University Leaders Meet to Discuss Access, Equity
Strategies for increasing enrollments of students of low socioeconomic status were discussed at the recent International Association of University Presidents conference. University leaders from approximately 80 countries gathered to discuss access, trends in learning technology, quality and quality assurance, and the role of higher education in conflict resolution. Leaders also discussed the importance of working toward equity in their own ranks. A panel looked at the continuing gender imbalances in university leadership, stressing that the underrepresentation of women is not just a "women's issue" but a problem that should concern everyone involved in higher education.
U Victoria Recognizes Campus Sustainability Champions
The University of Victoria (BC) awarded its first Sustainability Champion Award during its recent 2011 Sustainability Awards, a peer-nominated recognition that highlights staff initiatives in greening their workplace and contributing to the university's sustainability goals. The manager of food production and purchasing for University Food Services received the award for her work toward sustainable food purchasing and supporting local farmers, bakeries and other food suppliers. Two Sustainability Action Teams were also honored for their achievements over a three-month period to conserve energy, reduce waste and promote sustainable transportation choices in their buildings.
Virginia Tech Students Win EcoCAR Challenge
A team of 30 mechanical engineering students from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University have won first place in the three-year “EcoCAR Challenge,” co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and General Motors. An engine from a 2009 Chevy HHR was donated by General Motors to the participating schools. The Virginia Tech students added a battery, an electric motor and eliminated engine idle with stop/start. The end result is a car that can travel 50 miles on its battery, another 155 on gasoline and gets 82 miles per gallon. The redesigned car boosted the fuel achievement of the stock engine by 70 percent. The team consisted of 30 mechanical engineering students.
Wake Technical CC Students Install Solar Hot Water System
Students in Wake Technical Community College’s (NC) solar thermal training class have installed a solar hot water system in a specially outfitted trailer on campus. The project is part of the Green Building Training Program, designed to ready technicians and small business owners with the knowledge and skills to market themselves in the growing green economy. Solar thermal is one of four short-term “green” training classes being offered through a partnership with the City of Raleigh’s Office of Sustainability.
41 Campuses Complete Greenhouse Gas Inventories
Forty-one signatory campuses of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) have submitted public greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories since the last update in the AASHE Bulletin on April 4, 2011. The GHG inventory is the first major reporting requirement of the Commitment and is due within a year of signing. In alphabetical order, new inventories were submitted by Alfred State College SUNY College of Technology; American University (DC); Aquinas College (MI); Bucknell University (PA); Catawba College (NC); Colby-Sawyer College (NH); College of Saint Mary (NE); Colorado Mountain College; Columbia Gorge Community College (OR); Dakota County Technical College (MN); Des Moines Area Community College (IA); Eastern Iowa Community College District; Fayetteville State University (NC); Finger Lakes Community College (NY); Glendale Community College (AZ); Heartland Community College (IL); Ithaca College (NY); Keene State College (NH); New Mexico State University at Alamogordo; New College of Florida; Ohio University; Olympic College (WA); Oregon Institute of Technology; Paul Smith's College of Arts and Sciences (NY); Queens University of Charlotte (NC); Roxbury Community College (MA); Saint Peter's College (NJ); Sweet Briar College (VA); Temple University (PA); The Ohio State University; University of Florida; University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; University of Miami (FL); University of Missouri; University of New Mexico-Los Alamos; University of New Mexico-Taos; University of Vermont; Utah State University; Virginia Wesleyan College; Wesleyan College (GA); and William Rainey Harper College (IL).
Bishop's U Announces Geothermal Heating Project
Bishop's University (QC) has announced plans for an $8 million campus energy efficiency project that will include a new geothermal heating system. Starting this month, the university will drill 60 wells under the campus soccer field. The university is also upgrading campus lighting with energy-efficient fixtures and optimizing campus building automated controls for heating, ventilation and air conditioning to fit the needs of each individual building and room. The project is expected to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60 percent, natural gas usage by 64 percent and will eliminate the use of oil to heat.
Colorado State U, East China Normal U Partner for Energy Research
Colorado State University and East China Normal University have partnered on a new Joint Research Institute for New Energy and the Environment. The institutions will work together to develop new energy solutions to help deal with the impact of energy on climate, air quality, land use and water resources. Colorado State University is also pursuing student exchange programs and research initiatives with other Chinese universities.
DePauw U Receives $15K for Eco Rep Outreach Program
DePauw University (IN) has been awarded a $15,000 grant to initiate a program that will place two student Eco Reps in each first-year residence hall. The aim is to connect individual behaviors to environmental stewardship, promote environmentally sound living and have the reps act as liaisons to the greater community. The university was one of five Indiana independent colleges selected as recipients of the 2011 Ball Brothers Foundation Venture Fund.
