Texas A&M Opens Office of Sustainability
Texas A&M University has opened an Office of Sustainability. The Office hopes to work with university stakeholders to develop, coordinate, and enhance current sustainability initiatives. The Office has specific plans to work to integrate sustainability into the campus' curriculum, expand current recycling initiatives, and improve alternative transportation options on campus.
Luther College Strategic Plan Features Sustainability
The Luther College (IA) Board of Regents has approved the College's Sesquicentennial Strategic Plan for 2008-2012. One of the three strategic imperatives of the plan is to connect sustainability, stewardship, and global citizenship. One of the goals in the five-year plan is to cut the college's carbon footprint in half. Already, the college has reduced its campus carbon footprint by 15 percent and plans to make further investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy systems to reach the 50 percent goal. The plan also focuses on ways to reach the goals of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment. In addition, $5 million (10 percent) of the Sesquicentennial Fund seeks endowment support for a new Center for Sustainable Communities. The goal of the center is to catalyze change and be an educational resource for businesses, churches, governments and communities in the region. Luther College has already created a new Campus Sustainability Council as a result of the plan.
Illinois State U Releases Sustainability Report
Illinois State University has released its first ever Sustainability Progress Report. The report covers fiscal year 2008 and highlights various campus efforts in the areas of energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, recycling, and grounds and facilities operations. Academic initiatives are also covered, including sustainability-themed courses in various academic departments, faculty research, and campus-wide efforts to promote civic engagement by students.
Montana State U Long Range Plan Features Sustainability
Montana State University has released its Long Range Campus Development Plan, and sustainable practices, principles, and strategies are woven throughout the document. Specifically, sustainability is included as a Guiding Principle and is also incorporated into architecture, open space, land use, landscape, and signage principles. The Plan also describes MSU’s current sustainability initiatives, activities, and memberships, and includes a section on how sustainable practices will be included with implementation of the Plan.
McGill U Opens Office of Sustainability
McGill University (QC) has opened a new Office of Sustainability. The mission of the Office of Sustainability is to develop sustainability as a cultural norm at the University. The Office will encourage the efforts of students, faculty, staff, and administrators to incorporate principles of sustainability in the University’s operations, campus living and learning, and in its relations with the broader community. The Office will explore ways in which McGill can integrate social, environmental, and economic considerations in University decisions and develop partnerships that encourage and facilitate the cooperation of all members of the McGill University community to become more sustainable.
Boston College Master Plan Features Sustainability
Boston College (MA) has dedicated a chapter of its Institutional Master Plan (IMP) to sustainability issues. The IMP lists several campus sustainability goals, including seeking LEED certification for all new buildings and developing and adopting a Sustainability Policy and Plan within one year. The IMP has not yet been approved, but the University is already moving forward with its goals. Retrofits have begun in several campus buildings.
St. Petersburg College Opens Office for Sustainability
St. Petersburg College (FL) has opened an Office for Sustainability. The new Office aims to provide assistance and direction as SPC implements environmental education programs, student activities, and corporate training. The Office will also work on projects related to energy and natural resource conservation, green buildings, carbon emissions, and recycling. SPC has also begun offering several new sustainability-focused courses and has integrated sustainability-focused tracks in its Parks and Leisure Services program, Management Technology A.S. degree, Architectural Design and Construction Technology Associates A.S. degree, and Environmental Science Technology A.S. degree. In 2009, the College of Technology and Management plans to offer a Bachelors of Science degree in Sustainability Management, which will focus on sustainable business strategies, legal aspects of sustainability, and sustainability in built and natural environments.
U Kentucky Approves Sustainability Policy
The University of Kentucky has approved a University Sustainability Policy, committing the institution to take steps towards reducing its carbon emissions and corresponding socio-economic problems. The policy calls upon all levels and constituencies of the University to participate in a continuous and on-going effort to institute the teaching, research, and practice of sustainability and to establish an institutional culture of sustainability. The document discusses sustainability in the areas of leadership, research, education, community engagement, administration, operations, unit planning, funding, accountability, and reporting.
