Roommates Ben Schilling and Phil Bakken wanted to ignite a spark in this year鈥檚 Student Affairs Senate.
The governing body for students at Nebraska Wesleyan University has a history of approving student fees and allocating funds for new student organizations and events.
鈥淲e wanted something to get excited about,鈥 said Bakken, the SAS president. 鈥淚t has been a while since SAS has got behind a big issue.鈥
They tested the pulse of the student body during the first few weeks of the academic year. They listened to student opinion; they watched the events and activities that their peers were taking strong interest in.
In mid-September Schilling and Bakken attended a campus presentation about the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline. Schilling, of McCook, had concerns about the proposed route over the Ogallala Aquifer.
鈥淢y family has been heavily involved in water rights issues and conservation,鈥 said Schilling. 鈥淭hose issues have been a central part of my family鈥檚 life.鈥
Bakken hadn鈥檛 formed a definitive opinion on the pipeline just yet but attended the presentation to support his friend and fellow SAS senator Chelsea Johnson. Johnson, a junior political science major from Auburn, Neb., has been deeply involved in the issue as an intern with BOLD Nebraska.
When the pipeline presentation concluded, nearly 30 students signed a petition voicing their opposition to the controversial project.
鈥淲e realized that this was an issue SAS could take a stance on,鈥 said Schilling.
After reading plenty of background material on the topic, members of the SAS executive committee introduced legislation to the entire Student Affairs Senate. The legislation proposed opposition to the pipeline route.
鈥淲as it our place to take a stand as a student body?鈥 asked Johnson. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 see any reason not to give it a try.鈥
Senators spent three weeks debating environmental concerns, job creation, and lack of state regulations on routing of oil pipelines. Senators made amendments to the original legislation. They tabled the legislation and discussed the matter further with their constituents.
On October 11, the Student Affairs Senate gave unanimous approval to SR-3. In addition to voicing its opposition to the pipeline鈥檚 proposed route, the Student Affairs Senate recommended a delegation present their resolution to Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 want our work confined to the University,鈥 said Bakken. 鈥淲e wanted to make the point that youth in Nebraska were also concerned and we wanted the governor to know.鈥
The 香港六合彩资料大全 student delegation soon met with the governor鈥檚 policy analyst and shared the SAS resolution.
鈥淚 was impressed with how direct he was with us,鈥 said Jessie Preston of Arnold, who was part of the student delegation. 鈥淚t showed us that there is no harm in trying.鈥
The student delegation also had the opportunity to thank the policy analyst for the governor鈥檚 decision to call a special legislative session to address state regulations of pipeline routes.
鈥淲e really thought a special session was a long shot when we first worked on our legislation,鈥 said Johnson.
The U.S. State Department has since delayed its decision on the 1,700-mile pipeline and has ordered TransCanada to explore a route that won鈥檛 go through Nebraska鈥檚 Sandhills.
The student senators are pleased with the decision. And they鈥檙e just as pleased with the lesson they learned on civic engagement.
鈥淚 think a lot of us at Wesleyan shoot high,鈥 said Schilling, who admits this experience has rejuvenated an interest in politics. 鈥淚 think our generation tends to be cynical but we鈥檙e headstrong too. We don鈥檛 throw in the towel.鈥
And if the pipeline eventually does forge ahead through the Ogallala Aquifer, the students agree they will be disappointed but not defeated.
鈥淚t really was a good example of civic engagement,鈥 said Bakken.