The Green Business Initiative Student Association, a sustainability group within the University School of Law, is one of the groups that will be affected by the hiring of the ASUO-proposed student Sustainability Coordinator.
ASUO President Amelie Rousseau said the coordinator will organize the varying sustainability groups within the Student Sustainability Coalition.
GBISA president Kyle Smith said his group is excited for the chance to work with other sustainability groups.
“We haven’t made specific plans yet; I’m excited by the prospect,” Smith said. “It will be huge in bringing everyone together and to overcome fragmentation.”
He added that a full-time position would be an even greater asset and would be worth funding.
“I think (the) position needs to be funded to a level where the person in that role can make a meaningful contribution,” Smith said.
“I mean, it spans different departments: undergrad and graduate programs and classes,” Rousseau said. “I think it’s important to remember that this is not just for established groups; it’s for any student who wants to get involved with making the University more sustainable.”
She added that the toughest part of working with sustainability groups is making change last between years and classes of students.
Meanwhile, GBISA is hosting an event dedicated to awareness of tax incentives for renewable energy Thursday afternoon.
Roberta Mann, a University law professor, will speak to students and local lawyers for “Tax Incentives on Renewable Energy,” a presentation on the tax breaks available for businesses who use green technologies.
The group works with the Green Business Initiative, which was founded in Portland four years ago.
Smith said he’s hoping for the event to be a good chance for law students to connect with attorneys in the region, as well as for lawyers to find potential researchers for the future.
“It will be a good opportunity for students to interact with local lawyers.” Smith said. “(Lawyers will) get (continuing legal education) credits for attending … It’s a great opportunity for them to be in the room with students interested in that kind of research.”
Mann said the focus of her presentation will be on how to become a green lawyer.
“The point I’ll be trying to make is that some law students and other lawyers think that being a green lawyer means you have to do environmental law,” Mann said. “Knowing business law is important in being a green lawyer. It’s important to know tax law and it’s important to know how tax law applies to business.”
Mann teaches basic tax law classes at the University law school, including individual tax law classes and business tax policy. She said her research focus, though, is on the broad perspective of how tax laws influence the environmental discussion.
Smith said the group holds similar talks during the year related to green business practices and has its biggest event in the spring in Portland. The Green Business Symposium has been an annual event since 2008 and Rep. Earl Blumenauer attended last spring’s event, on April 2. Smith said the group is hoping to have someone similar in attendance for this year’s event.
Mann’s presentation will be today at 12:30 p.m. in room 141 of the law school building.
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