As more and more electric vehicles hit the road, institutions nationwide must accelerate systemic change and enable individual action to lessen carbon emissions. In light of record-high electric vehicle (EV) ownership, state policy changes and Syracuse University’s climate commitments, SU must do more to support electric mobility on campus. While full-scale electrification is a few years away, SU should start to champion carbon neutrality by integrating a more accessible and efficient EV charging grid on campus.

If SU is to reach its carbon neutrality goal by 2040, it must keep up with peer institutions and respond to student needs by installing more charging stations tailored to students. Since 2017, SU has owned and operated just a handful of EV charging stations. These stations, while a step in the right direction, do not meet the needs of the growing number of campus EV drivers.

The current charging stations are regularly in use, despite being located in inaccessible, permit-only garages. This plainly demonstrates unmet demand. If the chargers’ consistent use will not convince SU leadership to add more capacity in more accessible locations, New York state policy most certainly should. Not only does New York provide significant rebates for EV owners, but state law mandates the phase-out of most new gasoline vehicles by 2035. As a result, the number of electric vehicles that come to and from campus each day will increase dramatically over the next few years.

EV drivers are investing their own dollars into sustainable practices and SU should do its part to support them. In fact, SU doesn’t need to look any further than our neighbors. SUNY-ESF, a pioneer of campus sustainability, has 18 charging stations for their 1,700-person undergraduate student body. ESF’s 1:94 ratio of chargers to undergraduates make’s SU’s 1:5,621 ratio stick out like a sore thumb. ESF supports students who want to bring their EVs to campus not only through physically accessible chargers but also through their financial accessibility. ESF community members are charged 20 cents per kilowatt hour to charge, totaling around 6 cents a mile (as opposed to about 13 cents a mile for gasoline).

These incentives, both as they relate to accessibility and cost, help support students and community members who are adopting sustainable practices and want to bring EVs to campus. ESF’s expansive charging capacity, along with student interest and New York policy, is proof that there is demand for charging in both the student community and the greater Syracuse area.

To live up to SU’s mission of preparing “engaged citizens, scholars, and leaders for participation in a changing global society,” the university must invest in EV infrastructure. To kick off this investment, SU should install 14 more EV chargers across campus in locations convenient for students and develop an EV parking program. Student drivers should be able to drive their EVs to West Campus, plug in during class and take their charged cars home with them to return to campus the next day with no carbon emitted along the way.

An expanded charging system will not only support student and community EV drivers, but also enable the electrification of university-owned vehicles, ambulances, trolleys and buses. Expanded charging infrastructure will meet today’s need while also keeping SU on track to meet future climate goals. The “global society” mentioned in SU’s mission statement is changing rapidly, and the university must change with it.

As of April, SU’s lack of bold climate action is out of touch with both student needs and the climate crisis. Without demonstrated interest and pressure from the student body, SU leadership can continue to make glacial progress towards its climate goals. But, with sustained student pressure, SU can better serve its student body, fight the climate crisis and serve as a role model for institutions nationwide.

Do you want to be at the forefront of SU’s climate action? Do you have an EV on campus and want more support? Follow this link to sign a petition and demonstrate interest to SU.

Rebecca Sereboff, Class of 2022

Published on April 27, 2022 at 10:37 pm