Two degrees campaign warms Midd's heart

Author: Haley Gilbert

The results of a survey conducted this past fall by the Sunday Night Group, the environmental group on campus responsible for the Two Degrees Campaign, demonstrated that 72 percent of students surveyed support lowering the thermostat set point from 70 to 68 degrees throughout the winter to cut energy spending and reduce carbon emissions, but due to an error in communication, the implementation of the policy was pushed back.

Thomas Hand '06 and Caitlin Matthews '07, leaders of Middlebury's campaign, stated that there was a miscommunication between the students and administration, causing some delay on the commencement of the campaign.

According to Dean of the College Tim Spears, the confusion was over the buildings to be affected. Ideally, all buildings would implement the change. However, the College cannot guarantee comfort for its staff in some buildings if the temperature were lower.

The administration hesitated to lower the temperature in all campus buildings because of the unpredictable thermostats in some of the older buildings. While parts of a building may be set comfortably at 68 degrees, other areas may suffer low or high temperatures due to the older heating systems in some of the College's buildings. Honoring the enthusiastic results of the student survey, the administration has voiced its support for the student body's desire to be more energy efficient, and so the residence halls will be the first to see a temperature drop.

Spears said the temperature drop would go into effect at the start of the 2006 spring term in all residence buildings. A similar initiative was recently launched at Bowdoin College, whose community-issued campaign to lower temperatures from 72 to 68 degrees has generated positive feedback.

The campaign has been underway since 2003 when Hand came up with the idea. Throughout the fall, the campaign surveyed students, proposed the idea to the Student Government Association and the administration, and worked with Facilities Management on the technicalities of lowering the temperature. Currently, Hand and Matthews are working closely with Mike McKenna, vice-president of communications, to present the campaign to the campus community. This outreach campaign aims to generate positive attitudes towards the goal of the campaign.

"We want the community to be enthusiastic about the campaign and to own the idea," said McKenna.

According to the Sunday Night Group, students should not buy space heaters in reaction to the new drop in temperature. This defeats the idea of saving energy, while violating fire safety codes. Students must recognize that this campaign is the result of a campus reputable for its environmental stewardship. The campaign is, according to the group and College officials, a student initiative with administrative support.

"These students are to be commended for pushing this along," said Spears. "The administration is excited to get behind the students. We admire their commitment to the environment."