North Carolina State U Annual Sustainability Report
North Carolina State University has released its 2007-2008 Sustainability Report. The Report lists initiatives NCSU completed throughout the year in the areas of academics and research, buildings, energy, land use, materials management, transportation, waste reduction and recycling, and water.
UC Berkeley Green Fund Annual Report
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF), the University of California, Berkeley's sustainability grant funded through a $5 per semester student fee, has released its 2007-2008 Annual Report. The document details TGIF’s first year of administration and all of the projects that received funding.
St. John's U Partners with EPA to Reduce its Env'l Impact
St. John's University (NY) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the US Environmental Protection Agency to reduce its environmental impacts by adopting sustainable practices and joining EPA partnership programs. The agreement includes goals to reduce the energy consumed by the school's buildings and plants by at least 10 percent, adopting water conservation and material re-use strategies guided by the EPA's GreenScapes landscaping program, and conducting an energy audit of the St. Albert Hall laboratory and reducing its energy needs through EPA’s Labs 21 program. St. John’s will report the progress on its goals to EPA every six months.
Saint Xavier U Opens Office of Sustainability
Saint Xavier University (IL) has opened an Office of Sustainability to coordinate environmentally friendly initiatives on campus. Student employees and interns have begun working on green projects ranging from searching for grants, collecting data for a green house gas audit, and maintaining SXU’s new GreenBike program, which allows students to borrow bikes from computerized kiosks around the campus.
George Washington U Opens Office of Sustainability
George Washington University (DC) has established an Office of Sustainability. The new Office will coordinate GW's sustainability initiatives, move the University toward carbon neutrality, and implement the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. The Office is currently searching for a director.
SFSU, UCSB Establish Sustainability Committees
San Francisco State University (CA) has formed a committee to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and work towards environmental sustainability. The 14-member committee is made up of students, faculty, and staff. Similarly, the University of California, Santa Barbara has formed a new Sustainability Committee. The group, which will meet for the first time later this month, will work to enable the campus to reduce its environmental impact. The Committee's goals include uniting existing sustainability efforts on campus, finding new ways to promote energy conservation, and transitioning the campus to employ alternative energy sources.
Pomona Completes Sustainability Audit
Pomona College (CA) has completed its first Sustainability Audit, a 750 page report that will serve to guide the College's future sustainability efforts. The study, which was created by a team of six students aided by a consulting firm, summarizes, organizes, and analyzes data about the College's environmental impacts in the areas of climate change, energy, purchasing, transportation, waste and recycling, and water.
U Maryland Campus Sustainability Report 2008
The University of Maryland, College Park Office of Sustainability has released its Campus Sustainability Report 2008. The Report relates some of the progress the University has made over the past 18 months and includes a Campus Sustainability Metrics section, which chronicles the campus's progress in sustainability.
Lewis & Clark CC Opens Institute for Environmental Sustainability
Lewis and Clark Community College has opened a new Institute for Environmental Sustainability. LCCC created the IES in conjunction with the statewide efforts of other colleges involved in a pilot program to establish the Illinois Community College Sustainability Network. These colleges include Kankakee, Wilbur Wright, and Heartland community colleges.
Northwestern U Launches Sustainability Initiative
Northwestern University (IL) has launched the Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN), an organization that will support research, teaching, and outreach in the areas of sustainability and energy. ISEN will also provide startup funds for pilot or seed research projects, matching funds for post-doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate fellowships, and for major equipment purchases and maintenance. Additionally, four new undergraduate- and graduate-level courses on global issues related to energy and sustainability will be offered starting in the spring quarter. In the longer term, ISEN plans to establish an energy and sustainability minor at the undergraduate level across several schools and to create a master’s degree program in energy and sustainability studies.
