10th Legislative Session-March 3rd, 2017

Student Senate Session #23

S.S.R. #28

Sponsor: Senator Mills and Senator Smith

Referred to the Sustainability Committee and Academic Affairs Committee

Student Senate Action: Passed/Failed/Tabled

A Resolution

To establish equitable and sustainable printing for every student on campus.

Short Title

This Resolution may be cited as “Equitable and Sustainable Printing Resolution.”

Whereas, the University of Iowa Information Technology Services is committed to sustainability and has taken many steps to reduce excessive printing on campus. One example is the installation of an automatic double-sided (duplex) setting; and

Whereas, currently, each black and white page printed (impression) costs students 5 cents, even though the actual supply and service cost per impression is 3 cents. With this model, every student at the University of Iowa who is not in the college of engineering receives $10 of free printing money. This free $10 is subsidized by the students who go over $10 and proceed to pay for printing out of pocket. Engineering students pay $25 in printing fees each semester even if they do not print $25 worth of paper and ink; and

Whereas, producing paper takes twice the energy used to produce plastic bags, 42% of global wood harvest is used to make paper, and demand for paper is expected to double before 20301; and

Whereas, externalizing the cost of printing provides no economic responsibility for the environmental harm caused and financially burdens students who must print more than others for their major: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, UISG supports the ITS plan to charge all students only the actual supply and service costs of providing prints (currently 3 cents/black and white impression) instead of charging extra and providing $10 that is subsidized by students who print more than $10; and, be it further

  1. “Paper Waste Facts.” The World Counts. N.p., 13 May 2014. Web. 01 Mar. 2017.

Resolved, UISG supports ITS in keeping the automatic duplex setting for all printers across campus; and, be it further

Resolved, this piece of legislation will be sent to Mr. Chris Clark from ITS, Mr. Danny Tang from the Engineering Technology Center, and interim executive vice president and provost Dr. Sue Curry.

______, Speaker of the Senate

Mariah Prendergast

I hereby attest and certify that this bill originated from the 2016-2017 Student Senate Session.

______, Secretary

Sheng Hao Lu

APPROVED on , 2017

______, UISG President

Rachel Zuckerman