The article about the debate over coal and the endowment was a welcome piece of reporting (“Slowing Climate Change,” Elms, November/December). However, I was surprised that you did not mention the student group Brown Divest Coal, one of the most enlightened forces on the subject of global warming on campus in my opinion. Without more information it appears that you made an editorial decision not to give recognition to an extraordinary group challenging President Paxson and the Corporation’s refusal to divest endowment investments in coal.

Tom Bale ’63
Elkins Park, Pa.
tombale1@verizon.net

See our news story on page 15.—Editor

I read the update on the consideration of divestment from fossil fuels in the most recent issue of BAM. I was hopeful that Brown would make the only morally defensible choice and divest quickly and completely. I now know the University failed me, and the rest of the Brown community, and rejected divestiture.

I recently made my first donation to Brown in many years, but the donation was conditional. If Brown would agree to divest from the fifteen largest coal companies, they could deposit my check. I received a letter back from the manager of gift accounting and an enclosed explanation from President Paxson about Brown’s decision not to divest.

I will not make donations to Brown until this very bad decision is reversed. I urge other alumni to do the same.

Carla A. Wise ’85
Corvallis, Ore.