Delaware Technical & CC Energy House Earns LEED Platinum
Delaware Technical & Community College’s Energy House has been awarded LEED Platinum certification. The house was constructed on campus to serve as an educational lab for students to learn about innovative energy-efficient and renewable technology and materials. Included in the design of the building are solar systems, wind generation equipment, a living green roof, radiant floor heating, geothermal options and examples of efficiency in construction and appliance usage.
Elon U Housing Units Receive LEED Platinum
Six houses in Elon University's (NC) Loy Center have received LEED for Homes Platinum certification. The residences, occupied by fraternity and sorority students, were designed with water- and energy-efficient features and recycled materials. House managers in each residence have completed a training session on the operations and unique features of the center, and there is a Sustainable Living Guide for residents.
Grand Valley State U Approves Gender Neutral Housing
Grand Valley State University (MI) has announced plans to offer a gender neutral housing option on the 2012 student housing application. The new policy will provide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students with a supportive roommate situation. The Student Senate initially passed the resolution in March and a student-led Gender Neutral Housing Coalition has been actively seeking equality since early 2011.
Michigan State U, OnSite Energy Partner for Biodiesel Training
Michigan State University has announced a new partnership with OnSite Energy for its Freeway to Fuels project. The project will test the potential of growing oilseed crops for bioenergy production. A portable unit that contains the equipment to crush oil from seed and convert it to biodiesel has been developed. Equipment will be transported from farm to farm to teach farmers how to make their own biodiesel fuel.
Missouri State U Expands Recycling Efforts with Electric Truck
Missouri State University has purchased an electric utility truck through the university's Student Sustainability Fund to be used in the campus recycling program. The truck is expected to make the program more efficient and allow the university to expand recycling efforts to its off-campus buildings.
Northwestern U Names First Director of Sustainability
Northwestern University (IL) has appointed Robert W. Whittier as its first director of sustainability. Whittier, who most recently was the manager of sustainability and climate change at Deloitte Consulting, will lead the effort to integrate sustainability into both operational and academic functions of the university. He will work closely with the Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern and develop partnerships with the cities of Evanston and Chicago.
Portland State U Science Building Awarded LEED Gold
Portland State University’s (OR) renovated Science Research and Teaching Center has received LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features of the eighth LEED-certified building on campus include new low-flow laboratory hoods, high performance windows, energy-efficient lighting, occupancy sensors and new mechanical and heating systems. The $46.5 million makeover will reduce energy use by 20 to 30 percent with a potential cost savings of $300,000 per year.
San Francisco State U Demos Fuel Cell Project
San Francisco State University (CA) has partnered with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to connect a new fuel cell plant with its heating infrastructure. The demonstration project is part of a California Public Utilities Commission-approved initiative to construct fuel cell facilities on several California State University and University of California campuses. The plant, funded by PG&E, will generate a total of 1.6 megawatts of electrical power connected directly to PG&E’s local distribution grid. The university will earn back its $550,000 investment through an estimated $250,000 in annual energy savings.
Southern Methodist U Offers Graduate Sustainability Degree
Southern Methodist University (TX) has announced a new graduate degree in sustainability and development. Debuting in January, the interdisciplinary program’s coursework will focus on sustainability-related topics from policy to design in both developed and developing worlds. The program will advance wise use of sustainable resources in urban development with the goal of creating and rebuilding economically and environmentally healthy cities.
St. Edward’s U Announces Paperless Office Initiative
St. Edwards’s University (TX) has launched an initiative to go paperless in its campus offices. Paychecks have been replaced by email notifications and electronic paystubs. The Business and Human Resources offices have replaced paper paystubs with email notifications and introduced an online time-keeping system. The university expects to save 96,000 sheets of paper and $7,900 of supply expense annually.
Towson U Earns First LEED Gold Certification
Towson University's (MD) West Village Commons has received LEED Gold certification, the first building on campus to receive the designation. Sustainable features of the dining and student life building include a roof garden, organics composting system, single stream recycling containers and convenient bike parking. At peak performance, the building is designed to reduce energy consumption by 50 percent, water use by 40 percent and solid waste by 70 percent.
