As a result of two recent petitions, SUSU have opened an all student vote to lobby the university on two key areas: divestment from fossil fuels and adding a short break after semester one exams finish.
The two positions that students can make their opinion known on are:
- “Should the university divest* from fossil fuels? The University of Southampton currently invests over £2.6 million in direct fossil fuel companies and £3.1 million in indirect fossil fuel companies, based on the University’s 2023 Financial Statement (publicly available on the UoS website). This is the equivalent of 616 UK students’ annual tuition fees! The University holds 0.5% of its investment portfolio in direct fossil fuel companies, and 0.6% in indirect fossil fuel companies, despite their “ongoing commitment to sustainability … in line with Goal 6 of their Sustainability Strategy” (Fossil Fuel statement 2022). In the face of the climate crisis, one of the most pressing issues of our age, any investment in fossil fuel companies is a direct contribution to the current climate emergency. Surely the most responsible investment is one that contains no fossil fuel companies? *divestment involves withdrawing the money it has invested in companies that are extracting fossil fuels”
- “The University should allow a week break between Semester 1 exams and the start of Semester 2. This allows students to recuperate from semester one, supporting their well-being and preparing them to return to study after exams. Currently, some students have as little as two days (the weekend) to prepare for semester two, contributing to burnout and exhaustion as well as impacting attendance, quality of work, and motivation. This longer break aligns with the university’s aim of supporting students’ wellbeing, as they would get time without any exams or assignments deadlines, allowing them to de-compress and compose themselves for the coming semester.”
Voting will close on Tuesday 30 April at 16:00.
Vote now! It should only take a few minutes and you could have a significant influence on the student experience here at Southampton for years to come!