UT Arlington Completes Sustainability Curriculum White Paper
The University of Texas at Arlington President's Sustainability Committee's has issued a white paper providing an analysis of sustainability as a focal point in the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, university research, and the University’s academic engagement in the North Texas community. The paper includes several recommendations including establishing a center devoted to urban environmental studies; developing an undergraduate degree program in environmental studies and following up on an existing proposal for an undergraduate degree program in environmental science; creating an “environmental literacy” requirement for all undergraduates; and establishing a colloquium series on sustainability.
Yale U Releases 2008 GHG Reduction Strategy
Yale University (CT) has released its 2008 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy executive summary. The summary illustrates Yale’s progress to date and outlines the University’s strategy for reaching its target to reduce emissions by 43 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.
College of William & Mary Forms Sustainability Steering Ctte
The College of William and Mary (VA) has formed a steering committee of campus members to develop, plan, and recommend strategies for implementing the College's new sustainability policy. The new Committee on Sustainability includes students, faculty, and staff members who have passion for improving the campus environment. The first task of the steering committee will be to set the agendas and priorities of its subcommittees. The committee will also administer funds generated from the College's new annual $30 green fee which was approved last spring.
James Madison U Opens Inst for the Stewardship of the Natural World
James Madison University (VA) has announced the formation of the Institute for the Stewardship of the Natural World. The role of the institute will be to coordinate and facilitate JMU's pursuit of sustainability, environmental stewardship, and a broader sense of citizenship which includes fostering, informing, and documenting sustainability-related education, outreach, and scholarship. The ISNW will be led by Executive Director Christie-Joy Brodrick Hartman, who previously served as associate professor in the Department of Integrated Science and Technology and co-director of the university's Alternative Fuels Program.
Morningside College Signs Talloires Declaration
Morningside College (IA) has signed the Talloires Declaration. The Talloires Declaration is a 10-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities. Over 350 university presidents and chancellors in more than 40 countries have signed the Declaration.
Ohio U Approves Sustainability Implementation Plan
The Ohio University Board of Trustees have approved a plan to implement House Bill 251, a state-level law that requires all state-funded colleges and universities to develop a 15-year plan for implementing energy-efficiency and conservation projects, with the goal of reducing building energy consumption at least 20 percent by 2014, using 2004 as the benchmark year. In addition to a 20 percent energy reduction, OU's implementation plan seeks the same level of reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve these ends, at least 20 percent of capital budget allocations must be put toward infrastructure efficiency projects, according to the plan. The implementation plan will also help the University meet the requirements of Vision OHIO's call for an institutional commitment to sustainability and the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment.
Quinnipiac U York Hill Announces $4 M Sustainability Plan
Quinnipiac University (CT) has unveiled a $4 million sustainability plan for its new York Hill campus. The 250-acre campus will feature a wind garden composed of 42 vertical-axis wind turbines that will generate about 84,000 kilowatt hours per year and photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of a campus residence hall that will generate about 250,000 kilowatt hours per year. QU President John L. Lahey also announced that a new student affairs position, an environmental coordinator, will be appointed to educate students, faculty, and staff about environmental issues and encourage projects that help protect and preserve the environment. Other green initiatives to take place on the new campus include the installation of a green roof, a recycling center, native landscaping, a gas-fired microturbine to generate a portion of the electricity required for the site, and a bio-detention pond that collects and cleanses storm water runoff to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality.
Furman Establishes Office of Sustainability
Furman University (SC) has established the office of Sustainability and Environmental Education. The office will focus on curricular activities, co-curricular activities, communication, and climate commitment and assessment.