UC Berkeley to Step Up Financial Aid to Middle-Income Students
Described as the "most significant such move by a public institution," the University of California, Berkeley has announced plans for more financial aid offerings to middle-class students starting next fall, reports a recent New York Times article. In an effort to grow the number of students from middle-class families, which has remained stagnant over the last several years, families earning up to $140,000 a year will be expected to contribute no more than 15 percent of their annual income. The program is expected to cost $12 million a year and will be paid for from out-of-state and international student tuition, as well as private donations.
U Chicago Recycles 8 Tons During Week-long E-Waste Event
The University of Chicago (IL) recycled more than eight tons (16,000 pounds) of electronic waste during a recent week-long collection. Staff, faculty and students were able to dispose of printers, fax machines, computer monitors and more. The e-waste was brought to a local recycling center for disassembly and erasure in accordance with U.S. Department of Defense standards.
U Guam Incorporates Alternative Energy Systems on Campus
The University of Guam's Center for Island Sustainability has installed 30 stand-alone solar streetlights and 40 stand-alone solar walkway lights around the campus. The university has also commissioned two 6-kilowatt solar photovoltaic systems and ordered two wind turbines to offset the energy consumption of campus buildings. One of the turbines will be used as a demonstration model for teaching and data collection. Funding was provided from a state energy program as part of federal economic stimulus grants.
U Idaho Game Day Recycling Season Diverts 1 Ton+ of Waste
The University of Idaho has announced that its season-long Game Day Recycling program diverted more than a ton (about 2,500 pounds) of the recycled or composted materials generated at home football games from the landfill. An expansion of the tailgate zone and outreach efforts resulted in a 5 percent increase from the 2010 season. The materials collected were transported to a local recycling center and university dairy farm.
U Michigan Students Turn Recycled Car Parts into Sandals
University of Michigan students have begun creating sandals out of junkyard car seat belts and abandoned tires. The launch of the students' Treads Motor City Sandals is part of a class that requires aspiring designers, engineers and business students to collaborate to create a marketable product out of recycled materials that could be manufactured by someone with entry-level skills. A local nonprofit is working to turn Treads Motor City Sandals into a small business.
Unity College Students Help Build Campus Root Cellar
With the help of student volunteer labor, Unity College (ME) has constructed a root cellar on campus to store vegetables for campus dining services. The traditional underground structure regulates temperature and humidity without the inputs needed for refrigeration. The cellar will also be used by local hunger relief organizations.
USGBC Releases Inaugural 'Best of Green Schools' List
The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Center for Green Schools has released its first annual Best of Green Schools list, recognizing school administrators and government leaders in 10 categories for their efforts to create sustainable learning environments. The University of Texas at Dallas was named "Higher Ed Innovator" of 2011 for its new LEED Platinum Student Services Building, designed to improve departmental efficiency and interaction, and completed $1.1 million under budget. From K-12 to higher education, recipient schools and regions in the U.S. were recognized for a variety of sustainable, cost-cutting measures including energy conservation, record numbers of LEED-certified buildings and collaborative platforms and policies to green the country's school infrastructure.
U Southern Calif. Game Day Event Diverts 1 Ton+ of Tailgate Waste
The University of Southern California recently diverted more than a ton of waste (415 pounds of compostable material and 2,210 pounds of recyclables) from the landfill during a pre-game tailgate waste diversion event. The university was the first recipient of a new Glad Products Company grant series for AASHE college and university members, designed to help reduce game day waste during football season. With the help of more than 60 volunteers, the university set up 25 recycling and compost stations around campus and stadium for the initiative.
U Texas Arlington to Save $1.1 M Annually with Energy Upgrades
The University of Texas at Arlington has completed a $9.9 million package of efficiency-boosting facility upgrades that will save the university about $1.1 million each year in energy and maintenance costs. Funded through a low-interest loan from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 55 campus buildings received upgrades including heating and air-conditioning system retrofits, roofing repairs and the replacement of two thermal energy plant chillers.
