Eastern Illinois U Promotes Renewable Energy Initiatives
The university’s biological sciences department is collaborating with the Renewable Energy Center to promote clean energy initiatives through curriculum development and research programs. Current initiatives include a biomass project to identify local materials for generating power, and a biodiesel processing unit that is already providing power to a wildlife research vehicle.
Fleming College Sustainable Building Program to Construct Library
The college’s Sustainable Building Design and Construction program has announced plans to partner with the Municipality of Highlands East to build a new library in 2013. The program averages about 26 students who design and build a completely sustainable structure from start to finish, showcasing green building technologies and energy-saving techniques.
Four Colleges and Universities Partner on Composting Program
Medical University of South Carolina, College of Charleston, Trident Technical College and The Citadel have contracted with Koeckeritz’s Food Waste Disposal to compost food waste. While collected material is transported to a compost facility for a fee, the program is expected to save money due to reduced landfill costs.
Ithaca College Provides More Local Food Options
Members of the campus community, including students and employees, have been working to encourage a shift toward supporting locally produced food in campus dining. The college plans to bring more local food products to campus this year, and expects a five percent increase in food sourced from the region.
John C. Smith U Opens Health and Wellness Center on Campus
The university has opened HealthPlex, a new facility designed to provide health and wellness services that promote positive attitudes, healthy lifestyles and responsible self-care for the campus and surrounding community. The facility’s fitness center, teaching kitchen, yoga studio, and related wellness offerings are free to the campus, and are available to members of the community on a medical referral basis.
Loma Linda U Health Recognized by the American Heart Association
The university has been recognized by the American Heart Association as a Gold Fit-Friendly Worksite for encouraging a culture of wellness at the workplace through its Living Whole wellness program. The initiatives of the program include: Health risk assessments for employees, participation in the Breathe Program for tobacco dependency treatment, participation in Better Understanding for Individuals Living with Diabetes, and Living Whole wellness meals available to employees that are designed to meet specific nutrition criteria.
McGill U Releases Draft Sustainability Vision
The university has released Vision 2020, a draft sustainability vision and goals report. The report is available for comment online and across campus for “crowd-sourced track-changes” from students, faculty and staff. The university plans to finalize the sustainability vision and goals report in December and transition to action planning in January.
Middlesex CC Creates Sustainable Garden
The college marked the opening of its Mabel Burchard Fischer Grant Foundation sustainable garden with a gathering that allowed members of the campus community to plant the garden’s first herbs, perennials, and shrubs. The event was organized by the college’s Sustainability Team.
Montana State U to Create Office of Sustainability
The university has committed to supplement the Sustainability Center’s student fee with an additional $30,000 for the next two years to transition the center to a new Office of Sustainability. A committee is in the process of selecting a new director for the Office of Sustainability.
Northwestern U Students Push Plastic Water Bottle Ban
A student plastic reduction team has launched a campaign to ban the sale of plastic water bottles on campus. The initiative involves petitioning the student body and spreading an educational message about the harmful effects of plastic on the environment. The campaign has garnered the support of several student and environmental groups on campus.
Oklahoma State U to Develop Campus Eco-Village
The university has begun developing a housing option designed to encourage its residents to be more socially and ecologically aware. The eco-village will incorporate ideas about sustainable living in a socially integrated community.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Creates Sustainability Degree
The institute has created a new major in sustainability studies to prepare students for jobs in the construction, science and engineering fields with a heavy focus on clean technology. The new Science and Technology Studies - Sustainability Studies B.S. program weaves together techniques and insights from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering to address environmental problems.
Roosevelt U Building Earns LEED Gold
The 32-story building features rooftop gardens, an exterior glass pattern that deters bird collision, pulper and composting systems, an indoor bicycle storage area, and innovative use of a small and unique urban land site.
Rowan U to Introduce New Recycling Initiative
The university has announced plans to reduce the number of trashcans in academic buildings in an effort to increase recycling rates. A grant from Coca-Cola will be used to purchase additional recycling bins that will be placed throughout campus.
Simon Fraser U Holds Green Lab Energy Reduction Challenge
The university recently held an energy reduction challenge to encourage occupants of the campus science and chemistry buildings to reduce their energy use. Facilities and Sustainability Office staff monitored fume hood and lighting usage in labs at different times of the day, and prizes were awarded.
