of Nebraska at Omaha junior, said last week she knows you “can’t always just snap your fingers and get it done.” Nevertheless, she wasn’t satisfied with Carter’s response. It sounded like he was “being careful with how to address it,” said Elmer, who spoke to the regents that day.

“I would like to take him at his word,” Elmer said. “That would be nice.”

Students in the NU system have a petition going for divestment and have collected close to 450 signatures from students, faculty members, staffers and alums. Student governments at the NU Medical Center, UNO, UNL and the University of Nebraska at Kearney have voted for divestment.

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Growing numbers of students are calling on Nebraska colleges to divest from fossil

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