Philadelphia Universities to Debut Electric Vehicles
Electric cars will be placed at the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and Temple University as part of a Philadelphia-based initiative among the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PhillyCarShare and the Mayor's Office of Sustainability, which includes installing infrastructure for plug-in electric vehicles throughout the city.
Portland State U Combines Solar Panel Production with Green Roofs
With a $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, researchers at Portland State University (OR) have begun looking into the effects of combining single-cell silicon photovoltaic solar panels with green roof technology. Focusing on energy production and biological issues, the research includes photovoltaic panels that are partially shading the back half of four green roof pans.
Princeton U Develops Campus Sustainability Kiosk, Mobile App
The Office of Sustainability and the Office of the University Architect at Princeton University (NJ) have partnered with an architectural firm to develop an interactive sustainability kiosk. The kiosk will include multifunctional display cases, a video screen, demonstration space for rotating exhibits, green tour information, a bulletin board for student groups and energy monitoring dashboard. The university has also launched a new mobile application for smartphones that allows community members and visitors to take a sustainability tour of campus.
Rising Tuitions Incite National Student Protests
Students on nearly 100 campuses participated in walkouts and rallies to protest rising tuition and shrinking academic programs, reports a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article. While many of the largest student walkouts and rallies were in the Northeast, a small group of students at the University of California, Berkeley, demonstrated against proposals to increase tuition by as much as 81 percent over the next four years. Students are worried, said a student organizer at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne: "I have amassed $20,000 so far in debt...many students are not certain that they're going to get jobs, and that's why we're here."
STARS Launches International Pilot
Due to growing interest at the international level, AASHE is implementing a pilot program to welcome higher education institutions worldwide to participate in STARS. The pilot will provide an opportunity for international institutions to share feedback and make suggestions for improvements to the system, and the results will help determine the eventual role of STARS in a global context.
U California Merced Hosts Student Water Conservation Competition
To raises awareness and motivate students to reduce their water consumption, the University of California, Merced has launched a month-long water conservation challenge. More than 500 students in nine residence halls will compete to conserve the most water for a chance to win prizes including a $1,000 donation to a local nonprofit organization. Students can check their real-time water usage and hall rankings online.
U Dayton Students Receive Energy Consumption Report Cards
The University of Dayton (OH) has begun issuing monthly energy report cards to students living in university-owned houses. Eighty-five percent of the 469 residences earned an average or better score during the 2010-2011 school year, during which the university estimated a savings of $20,000 on gas and electric. A group of engineering students compiled a grading model of "A" through "F" based on the last six years of energy data for each of the houses.
U Memphis Pilots Rooftop Garden
The University of Memphis (TN) has installed a 200-square-foot rooftop garden on its physical plant building as a pilot project. Featuring succulent plants that can withstand extreme weather, the garden will help insulate the building, reduce stormwater run-off and prolong the life of the roof. If the pilot proves cost-effective, the university plans to install more green roofs across campus.
U.S. Higher Education Solar Capacity Leaps 450% in 3 Years
AASHE has released a new database of hundreds of campus solar photovoltaic installations that reveals higher education's rapid adoption of solar. Among the notable findings is a 450 percent growth of installed solar capacity in the higher education sector over the last three years. The database enables higher education solar advocates to browse success stories at campuses of a similar type, size and location. To learn more, view additional charts and graphs, and contribute to this new resource, visit the database.
U Texas San Antonio Expands Solar Energy Program
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio has announced plans to install 600 solar panels on its School of Medicine and a campus carport. The university expects the installations to collectively generate 131 kilowatts of power and provide 100 percent of the Academic and Administration Building’s energy needs at certain times of the day.
Whitman College Students Create Vermicomposting Program
Students from the Campus Climate Challenge at Whitman College (WA) have launched a new vermicomposting initiative. Thousands of worms will break down campus food waste into compost for campus landscaping. The college expects the vermicomposter to be able to process about 100 pounds of food waste per day.
Arizona State U Leads National Engineering Research Center
Arizona State University will lead a new national Engineering Research Center that will seek ways to harness solar power in economically viable and sustainable ways. The National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Energy will jointly provide funding of $18.5 million for the first five years of the center's operations.
Bowling Green State U Installs Green Roof
Bowling Green State University (OH) has installed a green roof atop its Oaks Dining Center to reduce heat and stormwater runoff. The university's Green Initiative and Dining Services funded the $30,000 project.
Chronicle of Higher Ed: U.S. Seeking Foreign Student Diversity
There is a growing effort by higher education institutions in the U.S. to attract a more geographically diverse group of foreign students, according to a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article. By recruiting more students from underrepresented countries including South Asia and Latin America, admissions officers hope to enrich campus culture, help undergraduates prepare for globalized workplaces and hedge against the risk of a sudden drop-off in foreign enrollment.
