According to The Lantern, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) adopted a resolution last Wednesday, urging The Ohio State University to fund crucial renovations at the Byrd Center's Ice Core Facility.

Keyanah Peters, a fourth-year Parliamentarian, introduced the resolution, which seeks a minimum investment of $15 million to expand the facility, which houses the world's third-largest collection of prehistoric ice core samples.

The USG resolution encouraged utilizing a grant from the Department of Energy alongside the West Campus Innovation Fund to finance the renovations.

Annalise Khandelwal, a senior environmental science major and the deputy director of the USG's Sustainability Committee, explained that the ice cores are used to conduct research, providing insights into historical climate data.

Ria Narang, a third-year environmental engineering student, shared that despite a previous USG resolution passing in 2021, Ohio State rejected that proposal.

The current state of the HVAC system not only undermines the university's sustainability goals but can potentially diminish the Byrd Center's global standing in climate research and education.

The center's work has been pivotal in validating climate change theories and offers unparalleled research opportunities, further underscoring the importance of the proposed renovation.

After extensive discussion, the USG general assembly passed the resolution with support from Senator Josh Hickman. 

This decision marks a significant step toward enhancing the university's research capabilities and reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and academic excellence in the face of climate change.

Read more by visiting The Lantern.