The Binghamton University chapter of the Beyond Coal campaign kicked off the spring 2010 semester by discussing plans to encourage openness from the administration in its commitment to the environment.

Members of Binghamton University’s Beyond Coal, which is sponsored by the Sierra Student Coalition, met Feb. 10 to talk over its plans and goals at a kick-off meeting.

According to Alyssa Kassner, a senior majoring in environmental studies who works as the group’s media coordinator, this semester’s Beyond Coal Campaign “hopes to see transparency” in the administration’s plans to become greener, and get a representative on the president’s Campus Climate Commitment Task Force.

Roughly 100 people attended the Wednesday meeting, during which the members split into different groups to brainstorm new ways to get the message of the campaign into circulation.

Each group focused on a different category of media including alumni outreach, faculty coalitions, student group coalitions, media, community outreach, grassroots and event planning.

“Our main goal is to get the administration to commit to moving beyond coal by 2015,” Kassner said. “We have some basic goals … relating to media coverage, alumni support, community support and, of course, faculty and student group coalition.”

A critical objective of BU Beyond Coal this semester is to meet with BU President Lois DeFleur before she retires. Last semester BU Beyond Coal held a major rally to meet with the president, but they were only able to meet with Vice President for Administration James Van Voorst.

Tinamarie McDermott, a sophomore double-majoring in environmental studies and anthropology, said she appreciated the acknowledgment, but wanted a more involved commitment from the administration.

“We’re thankful for the time they have spent with us, yet we still need more,” she said. McDermott is this semester’s faculty outreach coordinator and creator of the group’s Facebook page.

The organization is also hoping to engage with other organizations around Broome County, to expand the group’s horizons and produce more media coverage and publicity. However, they have yet to finalize any official events.

There are plans to include a possible concert, a potluck with faculty and more rallies to gain the administration’s attention.

“We’ll hold rallies, build alliances with other student groups and work to engage as many students as possible,” McDermott said.

According to McDermott, the two rallies held last semester were successful in helping change the way BU looked at its coal emissions.

The organization managed to accumulate an active participation of 200 members last semester, and through a cooperative effort, collected 3,000 petitions, 28 faculty endorsements and sponsored two major media events.

In 2009, the BU administration made the decision to become coal-free by 2020.

“I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that from September 2009, when we launched the campaign, the administration changed its off-coal deadline from 2050 to 2020 in December 2009,” said Lauren Hammond, the current co-chair and student group leader of BU Beyond Coal and a senior majoring in political science.

BU Beyond Coal was first initiated as an internship by Lucy Midelfort, an organizer with the Sierra Student Coalition, who came to BU’s campus looking for student volunteers to help create awareness on coal usage.

BU Beyond Coal holds its meetings every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Science 1 room 145. For more information, students are encouraged to visit bubeyondcoal.wordpress.com/about-us/.