The University of Oregon Foundation announced it will stop its investments in carbon-based fuel sources. The decision comes after a robust campaign from students demanding the university divest from fossil fuels. But it is not clear what spurred the foundation's choice.
Not much has been heard from the UO foundation on fossil fuel divestment after students staged a multi-week sit-in last spring. But last week the foundation quietly posted a statement on their website saying they are "ending investment in carbon-based fuel sources."
Joey Ng is with Divest UO, the student group that organized the spring sit-in at Johnson Hall.
Ng: "We've been reacting very cautiously because there's a lot of things in the language that we would like to discuss once we get back in general meetings once the school year starts, but we're very happy about the action of it, and how they've produced a statement."
Ng says he does not know if student activism led to the foundation's decision, and it is not clear from the released statement.
If the UO does divest from non-renewable energy it joins UMASS, Amherst, as well as dozens of smaller colleges.
Follow Kyra Buckley on Twitter @krbuckle.
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