Students demanding that Bowdoin College divest its endowment of holdings in the fossil fuel industry have been invited to make their case to Bowdoin trustees in October.

In an email message Friday morning, President Barry Mills informed Bowdoin Climate Action representative Matthew Goodridge that a group of Bowdoin trustees is willing to meet with representatives of Bowdoin Climate Action on Friday, October 17, 2014. The session will take place during the regular fall campus meetings of the Bowdoin Board of Trustees.

Goodrich, a junior at Bowdoin, requested the meeting with trustees last Friday when he presented Mills with a petition demanding that Bowdoin divest its endowment in fossil fuels. Mills, who announced on April 14 that he will be stepping down as president of the College in June 2015, promised a response by today.

In his message to Goodrich, Mills wrote that there would not be sufficient time for such a meeting at the upcoming May 9-10 campus trustee meetings, since trustees will suspend nearly all regular business to focus on the process for selecting a new president of the College. Mills, who has made clear his opposition to divestment, also offered to meet with members of Bowdoin Climate Action in advance of the October meeting.