NYU Sustainability Task Force Releases Annual Report
New York University’s Sustainability Task Force has released its Annual Report. The report highlights major successes for 2007-08 and provides recommendations to improve campus environmental performance. Key priorities underscored by the report include advancing NYU’s initiatives on energy and green building, developing the university’s capacity to engage in ongoing environmental self-assessment, and launching discussions about the NYU Center for the Environment, a potential hub of collaboration for both academic and non-academic green initiatives. Other specific recommendations for 2007-08 encompass transportation; waste reduction, reuse, and recycling; food, catering, and purchasing guidelines; and energy and water efficiency.
Texas Christian U Forms Sustainability Committee
Texas Christian University has formed the Climate Commitment Committee, a committee to oversee the implementation of eco-friendly construction and sustainable materials. The committee will be headed by Provost Nowell Donovan and made up of other faculty and students. In addition, TCU has announced its theme for the semester to be "Think Purple, Live Green." The two initiatives are in response to the TCU Chancellor's commitment to the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment.
Roanoke College Forms Green Advisory Committee
Roanoke College (VA) President Michael Maxey has formed a Green Advisory Committee. The group of more than 20 faculty, staff, and students will begin its work by conducting an audit of current College efforts. Results of the audit will be used to help identify additional opportunities for sustainability efforts. The committee will then examine the feasibility of the various options in regards to impact and cost-effectiveness and will make recommendations to President Maxey and his Cabinet.
SFSU Business School Commits to Responsible Mgmt Education
San Francisco State University's (CA) College of Business has signed on to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), a global platform convened by the United Nations Global Compact to advance corporate responsibility worldwide. The PRME provides a framework for academic institutions to advance the broader cause of corporate social responsibility and incorporate universal values into curricula and research.
York U Creates Sustainability Council, Adopts Fair Labor Policy
York University (ON) has created a new Sustainability Council with broad representation from across campus, including students. The council, which will report to York President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri, will provide input on ways to better address issues of sustainability on a pan-University level. Additionally, York University has adopted a workplace code of conduct for its trademark licensees and has joined the Fair Labor Association and the Workers’ Rights Consortium. The code outlines the conditions that must be met when licensed goods bearing York’s names and marks are manufactured.
Middlebury College Master Plan Focuses on Sustainability
The Middlebury College (VT) Board of Trustees has approved the campus' 50 year master plan, a document that was built on a foundation of sustainability principles. The plan contains many recommendations that support the college’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2016, ranging from dramatically increasing renewable energy for heating and cooling to making the campus more bike-friendly. Goals of the new master plan include promoting sustainability in all college operations and planning, enhancing Middlebury’s relationship to the ecological landscape, promoting an accessible pedestrian-friendly campus, and improving the relationship between town and college.
U Louisville Performs Energy Audit, Creates Sustainability Council
The University of Louisville (KY) has hired Siemens Building Technologies under a 12-year contract to help the University reduce its energy use through equipment upgrades and better systems for controlling the use of electricity, water, and other resources. The University predicts that the upgrades will save them more than $33 million by 2020. Additionally, the University of Louisville has announced the creation of an internal Sustainability Council to provide oversight and direction, coordinate activity and recommend policy.
U South Florida Establishes Sustainability Ctte, Website, & Newsletter
The University of South Florida has established a Campus Sustainability Steering Committee comprised of 30 faculty, staff, student, alumni, and community members. Additionally, 14 subcommittees are in the process of being created to address such topics as waste recycling, food, landscaping, water and energy. USF has also created a sustainability website and published the first issue of its Sustainability Newsletter. The website features the latest copy of USF's Sustainability Report, campus sustainability news and events, and Sustainability Steering Committee documents. The first issue of the newsletter provides information on three upcoming green buildings, an update on the University's initiatives related to the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment, and a list of green transportation options on and around campus.
