By Bob Katzen
The Higher Education Committee will hold a hearing on June 3rd to hear testimony and consider legislation that would establish a Green and Healthy Public College and University Building Planning Commission to evaluate and make recommendations on campus infrastructure — focusing on energy efficiency, indoor air quality, accessibility, life safety and overall public health.
The proposal creates a trust fund to alleviate campus debt and lower student fees currently used to finance aging infrastructure. It also ensures long-term investments so that all public higher education campuses meet Green and Healthy standards by 2037. The bill prioritizes renovations for buildings in greatest need and addresses longstanding environmental and health inequities across campuses.
“I filed this bill because every student deserves to learn in an environment that is safe, healthy and sustainable,” said sponsor Sen. Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow). “By investing in our public college and university infrastructure now, we can reduce student debt, eliminate health disparities and build a more equitable, climate-resilient future for higher education in Massachusetts.”