Davidson College Launches Local Food Cart
Davidson College's (NC) Food Club has launched a mobile cart to provide local food to the campus community. The Food Cart sells locally produced pasta noodles, peaches, apples, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and pastries that club members purchase from the local farmers market.
Emory & Henry College Debuts Electric Vehicles on Campus
Emory & Henry College (VA) has introduced two electric vehicles to its transportation fleet for campus maintenance use. The college's president and her husband also donated an electric vehicle for presidential use across campus. The college is aiming to become carbon neutral by 2036.
Fed Officials Announce $500 Mil for CC Job Training
To help dislocated workers shift to new careers, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor have announced that 32 community colleges and consortia will share $500 million for job training and workforce development. The grants are designed to work in tandem to increase opportunities for the unemployed with the president's recently proposed American Jobs Act, which would provide $5 billion to renovate community colleges.
Montgomery College Unveils New Green Science Center
Montgomery College (MD) has opened a new 140,000-square-foot Science Center designed to meet LEED Gold standards. Sustainable features include a green roof, high-efficiency chillers, solar panels, an underground cistern and recycled construction materials. Exterior features include native planting, extensive bicycle racks and a stormwater management pond.
NY Times: Higher Ed Seeking Out Students Who Can Pay Full Price
More than half of the admissions officers at public research universities said in a recent Inside Higher Ed survey that they have been working harder in the past year to recruit students who need no financial aid and can pay full price, reports the New York Times. According to the survey of 462 admissions directors and enrollment managers, 22 percent of admissions officials at four-year institutions said the financial downturn has led them to pay more attention in their decision to applicants’ ability to pay. Admissions directors at many public universities said in the survey that recruiting more out-of-state and international students, who pay higher tuition, was their top strategy. At community colleges and private institutions, admissions officers were more likely to say that providing aid for low- and middle- income students was their focus.
Oberlin College Art Museum Renovation Earns LEED Gold
Oberlin College’s (OH) renovation of the Allen Memorial Art Museum has achieved LEED Gold certification. Built in 1917, the building features geothermal wells and new energy-efficient mechanical systems to meet stringent climate control requirements. Additional sustainable features include the preservation of the building’s footprint, protection of vegetated open space and the use of materials with recycled content.
Queen’s U Builds Solar Education Center
The Solar Design Team at Queen’s University (ON) has designed a 640-square-foot house to act as a laboratory to test the applications of renewable energy sources in homes. The structure’s energy generation and consumption will constantly transform as the team tests different simulations to create a practical net-zero house.
Quinnipiac U Debuts Campus Energy Dashboard
Quinnipiac University (CT) has launched a Building Dashboard website, allowing students to track their energy consumption around the clock. The system displays real-time data on energy used for electricity, heating and cooling for more than 20 buildings on the university's three campuses.
Rochester Inst. of Tech Starts Global Sustainability Ed Exchange
The Rochester Institute of Technology (NY) has announced plans to share its model of sustainability education with institutions in five developing countries. By sharing curricula and supporting faculty exchanges and mentorships, the university aims to educate a global generation of scientists, engineers and businesspeople who can help find solutions to climate change, pollution and growing energy consumption.
San Diego State U to Establish Renewable Energy Training Center
San Diego State University's (CA) Imperial Valley campus has been awarded a $1.67 million job creation grant to establish the Renewable Energy Generation Training and Demonstration Center. Acting as a field station for university researchers and students, the center will feature demonstration sites for renewable energy projects and a generalized power plant simulator to provide skills training for geothermal and solar power plant installations. The federal funds are intended to boost the green energy technology industry in the region by bringing in private companies to partner with the university for training.
Stonehill College Launches Car Sharing Program
Stonehill College (MA) has launched a car sharing program on campus through a partnership with Zipcar, Inc. Two cars on campus are available for students, faculty and staff to rent starting at $7 an hour. The college expects the new program to reduce the use of permanent cars on campus.
Temple U Students Initiate Bike-Powered Concerts
Verde Styles, an environmental student group at Temple University (PA), is expanding its bike-powered concert initiative. The idea has grown from a single bicycle that powered part of the sound system during Earth Day to a four-bike setup that recently powered the sound at two local green-awareness events. Next year, they plan to power a bigger concert with 50 to 60 bikes. The bikes were funded in part by a $5,000 grant from Hewlett-Packard.
Tufts U Celebrates Car-Free Week
Tufts University's (MA) Office of Sustainability recently partnered with MassRIDES to promote Car-Free Week. Participants were encouraged to log every trip they completed without a car on the MassRIDES website. The Office of Sustainability targeted faculty members but also highlighted students’ potential to contribute to the program.
U Calgary Hosts Waste-Free Event
The University of Calgary recently hosted its largest zero-waste event. Everything served at the president's barbecue for 3,500 undergraduate students was compostable or recyclable.