Dept. of Energy Awards Energy-Efficient Lighting Research Grants
Arizona State University and the University of Rochester (NY) have received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of a research initiative to develop new energy-efficient lighting products and expand domestic manufacturing capacity. The universities will focus on filling technology gaps in LED and organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) development, improving scientific knowledge and providing performance data for these technologies.
Maryville U Creates New Center for Sustainability; Hires Director
Maryville University (MO) has announced the creation of a new Center for Sustainability and has named Sustainability Advisory Council co-chair Peggy Lauer as the director. Programs initiated through the center will help advance sustainability on campus and throughout the greater St. Louis region. Lauer, who is the serials and monographs coordinator at the University Library, was awarded a staff sabbatical in 2009 to explore various sustainability programs in the St. Louis area and ways that the university can partner with other organizations and institutions in the community to promote such efforts.
Mohave Community College Receives $150K Solar Energy Grant
Mohave Community College (AZ) has been awarded a $150,000 grant to build a solar energy system. The grant, awarded by Mohave Electric Cooperative, consists of $50,000 provided by the cooperative’s Renewable Energy Program and $75,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. If the project is approved by the college’s governing board, construction of the solar array is slated for a September completion. The system is expected to provide 5 percent of the campus’ electric power.
Montana State U Billings Installs Wind Turbine as Teaching Tool
Montana State University Billings' College of Technology has installed a new 10-kilowatt wind turbine. Students participating in the sustainable energy technology program will be monitoring and collecting data from the $80,000 turbine. The turbine will also generate electricity for part of the university’s campus.
New York U Climate Action Plan Wins EPA Award
New York University's Climate Action Plan was recently honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the 11th annual Clean Air Excellence Awards. The awards recognized 12 programs across the U.S. for innovative efforts in achieving cleaner air and education efforts that help citizens make better informed environmental decisions. The university was recognized in the Community Action category for directly reducing pollutant emissions, demonstrating innovation, offering sustainable outcomes and providing a model for others to follow.
Seattle U Offsets 100% of Natural Gas with Waste-to-Power Project
Through Puget Sound Energy's new Carbon Balance Program, Seattle University (WA) has offset 100 percent of the natural gas used to heat campus buildings and reduced net greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings by 96 percent. The university purchased carbon offsets from a Washington dairy farm that captures methane gas released by manure and burns it in an on-site generator to produce electricity. Puget Sound Energy's recently launched program aims to help natural gas customers reduce their carbon footprint.
Syracuse U Students Help Local Businesses Become Green-Certified
Students in the Syracuse University (NY) chapter of Students in Free Enterprise recently paired with local business as consultants for the Green Core Company program. Launched in 2010 with a group of pilot businesses through the university's Campus-Community Entrepreneurship Initiative, the program is a certification blueprint for businesses working to achieve green operations through reduced environmental impacts. The student's on-site work, sometimes done on a weekly basis, addressed areas such as waste/recycling, energy use and green cleaning. As a result, eight businesses graduated from the green certification program.
The New School Debuts Enviro Policy & Sustainable Mgmt Program
The New School's (NY) Milano Management and Urban Policy school will offer a new Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management graduate program starting in fall 2011. Offered on a part-time or full-time basis, the program is designed to prepare graduates for roles as planners, managers, policy analysts and consultants in defining environmental policy and giving support to institutions that seek to enhance their sustainability performance.
U British Columbia Announces New Energy System
The University of British Columbia’s Board of Governors has approved a new $85 million district energy system that is expected to reduce campus greenhouse emissions by 22 percent and campus energy consumption by 24 percent. The five-year project will replace the university’s steam heating system with a natural gas-powered hot water plant. The university expects to save $4 million in operation and energy costs annually.
U California Berkeley Plans Campus LED Retrofit
The University of California, Berkeley has received 1,000 LED retrofit kits from Sentry Electric. The lights will be installed in decorative post-top luminaries on the campus. The LEDs are projected to deliver 81 percent in energy savings and the university hopes to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 568 metric tons. The installation is a result of the California Public Utilities Commission’s approval of a proposal allowing the installation of LED lighting to customers that contract with the utility for street and highway lighting.
U Chicago E-Waste Event Diverts 43,000 Pounds from Landfill
The University of Chicago's (IL) recent e-waste collection event netted more than 43,000 pounds of electronic and scientific equipment for recycling. The university's second e-waste event drew hundreds of community members and university staff, faculty and students who brought items ranging from laptops and computer monitors to batteries and shredders. Of the total, 6,500 pounds of computer equipment will refurbished and distributed to area schools by Computers for Schools.
