Student Assembly

Dear President Skorton,

I would like to formally communicate Student Assembly Resolution 28, “Student Support for a Campus-Wide Plastic Bag Fee,” sponsored by S.A. CALS Representative Sarah Balik and the Society for Natural Resources Conservation at Cornell President, Sarah Loftus. The resolution passed at last week’s S.A. meeting.

The resolution demonstrates student support and encouragement for reducing the number of plastic bags distributed on campus. The resolution commends The Cornell Store for planning to implement a plastic bag fee this upcoming Spring semester and it urges the entire university to implement a similar program. Student Assembly members also applauded the Society for Natural Resources Conservation, a student organization, which has been working with The Cornell Store towards this goal for the past two years. S.A. members further believed that the expansion of the plastic bag fee to the entire campus - which the Society for Natural Resources Conservation and staff at The Cornell Store both endorse - would reflect the institution’s broad commitment to sustainability.

S.A. members noted specifically that they would like the Society for Natural Resources Conservation to reach out to and partner with Cornell Dining to implement this campaign across campus, but they also recognized that Cornell Dining is planning to research the initiative and there are internal steps involved in the process before any decisions can be made.

S.A. members and the resolution’s sponsors also hoped that the proceeds from the plastic bag fee - if implemented across the university - could potentially help fund other university sustainability projects such as a Green Revolving Fund, an idea proposed by the Student Assembly Resolution 15, or other initiatives.

I have attached Resolution 28 for reference. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,
Adam