U Utah Trustees Approve Peace Studies Major
The University of Utah’s Board of Trustees has approved a proposal for a new peace and conflicts studies major, which builds on an existing minor. If approved by the state Board of Regents, the major will offer 33 hours of class, ethnicity, race, gender, environment and religion curriculum.
U Vermont Partners with National Lab on Smart Grid Project
The University of Vermont has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories to create the Center for Energy Transformation and Innovation. The center will focus on integrating renewable energy into the power grid; ensuring reliability and security of smart grids and meters; and providing capacity for electric vehicles. The $15 million effort will be funded by the university, U.S. Department of Energy and Vermont state government over three years.
U Washington Installs Rain Garden
The University of Washington has transformed a campus courtyard into a rain garden to manage stormwater runoff. The university has plans for at least three more rain gardens, two of which will be finished by summer 2012.
U Wisconsin Madison Recycles 350 Tons of E-Waste
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has collected and recycled more than 350 tons of electronic waste between July 2010 and June 2011. Sources of the material include university departments, state agencies, Wisconsin municipalities and other campuses. To manage the service, the university's Materials Distribution Services and Division of Information Technology partnered with Universal Recycling Technologies.
Valencia College Wins First $600K Aspen Prize for CC Excellence
In recognition of the strength of its graduation and transfer rates, especially among minority students, Valencia College (FL) has earned $600,000 as the first recipient of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, reports The Chronicle of Higher Education. Announced at the White House Summit on Community Colleges in 2010, the competition recognizes outstanding academic and workforce outcomes on the basis of graduation, retention and equity measures. Runners-up institutions include Lake Area Technical Institute (SD), Miami Dade College (FL), Walla Walla Community College (WA) and West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
Vincennes U Offers Reduced Tuition for Middle-Income Students
Vincennes University (IN) has introduced a new scholarship that will offer a 15 percent reduction in tuition fees for students from middle-income families who do not traditionally qualify for financial aid. The introduction of the Middle-Income Hoosier Scholarship is part of a larger university strategy to help Indiana increase the number of college graduates. To qualify, students cannot be eligible for any state or federal funds, must have an adjusted gross income of less than $75,000, be a full-time student and maintain a grade point average of 2.5.
Antioch U New England Students Spearhead Bottled Water Ban
As part of the national Think Outside the Bottle campaign coordinated by Corporate Accountability International, students at Antioch University New England have spearheaded a pledge to ban the sale of bottled water on campus. Close to 400 faculty, staff and students at the university have signed the pledge. Some departments have agreed not to purchase bottled water for their events and a campus cafe has agreed not to sell bottled water.
Appalachian State U Students Promote Water Conservation with Art
Discovering a lack of public awareness or concern of water conservation issues in their university's town, graphic design students at Appalachian State University (NC) responded with a water conservation poster campaign. Banners that appear on local buses urge town residents to save five gallons of water by cutting their shower time by two minutes. The campaign was funded by a Sustainability Arts Grant from the university's Sustainability Council.
Arizona State U Saves 725 Trees with Duplex Printing
An assessment of Arizona State University's printers during fiscal year 2011 revealed that the university's switch to duplex printing mode across campus saved more than 725 trees, 2.34 million liters of water and reduced carbon emissions by more than 74 metric tons. In the last year, the university took 584 printers offline and increased the number of devices supporting duplex printing to 36 percent; up from 19 percent in 2010.
Ball State U Announces Cost-saving Tuition Incentives
Ball State University (IN) has announced four new cost-saving options designed to encourage students to earn a diploma in four years. New incentives include a $500 "completion scholarship" for in-state seniors on track to graduate within four years; the reduction of summer tuition by an average of 18 percent; the reduction of minimum credit hours to 120 from 126; and new "hybrid schedules" that allow students enrolled in 12 credit hours per semester to take up to six more credit hours, on campus or online, at no cost. The university's president says that the package of incentives will save a typical student $6,000 over four years.
