Walter Simpson, director of the UB Green Office, is retiring after 26 years of environmental efforts here at UB. Simpson cited one of the main reasons for his retirement as being a lack of support from President John B. Simpson's administration.
In "Practicing what you preach," published in The Spectrum on March 19, Walter Simpson told Senior Arts and Life Editor Stephanie Sciandra that he would like to see the President's administration play a more supportive role in the drive towards a greener campus.
"For five years... our campus environmental task force... has been asking the administration to support this policy," Simpson said, in regard to one of many programs UB Green tried to implement without the support of higher-ups.
Now Simpson is moving on, despite his extensive knowledge and education regarding the environment. Walter Simpson is widely respected as a leading expert on environmental sustainability on college campuses having written and edited the definitive reference book on the matter, The Green Campus. His retirement has many in the UB community concerned for what the future will hold for UB Green and environmental progress at UB.
Simpson's retirement is ironic in light of President Simpson's recent Campus Conversation last Tuesday. During the forum's Q&A session of the talk, Rafael Rosenbaum, a recycling assistant on campus, asked the President to comment on "the future of the program, [UB Green], and the importance it plays."
It was disturbing to see how defensive John Simpson became after Rosenbaums's question. Showing his true colors as a politician, Simpson begged to "refer to actions instead of words." His actions? - Being quick to sign the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment and implementing the Committee of Environmental Stewardship to meet the tasks of the commitment.
But the CES specifically has no involvement from UB Green officials. By justifying his claim that UB Green is important by referencing his actions, Simpson appears to think UB Green is a state of mind and not an actual student organization eager to help.
His signing of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment and the CES show Simpson cares about UB's identity as an environmentally sound university. His exclusion of UB Green from the actual proceedings, however, shows he thinks the organization is, in practicality, very unimportant.
Realistically, wouldn't President Simpson's administration want all of the guidance Walter Simpson could provide? What's the sense in turning down expertise when it comes to a large-scale campus commitment unless you're expecting to play fast and loose when it comes to the final product?
President Simpson better hope his CES pulls together some pretty nifty plans for meeting the requirements of the Presidents Climate Commitment. Because while keeping our "identity" is great, obtaining actual progress is even better. Acknowledging the students' efforts by supporting representation from UB Green might not hurt either.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