Intl. Higher Ed Institutions Sign Sustainability Declaration
Leaders from University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, University of California, Los Angeles, Yale University (CT), and other institutions attended the G8 University Summit in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, prior to the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, to discuss the responsibility of universities to contribute toward the attainment of sustainability, and the specific actions they must undertake to fulfill that responsibility. In all, Presidents, Rectors, Chancellors, Vice-Chancellors and representatives of 27 educational and research institutions in the G8 member nations attended the summit and signed the Sapporo Sustainability Declaration. The declaration emphasizes the vital role of research institutions in sharing knowledge and serving as models to advance sustainability worldwide. It calls for universities to work collaboratively with governments, surrounding communities and each other to synergize research, policy and public programs, and commits them to establishing a new international network capable of addressing the broad and complex range of sustainability issues. The declaration also calls on G8 leaders to recognize the contributions of universities in solving the most pressing issues facing the global community today, to adopt an effective framework for implementing scientifically appropriate countermeasures, and to pursue partnerships in implementing sustainability initiatives.
UMD Strategic Plan Includes Sustainability as a Guiding Principle
The University of Maryland has adopted a strategic plan that includes sustainability and environmental stewardship as guiding principles, stating "We will be a campus that is a model for the sustainability of its environment, and we will be a university that seeks solutions to the world's most challenging and vexing problems." The plan includes the milestones of the Presidents Climate Commitment and outlines the role of the Office of Sustainability as the coordinator of "a bold plan to become carbon neutra
U Southern Mississippi to Establish Office of Sustainability
The University of Southern Mississippi has announced plans to establish an Office of Sustainability to direct campus sustainability initiatives and to help the University meet the American College & University President's Climate Commitment. The newly created office will be a part of the Division of Business and Finance and will report to the Director of Human Resources. Southern Miss hopes to have a sustainability officer in place by mid-July to establish the office.
Purdue U Strategic Plan Features Sustainability
The Purdue University (IN) Board of Trustees has adopted a six-year strategic plan in which one of the strategies is to "Promote sustainability consciousness." The strategic plan also describes the incorporation of sustainability and environmental/ecological consciousness into campus design as a key priority.
UC Davis to Establish Office of Sustainability, Sustainability Ctte
The University of California, Davis has announced plans to launch its Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Initiative. Through the initiative, a new office will be created to coordinate university-wide efforts on sustainability, a $100,000 green fund will provide seed money to support new projects, and a new committee will be formed to advise the chancellor on sustainability. Sid England, director of environmental planning for the Davis campus for 18 years, will lead the new office, which will be housed within the Office of Resource Management and Planning.
U Iowa Establishes Sustainability Steering Committee
The University of Iowa President Sally Mason has appointed members to the newly-formed Sustainability Steering Group. Mason tasked the group, which is made up of seven faculty and staff members, with conducting a comprehensive review of the university's environmental policies to assure that they promote exemplary environmental behaviors by the university.
Central Connecticut State U Reports on Sustainability Progress
The Central Connecticut State University Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability recently reported its findings from its sustainability audit. The committee, which hired an environmental sustainability consulting firm to perform a Sustainability Baseline Audit, found that CCSU already has several successful sustainability initiatives in place, including the following energy conservation programs: a new, efficient Energy Center; energy-efficient and water-saving features in buildings; green purchasing efforts; and a hazardous waste minimization program. The audit also identified several areas for improvement, including improving recycling programs, launching an educational campaign on water conservation, improving the sustainability of food service operations, reducing transportation impacts, and formalizing some of CCSU’s current programs with formal policies.
Montclair State U Signs Green Construction Agreement with EPA
Montclair State University (NJ) has formally entered into an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to utilize some of the latest green technologies and practices at its campus. The agreement makes the University the first educational institution in the nation to enter into a comprehensive green construction and operation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the EPA. The MOU spells out management and operational principles ensuring that Montclair State meets high environmental standards and reduces its carbon footprint. Highlights of the MOU incorporate initiatives that delineate the development and management of systems to ensure that green activities and sustainability will be integrated into all facility operations. This includes the usage of solar and steam energy; large-scale recycling of paper, plastic, and food waste; water and land conservation, as well as incorporation of green building technology and materials for new construction.