California Students Launch the 'Bucks Start Here' Campaign
In an effort to convince state lawmakers to reinvest in higher education, the California State Student Association (CSSA) has launched the "Bucks Start Here" campaign. Students at all 23 California State University campuses are sending their "bucks" to California Governor Jerry Brown in time for CSSA's advocacy day in March 2012. The mock $650 million bills, which represent this year's cuts to the state university system, each include a student's personal story about how the cuts have impacted their life.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Students Lead 'Turn Em Out' Campaign
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's student Green Campus Program recently led a month-long campaign to reduce campus electricity bills. The "Turn Em Out" campaign urged campus community members to turn off lights and other electric appliances when not in use. In an effort to raise awareness and promote positive sustainable habits on campus, the campaign asked students and faculty to submit photos of themselves creatively switching off lights for a chance to win gift cards, power strips and a pumpkin pie party.
Campus Sustainability Planning: A December Update
The University of Notre Dame (IN) has adopted a new sustainability strategy to reduce campus carbon emissions by 50 percent per square foot by 2030. The strategy outlines goals to divert 67 percent of campus waste from landfills, improve water efficiency and expand sustainability education and outreach both on campus and beyond. Arizona State University has also released a Strategic Plan for Sustainability Practices and Operations with short- and long-term goals toward sustainability through 2035. Encouraging participation among campus community members, the plan serves as a living document that declares the university’s vision to be a leader in sustainable higher education operations. ">Cornell University's (NY) recently released Sustainability Plan outlines university-wide sustainability goals including furthering innovation in research and education, growing a green economy and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In related news, Princeton University (NJ) has released its 2011 Sustainability Report, kicking off accelerated efforts to bridge areas of operations and academics in sustainability problem-solving.
Coastal Carolina U Debuts Campus Garden
Funded by the Jackson Center for Ethics and Values, Coastal Carolina University (SC) has debuted a campus garden for students and faculty to learn the fundamentals of gardening including weeding, composting and fertilizing. The university is also looking into an on-campus farmers market in the future.
Connecticut College Installs Geothermal System
Connecticut College has begun installing a geothermal system that will provide all of the heating and air conditioning needs for its new science center. The geothermal wells, which will be completely hidden underground at the completion of the project, will be located at the center of campus. Scheduled for a spring completion, the college expects to make up the $1 million project cost in reduced energy bills over six to seven years.
Connecticut College Student Gov't Passes Solar Panel Initiative
Connecticut College's Student Government Association has approved the use of the college's Renewable Energy Fund (supported by a $25 increase to the college's comprehensive fee) for the purchase and installation of solar photovoltaic panels. Students hope the college will match their contribution to help offset additional costs. Three of the proposed panel installations would generate 0.9 percent of the campus' electricity needs. If the administration approves additional funding, the total energy generated would increase to 3.6 percent, which would save $108,000 per year in electricity costs.
Harvard U Launches 'Greening IT' Case Study Series
Harvard University's (MA) Office for Sustainability has partnered with the university's Green IT committee to launch a "Greening IT" story series, which will chronicle the case studies and best practices being implemented across campus. Upcoming case studies include data centers and networks; endpoint devices; and intelligent building systems and green buildings.
Harvard U Yard Services Collects Leaves for Mulch
Harvard University's (MA) Landscape Services and Facilities Maintenance Operations have collected fallen leaves across campus as part of their organic landscaping initiative. The collected leaves will be transported to the university-owned Arnold Arboretum in Boston, where they will be made into nutrient-rich mulch. Landscape Services will place the resulting mulch, sent back from the arboretum, across the university's grounds.
Jefferson CC Students Help Install Solar Panels
Jefferson Community College (NY) has installed 14 solar panels with the help of students from the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services' New Visions alternative energy course. Before installing the panels, students earned basic electrical wiring and construction skills. The panels will generate electricity for the child care center and are expected to reduce its energy costs by 25 percent. The project was funded by a $14,138 federal Perkins grant.
Obama Administration Issues Guidance on Higher Ed Diversity
The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice have jointly issued guidance stating that diversity is an important educational goal and that colleges should be able to use a variety of methods, including the consideration of race and ethnicity in admissions, to achieve diversity. As reported in a recent Inside Higher Ed article, the guidance represents a reversal from 2008 guidance issued by the Bush administration that stressed the limits on the rights of colleges to consider race in admissions. The guidance outlines the way the Obama administration would consider complaints it receives about admissions policies and addresses various ways that colleges can promote diversity.