U Chicago Launches Bike Commuter Benefit Pilot Program
The University of Chicago (IL) has launched a Bike Commuter Benefit pilot program. The program will offer a half-priced three-month gym membership to faculty, staff and other academic personnel who bike to work. The program is the first in a series of steps the university is taking towards becoming a more bicycle friendly campus.
U Notre Dame Debuts First Wind Turbine
The University of Notre Dame (IN) has installed its first wind turbine on campus. The turbine was mounted on the roof of the university’s power plant and has the ability to generate up to four kilowatts of power. The turbine’s purpose is largely educational but will also feed power directly into the campus electrical grid. The turbine is small enough for residential use and the data collected may help community members decide whether wind is a viable option. The installation was made possible by institutional funding from the Northern Indiana Public Service Company.
U Vermont Announces Clean Energy Fund Projects
The University of Vermont's Office of Sustainability has announced new campus clean energy projects selected for funding in the 2010-2011 funding cycle. Composed of undergraduate and graduate students, staff and faculty, the Clean Energy Fund committee allocated up to $234,050 to seven projects chosen from 68 entries. These projects include a campus-wide renewable energy feasibility study and strategic plan; a clean energy internship program; funding for a series of public lectures and events; a Green Labs energy conservation program; and two preliminary studies to support the installation of energy-saving revolving doors on campus and additional rooftop solar photovoltaic panels.
U Wisconsin Madison Celebrates Bike to Work Week
The University of Wisconsin-Madison recently partnered with the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin to promote various Bike to Work Week events throughout the community. University departments participated in the Get Up and Ride Wisconsin Bike Challenge, which made available real-time reports with miles biked, trips taken, calories burned and gas dollars saved for each department. Prizes will be awarded to participants.
Virginia Tech to Hold 'Lights Out!/Power Down!' Event
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University’s Office of Energy and Sustainability has announced plans to hold a “Lights Out!/Power Down!” event this month. The university is encouraging all students, faculty and staff to turn off and unplug all lighting and electrical loads during the one-hour event to kick-off the university’s summer electrical demand management program. Facilities Services employees will canvass buildings to encourage and assist building occupants to turn off and power down. The university has also enrolled in “Interruptible Load Reliability,” a demand response program that pays customers in exchange for a commitment to reduce electrical load in the event of an electrical grid emergency condition. Program participants must successfully demonstrate for one hour their ability to meet their load reduction commitment.
Wellesley College Alumnae Hall Renovation Earns LEED Gold
The renovation and restoration of Wellesley College’s (MA) Alumnae Hall has earned the first LEED Gold certification for the campus. A carefully designed glass system was installed to maximize transparency and light transmission. The building, designed in 1922, is the final initiative in an extensive land reclamation and environmental mitigation project and also features a green roof to help retain heat in the winter.
York U Reduces Campus Waste by 23% with ZeroWaste Program
York University (ON) recently announced a 23 percent reduction in campus waste as a result of its ZeroWaste Program. The campus community decreased the amount of paper waste by 46 percent and the program has expanded recently to include the recycling of batteries, small electronics, appliances, ink cartridges and more. Paper towel dispensers are also gradually being replaced with hand dryers in restrooms in high use areas. Launched in June 2010, the university's goal is to divert 65 percent of total campus waste by 2013.
5 Institutions Lauded for Affordability, Access
Five institutions were recently recognized as the most affordable and accessible institutions with high graduation rates. A report by the Education Trust, "Priced Out: How the Wrong Financial Aid Policies Hurt Low-Income Students," examined nearly 1,200 four-year colleges and universities nationwide with comparable data on what low-income students pay for college. Of these, the University of North Carolina Greensboro, California State University campuses Fullerton and Long Beach, and City University of New York campuses Bernard M. Baruch and Queens demonstrate success. Success was measured in three areas including asking students to pay a portion of the family income no greater than what the average middle-income student pays for a bachelor's degree; offering students at least a 50 percent chance at graduation; and enrolling a proportion of low-income students at least as high as the national average. The report urges federal, state and institutional leaders to rethink policies that widen the opportunity gap in America's colleges and universities.
American U Installs Energy Dashboard
American University (DC) has unveiled an energy dashboard with real-time energy consumption data for its 12 residence halls and 19 academic buildings. Energy usage can be viewed over the course of hours, days, weeks or months. The meters that provide the Lucid Design Group dashboard's information were installed in buildings last fall in anticipation of the university's participation in Campus Conservation Nationals. With the aid of the meters and the energy-saving efforts of faculty, staff and students, the university reduced its overall energy consumption by 8 percent during the competition period. Plans are also underway to link the university's new solar electricity projects to the dashboard to allow comparisons between solar electricity production and overall building consumption.
