MTSU’s Sustainable Campus Fee continues to go—and generate—green this Earth Month as the student fund surpasses $7.6 million.

Launched by the Student Government Association in 2006, the program charges students and faculty $8 per semester to any student enrolled in 7 or more course hours, according to Danny Kelley, interim vice president of student affairs. This money goes into a reserve that funds renewable energy and sustainability projects across campus.

The Center for Energy and Sustainability’s mission focuses on energy and utility management, sustainable building design and resource stewardship, while also promoting student involvement and community education around sustainability efforts.

The Clean Energy Committee votes annually on how the fee’s funding is used. The committee includes four voting students, one voting faculty member, one non-voting chairperson and one student affairs representative.

Any campus department or registered student organization can apply for funding through the program, ranging from light bulb replacements to upgrading water fountains and installing solar picnic tables.

The program also funds a wide range of initiatives, including the JEWL Seed Library, campus recycling programs and green power projects.

“They’ll go through all the project proposals and pick what they want to fund,” CES manager Kristin England said. “These members meet at least once a year to vote on new projects.

The initiatives must focus on renewable energy, energy conservation or efficiency, alternative fuels and sustainable design. Applicants submitted 27 projects for consideration in 2025, and 26 were approved. In 2024, the committee funded another 27 proposed projects.

During the 2025–2026 academic year, students raised more than $256,000, supporting 26 active projects, England said. The funding contributes to initiatives like recycling programs, energy cost reduction efforts, Earth Month events and Campus Sustainability Month in October.

On April 22, MTSU will host 45 companies, local organizations and student groups in the Campus Commons to share sustainability efforts and engage with students.

In the 2025–2026 fiscal year, the university also purchased $22,500 worth of renewable energy through the Green Power Switch program. MTSU uses the Green Power Switch to purchase renewable energy.

SGA appoints voting members to the Sustainable Energy Fee’s governing body. President RJ Ware said he appreciates the program and the services it provides but has had issues in recent years with fighting a fee increase.

“That’s just unnecessary because it continuously runs a surplus every single year,” Ware said. “So we have fought any fee increases with the Green Fee.”

Members within SGA and the Committee made two attempts to increase the fee in the last year. The first attempt failed. The second one passed on to the faculty senate, but Student Trustee and former SGA President Michai Mosby vetoed the initiative and shut it down.

The Clean Energy Committee will meet in September to vote on new project proposals for the 2026-2027 school year.

To contact the news editor, email [email protected].

For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, and follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines and on X and Instagram at @mtsusidelines. Also, sign up for our weekly newsletter here.