Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Elise Rosky, a member of Keweenaw Youth for Climate Action, speaks at Michigan Technological University Board of Trustee’s meeting Friday. The group asked Michigan Tech to divest from fossil fuels.

HOUGHTON — Members of a youth group advocating for combatting climate change is asking Michigan Technological University to divest from fossil fuels.

Several members of Keweenaw Youth for Climate Action spoke at the Tech Board of Trustees meeting Friday. The group has 22 active members, including many Tech students and community members, said Elise Rosky, a Ph.D. student in atmospheric science.

The group wants to work with Tech on ways to combat climate change. Having applied for funding from NASA, Rosky said, she has seen it helps if research proposals include a component relevant to climate change.

“So we hope you agree that it should be important to Michigan Tech as well, to take climate concerns seriously in the name of science, ethics and public health,” she said.

Individual actions, such as recycling or using paper straws, can only accomplish so much, said group member Cameron Whiteside. Divesting the Michigan Tech Fund from fossil fuels is the biggest step the university can take, the group concluded.

Tech would be following other universities like the University of California and Georgetown University, which have recently announced plans to divest from fossil fuels.

Last month, student groups at about 50 universities around the country took part in a day of protest to ask universities to divest.

“If Tech wants to be a role model for being sustainable, we cannot be using our money to be funding the institutions that are fueling the climate crisis,” Whiteside said.

Investment firms such as Black Rock have also moved away from fossil fuels and non-renewables, said Gabriel Arendt, a graduate student in geological and mining engineering and sciences.

“As government expenditures on universities decrease, we recognize the importance of bringing new students,” he said. “We believe a sustainable vision going forward is a huge movement towards fulfilling that promise.”

Group member Carrie Dlutkowski said they would also like to see more transparency from Michigan Tech about the Tech Fund, such as what percentage of funds is invested in fossil fuels.

The Tech Fund, a non-profit, tax-empty corporation, receives, invests and disburses gifts to support the university’s mission and vision, according to its website. It had assets of $154.5 million as of the end of fiscal year 2018, according to its most recent audit.

“We certainly look forward to hearing what they have to say and going forward wth explorations of that issue,” Michigan Technological University said in a statement.