Next SECS Meeting This Wednesday at 6:30! 🌱

Happy Monday, SECS! We wanna give a big shoutout to everyone who showed up for our first ever book club meeting! Scroll down to find out details about the next meeting.

Take a look at what our working groups have on the docket this week:

Fossil Free Addendum is focusing on securing the introduction of the bill into the Illinois Senate this week as well as continuing to build support in the House.

Divestment Referendum will be planning upcoming canvassing training and prepping for a large-scale outreach campaign throughout February.

Media will be continuing their plarn project!

Green Observer received everyone’s fabulous submissions and thanks everyone for contributing! They will be briefly meeting to check up

Education will continue working on upcoming teach-ins.

Solidarity Gardens will be outside working on the garden.

Join us this Wednesday, February 5th at 6:30 p.m. at the Channing Murray Foundation (1209 W. Oregon Street) for our next meeting.

Endorsement season is in full swing! If you have been to at least one full SECS meeting, you are considered a general member eligible to vote on endorsing prospective student government candidates. This week, stop by to listen to and vote on endorsing Ariana Mizan for Student Trustee and Hunter Farnham for LAS Representative in ISC.

🚨WAIT, THERE’S MORE!🚨

Help Us Table at the Student Org Expo!

Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 4th, come help us spread the good SECS word at the Student Org Expo in the Illini Union from 6-8pm! Sign up to table here.

Valentine’s Day Bake Sale!

The most lovely time of the year is almost here – the annual SECS Valentine’s Day bake sale! We will be selling baked goods and roses for all your sugary and floral needs. We will be on the quad on Friday, February 14th from 1-4pm! Sign up here to bake and/or table!

RSVP for Prom!

On Saturday, February 15th from 7-10pm at the University YMCA, we will host the third annual SECS prom, featuring a potluck for the first time. RSVP here and signup to bring something to the delicious potluck here!

Come to Book Club!

SECS is proud to announce our first ever book club! We’re currently reading Parable for the Sower and meeting every other Thursday. The next meeting is Thursday, February 13th at the Women’s Resource Center. We are unable to offer free copies of the book at this time, but encourage anyone interested to check it out from a local library.

Sign the Petition to Support Divestment!

Join scores of fellow students in your support for the university we know and love divesting from fossil fuels here.

We’re in the Chicago Tribune!

Go here to read an article recently published in the Chicago Tribune that interviews our own Gabi DalSanto and critiques the University’s new restrictive protest policies.

Come to Fossil Free Friday!

This Friday, from 2-3pm at the Channing Murray Foundation, come to Fossil Free Friday to help the divestment effort!

Did you know…

SECS is an affiliate of the Women’s Resource Center! The WRC is committed to enhancing campus climate and advancing gender equity at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for students of ALL genders. Click here for a full list of WRC-affiliated RSOs.

Show up on Wednesday! Go green or go HOME!

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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our Changing Climate: See a Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Present!

This Wednesday, Feb. 5th from 5-6:30pm at CIF 4029, come see Nobel Peace Prize Winner David Wuebbles give a deep dive into how to grow our economy while responding to relevant science. This event includes a presentation on climate change, a Q&A session, free food, and a networking opportunity! More information here.

Come to Illini Lights Out!

Sign up to help turn off lights in campus buildings and save energy on February 21 here!

Help birds stop dying!

The UIUC Bird Strike group is made up of some awesome students who are looking to reduce bird deaths caused by window collisions. Go here for more information or if you’re interested in volunteering!

Join the Climate Grief Group

Feeling the weight of climate change? You're not alone. Many of us are struggling with grief, anxiety, and a sense of loss as we watch our planet change. The Climate Grief Group is a safe, supportive space where we can talk openly about our climate-related emotions and learn how to cope together. We'll explore our feelings, build resilience, and find ways to turn that grief into positive action. Let's connect, heal, and support each other as we work towards a more just and sustainable future. This group meets virtually on Tuesdays between September 24th and October 29th at 1pm and is led by a licensed, climate-aware therapist. Pay what you can. Register here.

Visit TORIIS and take action

TORIIS.earth is an organization that makes transparent the University of Illinois Systems investments and visualizes this data through an environmental lens. Throughout TORIIS, you can explore in depth the University of Illinois Systems’ investments, understand the scope and impact of its investments in the fossil fuel industry, and take action by signing the open letter requesting fossil fuel divestment from the University of Illinois.

Listen to the SECS talk
Listen here to our sustainability-focused podcast, the SECS talk! The most recent episode’s guest is Lina Avalos, a student at UIUC and an environmental justice advocate from the Southeast side of Chicago.

If you’ve read this far, click here for the song of the week.

Contact Us!
President — Rudy LaFave (he/him)
[email protected]
Vice President — Claire Sullivan (she/her)
[email protected]
Treasurer — Averhy Sanborn (she/her)
[email protected]
Secretary — Julia San Miguel (she/her)
[email protected]
Action Co-Coordinator — Trey McCallister (he/him)
[email protected]
Action Co-Coordinator — Gabi DalSanto (she/they)
[email protected]
Media Officer — Natalie Reed (she/her)
[email protected]
Editor-in-Chief of the Green Observer – Michael Gergeni (he/him)
[email protected]
Community Chair — Joya Weissman (she/her)
[email protected]
Land Management Chair — Liam Henry (he/him)
[email protected]
Outreach Coordinator — Izzy Wilder (she/her)
[email protected]
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer — Fatima Naveed (she/her)
[email protected]