BRUNSWICK

A student group at Bowdoin College says they are frustrated with what they say is the college’s lack of engagement over demands to divest from fossil fuel companies. Now Bowdoin Climate Action plans to ramp up its efforts.

More than 60 students have pledged to participate in a sit-in somewhere on campus sometime this spring. The exact time and place are to be determined, said Matthew Miles Goodrich, a Bowdoin College senior speaking on behalf of BCA.

In October 2014, BCA met with the college’s board of trustees to state their case for divestment. Around the same time, about 70 faculty members signed a letter supporting a gradual divestment.

Months earlier, BCA presented a petition gathered over the course of two years of 1,000 signatures calling same time, about 70 faculty members signed a letter supporting a gradual divestment.

Months earlier, BCA presented a petition gathered over the course of two years of 1,000 signatures calling for divestment to outgoing president Barry Mills.

“Our administrators haven’t been taking calls to divest seriously,” said Goodrich on Friday. He added that, since October, there has been “zero engagement” with trustees.

In an online call for sit-in participants, BCA states: “This spring, Bowdoin students are saying that because our administrators won’t act, we will. Businessas usual bolsters an unconscionable status quo, so we must disrupt business-asusual. One way or another, we will find out whose side the trustees are on — their students or the fossil fuel industry.”

Goodrich said BCA’s demands to secure a commitment from trustees “that they want to pursue fossil fuel divestment.”

The sit-in, Goodrich said, is a last resort, but also a call to “re-engage in productive dialogue” on divestment.

The sit-in will be non-violent with the goal of engaging with trustees.

“It’s not intended to make anyone’s life more difficult,” Goodrich said.

Goodrich said it was “absurd” that Mills “appointed himself ” as the liaison between BCA and trustees. BCA noted that, with Mills’ departure scheduled for this summer, his role as a liaison made no sense.

“Mills isn’t the one who will make the decision,” said Goodrich. “It’s up to the board of trustees.”

The college’s presidentelect, Clayton Rose, has been “pretty politic” about the issue, Goodrich said.

In September, the college announced that its endowment, of which approximately 45 percent is restricted to the support of student financial aid, generated an investment return of a little more than 19 percent for the fiscal year ending June 30. At that time, the endowment was valued at more than $1.2 billion.

“Divestment is the morally and financially right thing to do,” said Goodrich. “It’s a matter of aligning our values with our investment.”

In an email to The Times Record on Friday, college spokesman Doug Cook offered the following statement:

“This group of students recently announced their intention to ‘escalate’ their protest on the issue of divestment. We recognize their right to demonstrate peacefully, and we trust that they recognize the right of others to study, work and go about their business at the college.

“On the issue of divestment, this group of students has met on numerous occasions with President Mills who, while he shares their deep concerns about climate change, has explained his opposition to the largely symbolic act of divestment. Despite this opposition, President Mills arranged a meeting between these students and Bowdoin trustees last October. The students presented their case for divestment, and trustees asked a variety of questions. Following the meeting, the trustees advised the students that they should deal directly with President Mills.

“Since that time, the arguments for divestment have not changed, nor has the view of President Mills that the college should focus its efforts on education and effective action to confront the very real negative consequences of climate change.”

Where, when?

MORE THAN 60 students have pledged to participate in the sit-in somewhere on campus sometime this spring. The exact time and place are to be determined, according to Bowdoin Climate Action.