Arizona State U Rolls Out Green Office Certification Program
Arizona State University recently awarded eight offices with level-one certifications as part of its new Green Office program. With self-guided and facilitated approaches available, the certifications act as a roadmap with 10 sustainability focus areas that contain between one and five items for colleagues to implement into their workspaces. Following each of the three program levels, all participating staff sign a completed checklist.
Boise State U Sustainability Club Creates a Community Garden
Boise State University’s (ID) Sustainability Club has created a new community garden and sustainable space as an educational outreach tool and venue for community networking and engagement on sustainability. The space will emphasize integration of people as part of the environment and demonstrate the relationship between our behavior and natural systems. It will include a garden, compost area and water management system. Community members can participate in the garden by becoming shareholders at the beginning of the year or by volunteering labor to the maintenance of the garden. Shareholders will receive a portion of the garden’s produce. The garden was funded through a Fulbright Canada Eco-Leadership Grant.
Chatham U Installs Solar Array Atop Residence Hall
Chatham University (PA) recently installed the first of two solar arrays atop one of its residence halls to provide students with solar heated water. The initiative was funded in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority.
CNBC Highlights Green Job Training at Community Colleges
More than $500 million of stimulus money for education is targeted for green job training, says recent CNBC article “Hype Aside, ‘Green Jobs’ Are For Real.” The article highlights the growing "green" industry and the efforts of higher education institutions to meet the challenge of training students for “green-collar” jobs. Programs at Columbia Gorge Community College (OR), St. Phillip’s Community College (TX) and Lane Community College (OR) are featured for their alignment with the Sustainable Education and Economic Development Center, which helps community colleges develop green job training programs.
College of the Atlantic Student Turns Food Waste into Energy
A College of the Atlantic (ME) student has created a start-up business that turns food waste into an alcohol-based, butanol fuel at the college’s Sustainable Enterprise Hatchery. A half-gallon of fuel can be produced within a week. As part of the college’s new sustainable venture incubator, the student and partners hope to receive additional grants in the fall to help purchase larger equipment to increase fuel production. The goal is to use food waste from the college cafeteria and surrounding businesses to produce enough butanol to replace gas and heating oil on campus.
College of William & Mary Announces Green Fee Awards
The College of William & Mary’s (VA) Committee on Sustainability has announced its spring 2011Green Fee Project Awards. The 10 projects selected for funding include bike commuting outreach, reusable bags for incoming students, floating treatment wetlands, plastic bag recycling bins and water bottle refill stations. The projects were funded by the student green fee, a $15 per semester fee totaling about $210,000 annually.
Concordia U Launches Sustainable Investment Certificate
Created in response to the growing interest in sustainable investment approaches, Concordia University's (QC) John Molson School of Business has launched a sustainable investment professional certificate. The program is designed to provide professionals in the finance, investment and corporate world with a unique set of skills, knowledge and analytical thinking.
Cornell, Northwestern Host Int'l Impact Investing Challenge
Cornell University's (NY) Johnson Graduate School of Management and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (IL) recently hosted the first International Impact Investing Challenge. The invitation-only pitch competition asked students to design investment vehicles that create sustainable impact and are large enough to attract institutional investors, which distinguishes impact investing from traditional socially responsible investing. A team from Kellogg won first place for its Grain Fund Depot, a real estate investment trust with a focus on building grain storage facilities and renting that space to small farmers in India.
Cornell U Hires Ag Operations Director with Sustainability Focus
Cornell University (NY) has hired a new director of agricultural operations for its Agricultural Experiment Station, Glenn Evans. With the goal of achieving a net-zero campus, Evans will help inform system-wide decisions for the most efficient use of resources including greenhouse and farming practices.
Cornell U Students Hosts 'Dump and Run' Event
Cornell University (NY) students recently organized a Dump and Run event, which has raised and donated nearly $200,000 over the past eight years. The event collects household goods, clothing, working appliances and electronics, sporting items, toiletries and nonperishable food to benefit local charities. Donations will be sorted over the summer and sold at the Dump and Run community sale in August.
Dept of Energy Announces $70 Mil Toward Geothermal Advancements
In support of partnerships with academia, national laboratories and industry, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced the availability of up to $70 million in new funding over three years for technology advancements in geothermal energy. The funding will be used to research and develop innovations in exploration technologies to locate geothermal energy resources and improvements in resource characterization, drilling and reservoir engineering techniques.
