We won! This webpage now serves to document our efforts and success.
A call for action
What was the ultimate goal of our campaign?
The ultimate goal of this campaign was to show Western Michigan University that the campus community is behind its mission to commit to sustainable practices. We would like to see the university make changing the location of the proposed site a priority so that its location truly reflects its role as one of the most sustainable universities in the nation. If WMU fully addresses the contradictions of these current dining hall plans by and allowing itself to be held accountable by its community, it has a chance to improve upon procedures so that it can continue on a path to excellence in sustainability ratings and diminish the risk of tarnishing its reputation.
How did we promote action?
We circulated an online petition, which received 1,305 signatures over a period of about 10 days:
https://www.change.org/petitions/western-michigan-university-administration-protect-wmu-s-goldsworth-valley-woods
Media coverage
Media coverage was important to our campaign. Including articles in the student newspaper, the local online news source (MLive.com), and the radio.
Student newspaper:
http://www.westernherald.com/news/ecologically-concerned-campus-members-believe-administration-is-less-than-transparent-in-new-valley-dining-hall-plans/
MLive.com articles:
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/04/plans_to_cut_down_trees_for_di.html
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/04/western_michigan_university_pu_1.html
After the announcement that the first set of plans were halted, and interview on the local news WMUK (102.1 FM):
http://wmuk.org/post/wmu-puts-goldsworth-valley-development-hold-after-outcry
One year later, the new design proposals protect the woods our campaign called to protect:
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/02/new_designs_for_wmu_valley_din.html
The ultimate goal of this campaign was to show Western Michigan University that the campus community is behind its mission to commit to sustainable practices. We would like to see the university make changing the location of the proposed site a priority so that its location truly reflects its role as one of the most sustainable universities in the nation. If WMU fully addresses the contradictions of these current dining hall plans by and allowing itself to be held accountable by its community, it has a chance to improve upon procedures so that it can continue on a path to excellence in sustainability ratings and diminish the risk of tarnishing its reputation.
How did we promote action?
We circulated an online petition, which received 1,305 signatures over a period of about 10 days:
https://www.change.org/petitions/western-michigan-university-administration-protect-wmu-s-goldsworth-valley-woods
Media coverage
Media coverage was important to our campaign. Including articles in the student newspaper, the local online news source (MLive.com), and the radio.
Student newspaper:
http://www.westernherald.com/news/ecologically-concerned-campus-members-believe-administration-is-less-than-transparent-in-new-valley-dining-hall-plans/
MLive.com articles:
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/04/plans_to_cut_down_trees_for_di.html
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/04/western_michigan_university_pu_1.html
After the announcement that the first set of plans were halted, and interview on the local news WMUK (102.1 FM):
http://wmuk.org/post/wmu-puts-goldsworth-valley-development-hold-after-outcry
One year later, the new design proposals protect the woods our campaign called to protect:
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/02/new_designs_for_wmu_valley_din.html