Obama Leads Effort to Improve American Indian, Tribal Education
President Obama has issued an executive order establishing an effort to improve educational opportunities for American Indians and Alaska Natives, as well as to enhance tribal colleges, reports The Chronicle of Higher Education. The U.S. Departments of Education and Interior will collaborate on delivering grants to higher education institutions, as well as tribal elementary and secondary schools. The initiative will also develop a national network of organizations to promote ideal education methods for American Indian and Alaska Native education.
Oklahoma State U to Purchase Wind Power
Oklahoma State University has reached a 20-year agreement with Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. to buy wind energy to power its campus. The agreement is part of an overarching sustainability initiative aimed at saving money, reducing carbon emissions and improving efficiency. The utility company will partner with NextEra Energy to build a new 60-megawatt wind farm to support the university project.
Saint John's U Commits to No Coal
Saint John's University (MN) has committed to stop burning coal on campus with the use of "cleaner natural gas," at least through 2013. The university, which currently has solar collectors that generate 20 percent of the campus' electrical needs during peak hours, is looking into geothermal, wind energy and energy-efficient building retrofits.
Syracuse U Switches to Paperless Bus Schedules
Syracuse University's (NY) Parking and Transit Services has significantly cut its paper use by mainly offering its bus schedule online, a switch from its previous mass printings. The recent change to paperless schedules will save at least 13,000 printed schedules from being produced each year.
Tennessee Tech Plans Sustainability Studies Degree
Tennessee Technical University has announced plans to offer an undergraduate degree in environmental and sustainability studies in fall 2012. The program will combine disciplines and courses already in existence including economics, engineering, sociology, biology and chemistry. Additional classes in environmental law are in development.
Texas State U San Marcos Named Tree Campus USA
The campus community at Texas State University-San Marcos recently celebrated the university's designation as a Tree Campus USA school by planting 71 trees on campus. The Arbor Day Foundation issues the Tree Campus USA designation to campuses that meet five requirements including convening a tree advisory committee, creating a tree care plan, implementing a tree program, holding an Arbor Day observance and offering a service learning project.
U Colorado Boulder Residence Hall Earns LEED Platinum
The University of Colorado Boulder's newest residence hall has received LEED Platinum certification. The $46.5 million Williams Village North building, with 131,246 gross square feet, is projected to be nearly 40 percent more energy- and water-efficient than modern buildings of the same size. Sustainable features include on-site solar panels, information kiosks, a water bottle filling station, low-flow plumbing, passive solar design and an advanced heat-recovery system.
Update: Obama Meets with College Leaders to Address Affordability
Reports from the private meeting with President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan last week with college and university leaders say that there was "good discussion" about driving down tuition and what the role of the federal government should be, reports The New York Times. As additional financing for education will be scarce in the coming years, higher education leaders were challenged to help improve affordability and graduation rates by questioning strongly held assumptions and encouraging faculty to think differently about teaching. The meeting also included a discussion about what the federal government can do to support innovation with incentive money and increase accountability in student aid.
U.S. Institutions Embark on $4 Billion Energy Efficiency Program
With the hope that it will be a major job generator in the construction sector, the White House has announced that a variety of college and university buildings will be part of a $4 billion program to improve energy efficiency over the next two years, reports a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article. Institutions include Allegheny College (PA), which plans to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent in 1.3 million square feet of space by 2020, and the University of California, Irvine, which has committed to cutting energy consumption by nearly 9 percent in seven million square feet of space. Government agencies will contribute $2 billion to the initiative and institutions, cities, private companies and other entities will collectively contribute the other $2 billion.
U Tennessee Chattanooga to Sponsor Sustainability Garden Program
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Environmental Task Force has approved funding for a sustainability garden program starting in spring 2012. Twelve multidisciplinary students will be selected to sustain two raised bed vegetable gardens as well as attend workshops offered by local organic farmers. The university hopes to become part of the emerging local food movement in Chattanooga.
