•€€€€€ AsyouallknowtheUMassDivestcampaignhasexpressedtheirappreciationforthisBoard’srecentlyadoptedpolicyondivestmentbuttheycontinuetoadvocateforfurtheraction,includingtheimmediatefulldivestmentfromthetop200fossilfuelscompaniesbythecloseofbusinessonApril13,2016;theyalsoseektheestablishmentofaSociallyResponsibleReinvestmentCommitteethatwouldincludevotingmembersoftheDivestUMasscampaign,thereinvestmentofaminimumof5%ofinvestedfundsintoaFinancialCooperativeofferedbytheWorkingWorldorintoothercompanieswhichtheybelievearebetteralignedwithasociallyresponsibleandsustainableeconomy,andthereareothercomponentsoftheirdemands.•€€€€€ TheDivestUMasscampaignhasstatedthattheydon’tbelievethatouractionstodatehavedemonstratedafull

acknowledgementoftheurgencyofthecrisis,andtheyhaveincreasedtheiractivitiestoincludemorepublicprotests,theproductionanddistributionofvideosandoccupationoftheWhitmoreAdministrativebuildingontheAmherstcampus.•€€€€€ UMasshasalong,deepanddocumentedcommitmenttotheenvironmentandtheuseofitsresourcesinamannerthat’scompatiblewithbeingasociallyresponsibleandsustainablecitizen.AllfivecampuseshavesignedtheAmericanCollege&UniversityPresidents’ClimateCommitmentandintheyearssince,theuniversityhasreduceditscarbonemissionsby17%.Theuniversityhasinvestedsignificantresourcesincapitalimprovementswhichhavebeendesignedandbuilttomaximizethesustainabilityofresources;investmentslikethe

MassachusettsGreenHighPerformanceComputingCenter,thereplacementofUMassDartmouth’sheatandpowersystems,we’veinstitutedasustainabilitycurriculumInitiativeontheAmherstcampusandwe’veenteredinto15separatesolarnetexcessgenerationcontractswith10differentsolardeveloperstotaling50MWofnewsolarcapacity.Whenallofthesearefullyoperationalweexpecttogenerate1.123billionkWhoverthefirst20-yearsoftheirlifewhichwillhelptoavoid28,532metrictonsofCO2inthefirstfullyearofoperation,orapproximately544,300metrictonsofCO2throughtheprojectsupportedbyUMass,andvirtuallyeverynewbuildinghasbeenconstructedinamannersensitivetoenvironmentconcerns.•€€€€€ UMass’effortsincludeacomprehensiveEnergyMasterPlan,

researchgrantsandacademicprogramsrelatedtooffshorewindenergy,certificateprogramsingreenenergyandclimatechange,stormwatermanagement,greeninfrastructure,theacquisitionofhybridbusesresultedina40%reductioninfuelconsumption,installationofelectriccarchargingstations,waterreclamationprojectsandmanyotherconcreteactionswithadirectandimmediateimpactonclimatechange.•€€€€€ LastWednesdaywhenIhadtheopportunitytospeaktoDr.Figueresmyquestionsweren’taboutenvironmentalscienceortheextremelychallengingandlengthyprocessofnegotiationsleadingtotheParisclimateagreement,butabouthowwemakeitrelevantandimportanttoeachglobalcitizentoworktowardtheseclimategoals.Herresponsewasthatweneededtomakeclimatechangeabusinessimperative

throughthedevelopmentofalternativeenergysources.Itwasaboutconstructivecollaborationandde-politicizationofthesubject.ShesaidthatAmerica,CanadaandAustraliawerethecountrieswhopoliticizedthissubjectthemostresultinginpolarizationandinactivityinsolvingtheclimateimperative,whileChinaandotherlessdevelopednationsintuitivelyunderstandtheurgentneedtocreateeconomicmodelsandbusinessesthatpromotedisincentivesforthecontinueduseoffossilfuels.•€€€€€ AlthoughIdon’twanttosuggestthatDr.Figueresdoesn’tsupportdivestmentefforts,herresponsewasinsightful,andIagreewithherthatweneedtourgentlymovefromcontentiousdiscoursetothecreationofpracticaldisruptiveindustriesthatwillquicklychangetheexistingenergyparadigm,andI

hopewecanallworktogethertowardthatend.