U Texas Arlington Approves University Sustainability Plan
The University of Texas at Arlington president has approved the University's first Sustainability Agenda, a package of 89 actions that will involve students, faculty, and staff across the campus in protecting the environment. Created by the President's Sustainability Committee, the Agenda aims to improve the University’s environmental performance, extend the environmental curriculum, and deepen campus engagement in North Texas environmental affairs. Approved actions include: hiring a Sustainability Coordinator to facilitate the work of the President's Sustainability Committee and sustainability efforts across campus; exploring ways to green the University's curriculum and research; extending implementation of energy conservation measures; hiring student interns to undertake a thorough ecological landscape assessment; and encouraging formation of an active student environmental organization.
Northern Arizona U Establishes Office of Sustainability
Northern Arizona University has established an Office of Sustainability to serve as the main point of contact for sustainability issues on campus and in the region. The Office, with falls under the purview of the Office of the President, is also tasked with implementing sustainable energy, water, transportation, purchasing, and recycling efforts on campus and developing partnerships that can bring practical application of university research to campus, the state, and the nation.
Virginia Tech Commits to Developing Campus Sustainability Plan
Virginia Tech has announced that the University will develop a campus sustainability plan by the end of the 2009 spring semester. The plan will be aimed at reducing global warming emissions in everyday campus operations. The recently formed Committee on Energy and Sustainability has been charged with developing the “Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment,” which will also be developed in close collaboration with the Office of the Vice President for Administrative Services.
U Central Florida Adopts Sustainability Plan
The University of Central Florida recently adopted a Sustainability Plan for its Sustainability Alliance, a three-pronged committee consisting of operations staff, faculty, and students. The Sustainability Plan maps out the responsibilities and organizational structure of the Sustainability Alliance, as well as establishes a base from which sustainability can be instituted into the University’s Emergency Preparedness and Response plan. The adopted plan consists of 6 purpose statements which define the role of the Sustainability Alliance at UCF. These statements include how the Alliance will identify, initiate, and complete projects effectively while maintaining the highest level of sustainable management.
U Iowa Announces Sustainability Initiative
The University of Iowa President Sally Mason recently announced plans to establish a Sustainability Steering Committee that will report directly to the President and an Office of Sustainability that will be located in the Facilities Management division. In addition, the University will be hiring five new tenure-track faculty who are devoted to interdisciplinary sustainability studies. The University also plans to review current course offerings and consider expanding its sustainability curriculum. Additionally, UI also announced that sustainability will be an underlying principal in the next university strategic plan.
Temple U to Establish Office of Sustainability & Hire Sustainability Dir.
Temple University (PA) recently announced that it will establish an Office of Sustainability in the office of the Vice President for Operations. A new director of sustainability will be appointed to integrate sustainable principles into Temple’s operational, academic and service functions. The director will work with students, faculty and staff to develop sustainable programs and activities, and to implement a comprehensive sustainability strategy.
U Central Florida Establishes Dept of Sustainability & Energy Mgmt
The University of Central Florida recently established a Department of Sustainability and Energy Management within its Facilities and Safety division, to dedicate resources to improving energy and water efficiency and conservation on campus. This reorganization will build on the successes of UCF’s former Center for Energy and Sustainability. Plans for the new department include eco-friendly competitions among residence halls, a LEED silver certification for all new buildings policy, and a 20 percent reduction in energy consumption by 2010.
U Delaware, UW-La Crosse, Moravian College Sign Declaration
The University of Delaware, the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, and Moravian College (PA) recently signed the Talloires Declaration. The Talloires Declaration is a 10-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities. It has been signed by over 350 university presidents and chancellors in over 40 countries. In connection with the Talloires signatures, the UD President simultaneously signed the American College and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment, and Moravian College announced a $40,000 endowed fund to support the Sustainability Task Force, a group consisting of students, faculty, and staff working together to promote environmental issues.