Hartnell CC Receives $900K Clean Energy Grant
Hartnell Community College (CA) has received $900,000 from the National Science Foundation to fund the Salinas Valley Consortium for sustainable energy, education and research. The grant will be used to prepare engineers and technicians to address the problems of efficient energy use with a minimal carbon footprint. A key component of the project will also be a sustainable energy laboratory, micro-grid and test bed that will give students the opportunity to do experiments on generating, monitoring and storing energy.
Harvard Achieves 520K in Annual Savings with Retro-Commissioning
A recent retro-commissioning effort of Harvard University's (MA) Laboratory for Integrated Science and Engineering has resulted in $520,000 in annual savings and a reduction of 800 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Previously the Faculty of Arts and Sciences' second largest greenhouse gas emitter, the laboratory's existing building systems were combined into a more "closed loop" controlled feedback approach that allows for common data to be shared amongst the systems.
Harvard U Students Study Geothermal Feasibility
As part an “Engineering Design Seminar” course, 16 undergraduate engineering students at Harvard University (MA) have discovered that existing geothermal wells on campus can supply more energy without overwhelming the system. The students’ research, calculations, experimentation and sophisticated computer modeling concluded that the geothermal heating and cooling system that serves the university’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study will also be able to supply energy to the nearby Fay House, currently undergoing a $13 million renovation of its mechanical, electrical, plumbing and life safety systems. The students also took the investigation several steps further, recommending that the wells should all run simultaneously for the 15-hour day (rather than in shifts) and the building's thermostats should be raised gradually over the course of each morning for optimal efficiency.
Life U Dining Hall Earns LEED Gold
Life University (GA) has earned its second LEED-certified building with the recent Gold certification of its new campus dining facility. In addition to sustainable water and energy consumption during operation and green waste management, the Socrates Café sources local and organic produce and uses compostable dining ware.
Living Routes Earns Innovation in Sustainability Award
Living Routes, a program that partners with the University of Massachusetts, Amherst to run ecovillage-based programs around the world, has received the first annual Innovation in Sustainability Award from international education and experiential travel resource GoAbroad. Presented at the NAFSA: Association of International Educators Conference and Expo this month, the awards acknowledge institutions, organizations and individuals who are creating initiatives to move the field of international education forward and going beyond the conventional. Highlighted Living Routes efforts included co-founding the Green Passport Program, pioneering virtual tabling at study abroad fairs and advocating for "carbon consciousness" in the field of international education.
Michigan State U Dim Down Program Reduces Campus Energy Use
Michigan State University’s Office of Campus Sustainability recently hosted the annual Dim Down program, designed to bring awareness to the amount of electronics people have on during the day, especially electronics not in use. From noon to 1 p.m. every Friday during the month of April, students and faculty were expected to unplug any unused electronics. By the end of the program, 4.2 percent was the highest energy reduction in a day and some departments on campus created their own monthly Dim Down event.
National Outdoor Leadership School Unveils 24.8 kW Solar Array
The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), which partners with colleges and universities for college credit, recently unveiled a 24.8-kilowatt solar array atop the NOLS Rocky Mountain's Noble Hotel. The hotel, located in Lander, Wyo., primarily provides housing to NOLS Rocky Mountain students and instructors, as well as a place to hold community events. This solar array is projected to provide 10 percent of the hotel's energy needs, making it an important step towards NOLS' 2020 carbon reduction goal of 30 percent below 2006 levels.
Northern Wake Tech CC Offers Free Solar Installation Course
Northern Wake Technical Community College (NC) has partnered with the City of Raleigh’s Office of Sustainability to offer a free solar photovoltaic installer course as part of the Green Building Training Series. The curriculum for the course is based on the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners Solar Photovoltaic Installer job task analysis. Students should gain a thorough understanding of the tools used to complete site evaluations, perform necessary measurements and calculations, and specify balance of system components. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.
RecycleMania Competition Recycles 91 Million Pounds
The 11th annual RecycleMania concluded its eight-week challenge to increase on-campus recycling rates in early April. This year, 91 million pounds of recyclables and organic materials were recovered, which prevented the release of nearly 270 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. The competition ran from February 6 - April 2, 2011.
Triple Pundit Names Top 10 U.S. Climate-Ready Cities
University leadership was factored into the new list of top 10 climate-ready cities in the U.S. by new media company Triple Pundit. The list looks at which large U.S. cities are mitigating their impact on climate change as well as investing in appropriate climate change adaptation solutions. Other ranking elements included political commitment, green buildings, transit access and use, clean tech investment, and energy and greenhouse gas emissions.