Southern Oregon U Highlighted in Energy Department Video Series
The U.S. Department of Energy has released its fourth video in the “Clean Energy in Our Community” series, highlighting clean energy investments by the university. Some of the initiatives highlighted include the school’s investments in renewable energy, sustainability, and purchase of renewable energy certificates.
SUNY ESF Launches Eco-Rep Program
The university has launched a new Eco-Representative Program that uses peer-to-peer interaction to raise awareness about sustainability issues among students living in a campus residence hall. The Office of Energy and Sustainability provided a budget of $1,000 for the Eco-Reps to fund the program throughout the academic year.
The New School Solar House Becomes Home to Local Families
A student-assembled solar powered house that won the Solar Decathlon’s affordability contest will become a real home for two families in Washington D.C. Working with project partner Habitat for Humanity, volunteer builders fully realized the housing design by adding a second story and a second unit, making it a two-family home.
U British Columbia Launches Sustainability Engagement Strategy
The university has implemented a new initiative asking campus community members to contribute feedback and ideas on a campus-wide Engagement and Social Marketing Strategy. Information will be collected via surveys, focus group sessions, and a pilot program. The results of this campaign will assist the university in further achieving its reduction targets for energy, greenhouse gases, water and waste.
U California Riverside Students Build Mobile Solar Power System
Engineering students have designed and built a mobile solar power system aimed to replace gasoline-powered generators to provide clean energy everywhere including on- and off-campus projects. The Green Campus Action Plan, a student-approved green fee, provided funding for the $34,000 project.
U Guelph Earns Fair Trade Status
The university has received Fair Trade Campus status from Fairtrade Canada. The certification is a result of the university’s commitment to purchase fair-trade products that uphold social and environmental standards to protect food producers and the environment.
U Memphis Students Hold Living Wage Teach-In
The Progressive Student Alliance, a campus group dedicated to organizing against racism, sexism and economic oppressions, held a “teach-in” to emphasize the importance of campus workers getting paid a living wage.
U Mississippi Food Bank Caters to Students in Need
The university has opened an on-campus food bank to provide access to meals for students in need, focusing on the overall health and well being of the campus community. The student-led initiative was made possible through financial donations and food drives.
U Vermont Hosts First Bike Summit
The university has held its first annual Bike Summit in an effort to raise awareness about bike visibility on campus. The participants of the summit discussed options such as more bike racks around campus, more bike lanes downtown and a shop on campus to help with bike repairs.
U Washington Installs Eco Thermostats in Residence Halls
The university’s Division of Student Life has developed and installed an Eco Thermostat for new residence halls on campus, putting students directly in touch with their energy consumption. Total energy needs in buildings with Eco Thermostats are expected to be reduced by about five percent.
U Washington Students Develop 3-D Printer to Transform Waste
A student team has developed an inexpensive machine that can turn discarded plastic waste into useful objects. The group plans to work with Water for Humans, a nonprofit organization, to build three-dimensional printers that can make composting toilets and rain-catchment systems to be used in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Valdosta State U Recognized for Adult Learning Success
The university has been recognized by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning for its efforts to improve access and college completion for adults. The university has established the office of Adult and Military Programs to improve degree completion for adult learners with particular attention to members of the military and veterans.
Western Michigan U Opens New Sustainability Office
The university’s Office of Sustainability has been relocated to a building that formerly housed the University Bookstore. The renovated facility showcases existing campus sustainability initiatives and a new Sustainability Studio that will house a bicycle repair cooperative. A new electric car charging station has also been installed in the parking lot.
Appeals Court Overturns Michigan Ban on Affirmative Action
In an 8-7 decision, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has overturned Michigan's voter-approved ban on affirmative action in college admissions and public hiring. The court struck down the amendment to the state's constitution, known as Proposal 2, on the grounds that it creates unfair barriers to minority participation in the political process.
Arizona State U Launches Composting Program
In celebration of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Food Recovery Challenge, the university has introduced composting at two dining halls on campus. Food-service workers have begun using “Green Bins” to compost all food and paper food-service items. The university will expand its composting efforts through its Green Bin program beginning in January 2013 to include students, faculty and staff.
Arizona State U Science Building Achieves LEED Gold
The Interdisciplinary Science and Technology building features a photovoltaic array that supplies over 16 percent of its energy use, optimal building orientation based on local climate conditions, and performance monitoring to ensure the building will continue to meet its energy use reduction goals over the life of the building.
