MASSPIRG at Berkshire Community College

Over the course of this fall our agenda was packed with public interest campaigns. We're proud of our victories, but more than that, we're as energized and determined as we've ever been to take on serious problems, to push for common sense solutions, and to work with you, our supporters, friends, and allies, toward positive change.

Here are a few of our accomplishments from this fall.  See you in the spring!

Campus Climate Challenge:
The Campus Climate Challenge was in full swing at BCC this semester. BCC MASSPIRG students Peter Loboda, Lilly Phillips, Max Rivinus, and Lance Spratling held educational events on campus ranging from movie screenings of “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Who Killed the Electric Car” to a Solar Cocoa Event to raise awareness and collect over 200 petitions urging Senator Downing to support the Global Warming Solutions Act and cut carbon 80% by the year 2050. We received a call late November from Senator Downing’s office informing us that Senator Downing is officially on record as a supporter of the bill! 

BCC student Lance Spratling, through the sponsorship of the BCC Foundation attended Powershift 2007, the first-ever national youth summit to solve the climate crisis.  At Powershift, Lance attended workshops, panels, and a public hearing on global warming.

BCC MASSPIRG is looking forward to working with the SGA Earth Week in April.

Hunger and Homelessness:
In September, BCC MASSPIRG students Lance Spratling Kevin Learnard, and Peter Loboda collected over 25 boxes of donated goods outside the Pittsfield Stop and Shop to deliver to the Elizabeth Freeman Women’s Shelter.  During BCC’s Thanksgiving Meal, BCC MASSPIRG students collected 87 petitions in support of food stamp recipients in Berkshire County by asking attendees to support the Lugar and Lautenberg Amendment under the Farm Bill reauthorization. BCC MASSPIRG students look forward to next semester’s Hunger Clean-up to take place in April.

Affordable Textbooks:
Through the organizational efforts of MASSPIRG, 50 Massachusetts college students attended the Affordable Textbooks Hearing at the State House in Boston in October.  After the hearing, the Affordable Textbooks bill moved out of the Higher Education committee in record time and awaits approval by the Ways and Means Committee. 

Affordable Higher Education:
After years of working to pass a strong affordable higher education bill, MASSPIRG and the nation saw “the largest investment in higher education since the G.I. Bill,” said speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.  The College Cost Reduction and Access Act, signed by President Bush, on September, 27, 2007, will increase the maximum Pell Grant scholarship, serve to cut loan interest rates by half, and skim subsidies to private lenders.

Want to get involved and make some social change?  Contact BCC's Campus Organizer, Tracie!

Tracie Konopinski
MASSPIRG Campus Organizer, BCC
tracie@masspirgstudents.org
856.266.7555
Hawthorne 239B
www.masspirgstudents.org/bcc