Catholic U Installs Green Roof
The university has installed its third green roof on campus as part of the university’s efforts to foster sustainability and environmental stewardship. The 1,488-square-foot installation will reduce stormwater run-off and prevent UV radiation and extreme temperatures from degrading the underlying roof membrane.
Concordia College Hosts 100-Mile Thanksgiving
The college hosted the annual event in partnership with local farmers and several student groups in an effort to raise community awareness about the benefits of choosing local foods.
DePauw U to Constructs Student Farm
The university has announced plans to break ground for a new campus farm in 2013. The Sustainability Club will grow produce on the farm that will be used in the campus dining halls. Partial funding for the project came from a $20,000 donation from two university trustees.
Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaigns on the Rise
Fossil fuel divestment campaigns are active at about 50 U.S. campuses , and many more are expected to launch in coming weeks. Earlier this month, the Board of Trustees at Unity College voted to divest their endowment from fossil fuel industries. . (And last year Hampshire College (MA) passed a sustainable investment policy that effectively divested endowment funds from fossil fuels.) More recently, the Harvard College Undergraduate Council announced 72 percent of voting students want Harvard University to divest its $30.7 billion endowment from fossil fuels. The divestment movement has increasingly received national exposure due in part to Bill McKibben’s 21-city Do the Math tour. A recent Boston Globe op-ed by McKibben and Mark Orlowski, executive director of the Sustainable Endowments Institute, calls on colleges to make no new investments in fossil fuels, “wind down” current investments in five years, and invest in increasing their own energy efficiency for a greater return.
Georgia Tech Creates Bike Sustainability Map
The Bicycle Infrastructure Improvement Committee, in partnership with Capital Planning and Space Management, has released the campus' first Bike Suitability Map. The map highlights trails based on level of difficulty and displays campus multi-use paths.
Georgia Tech Students Oversee Community Garden
Members of the group, Students Organizing for Sustainability, have constructed and are maintaining six organic garden beds on campus. More than a dozen produce varieties will be harvested with the inaugural fall crop, and leftover produce will be donated to a local soup kitchen.
Humboldt State U Redesigns MBA to Focus on Sustainability
The university has restructured its Master of Business Administration program to focus on sustainability and career growth. The interdisciplinary program will mesh with undergraduate programs including the natural, environmental and social sciences. Students will analyze strategic sustainability issues of companies, non-profits and other organizations; with a focus on innovation and creation of new markets.
Illinois State U Dining Services to Eliminate Promotional Fliers
Campus Dining Services has announced plans to eliminate the use of table tents in all dining centers beginning this spring. By switching to information screens for advertising and promotion, groups on campus could save a combined estimated total of $12,450 per semester.
Marquette U Launches Improved Composting Program
The university’s sustainability department is launching an improved composting program through a new partnership with Growing Power, a local urban-farming initiative. Five campus eateries will participate in the composting initiative.
New California State U Chancellor Requests 10 Percent Pay Cut
The university system’s incoming chancellor, Timothy P. White, requested a 10 percent pay cut, saying in a letter to trustees, that he hopes the move will send a signal that "public higher education matters to all of us, and that we each must play a part in the rebuilding."
Northern Alberta IT Launches Trades to Degrees Initiative
The institute has introduced the Trades to Degrees initiative that allows certified tradespeople to be admitted directly into the third year of the Bachelor of Business Administration program. The program provides an opportunity for tradespersons to expand their careers, acknowledging the value of work experience and post-secondary education leading to certification as a tradesperson.
Oak Hills Christian College to Offer Loan-Repayment Assistance
The college has announced plans to begin offering loan-repayment assistance next fall for incoming freshman. Through the Loan Repayment Assistant Program, graduates will be eligible to receive up to $34,000 per year to pay back student loans, and benefits will be prorated based on a graduate’s salary. The college is one of two U.S. colleges to sign up with the Loan Repayment Assistance Program Association.
Ohio State U Creates Organic Garden
In an effort to bring a food-to-fork concept to campus, the university’s Ecological Engineering Society, the Wexner Center for the Arts, and a local chef have collaborated to create an on-campus organic garden that will provide fresh ingredients to a university café. Project funding came from a Coca-Cola Student Sustainability Grant.
Purdue U Research Farm Receives Organic Certification
The university’s 10-acre research farm has been certified as organic by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association. The farm will allow researchers to evaluate organic-farming management practices and assess how particular crop varieties perform under organic conditions.