U Kansas Installs Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
In anticipation of the statewide energy conservation Take Charge Challenge, the University of Kansas' Center for Sustainability has partnered with Energy Solutions Professionals to replace approximately 3,000 incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient light bulbs around campus.
U Massachusetts Students Debut Farmers Market
The University of Massachusetts Amherst has launched a student-run farmers market. Leafy greens, ripe tomatoes, garlic and squash were among the student-grown and organic selections for sale during its debut. The Student Farming Enterprise, a six-credit course at the university, also runs a community supported agriculture (CSA) program.
U Michigan Announces $14 Mil Campus Sustainability Overhaul
The University of Michigan has announced plans to invest $14 million in campus sustainability initiatives. Plans include the purchase of a fleet of 37 hybrid vehicles, a 40 percent reduction in campus waste output, an "extensive" solar array installation and a formal commitment to support local farmers and producers. The university is aiming for a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.
U Wisconsin Oshkosh Opens New Green Building
The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has dedicated its most environmentally friendly and efficient building on campus. Sustainable features of the 191,000-square-foot academic building include passive solar design, solar panels and a green roof. The university expects to save $182,000 annually on operating costs.
Wellesley College Spearheads Inter-Campus Sustainability Cert.
Wellesley College has received a $55,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to lead a collaboration among fellow Massachusetts institutions Babson College and Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering to launch an inter-campus certificate program in sustainability. The new program will include courses relating to human impact on the environment across the liberal arts and sciences, business and engineering curricula that will be offered on all three campuses.
Williams College Adopts Green Building Guidelines
Williams College (MA) has adopted green building guidelines tailored to help reduce the college's greenhouse gas emissions to 10 percent below 1990 levels. The guidelines propose strategies that include passive solar energy, renewable energy sources and buildings designed to seek LEED Gold certification.
Winners Announced for Solar Decathlon 2011
The University of Maryland took the top honor during the U.S. Department of Energy's biennial Solar Decathlon 2011. Inspired by the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, the university's WaterShed entry was a model of how the built environment can help preserve watersheds by managing stormwater on-site, filtering pollutants from greywater and minimizing water use. Purdue University's (IN) ultra-efficient INhome earned second place in the international green technology competition and Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) received third place. AASHE's latest blog post looks at Appalachian State University's (NC) entry, which received the most votes for the People's Choice Award.
5 Universities Receive DOE Grant for Offshore Wind Study
Researchers from Indiana University Bloomington, Case Western Reserve University (OH), Arizona State University, Risoe Danish Technical University (Denmark) and Clarkson University (NY) have been awarded $700,000 by the U.S. Department of Energy to study Lake Erie wind resources. The study will perform a detailed evaluation of remote sensing technologies for wind resource estimation and will measure offshore wind and turbulence to develop best practices for instrumentation operations.
Boston College Students Call for Fair Trade
As a result of student petitioning, Boston College's (MA) Dining and Facilities has announced the pilot sale of fair trade bananas in two campus locations. If they sell well, the college plans to make fair trade bananas the standard for all dining halls on campus. Also in this article, the college has announced the pilot of a student-developed Power Dashboard. Operating in select residence halls, the dashboard allows students to constantly monitor their daily energy use. The developers hope that making energy use visible, accessible and real to students will motivate them to decrease their energy consumption through simple lifestyle modifications.
Capilano U Launches Pilot Program to Improve Recycling Habits
Capilano University (BC) has partnered with Encorp Pacific to launch a pilot program aimed at increasing student use of on-site containers for recyclable beverages. New recycling bins with better signage will be placed around campus and the university will involve nearly 100 students in the project as part of their coursework.
Chabot-Las Positas CC District Installs Energy Storage Systems
Chabot-Las Positas Community College District (CA), in partnership with CALMAC Manufacturing Corporation, has installed IceBank thermal energy storage systems to help reduce energy costs. The energy storage system creates ice at night, when energy is less expensive, and uses it the next day for cooling. The storage systems are expected to save the district more than $200,000 a year in energy costs.
Clarkson U Building Receives LEED Gold
Clarkson University's (NY) Technology Advancement Center has achieved LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features include solar panels, three micro-turbine units, a rainwater collection system, passive solar design, motion and daylight sensors to curtail energy use, high-efficiency air filtration systems, and local and recycled construction materials.
Dickinson College Receives $1 Mil Gift for Greenhouse Project
Dickinson College (PA) has received a $1 million gift to fund a new research greenhouse on campus. The 1,400-square-foot facility will include three isolated research zones, a general use greenhouse area, a preparation potting area and climate-controlled laboratories. The greenhouse is expected to have a transformative effect on sustainability education, interdisciplinary learning and the college’s science curriculum.
Eastern Mennonite U Residence Hall Earns LEED Gold
A new residence hall at Eastern Mennonite University (VA) has achieved LEED Gold certification. The Cedarwood dormitory features extensive natural lighting; recycled flooring; a bioretention filtration system to manage rainwater runoff; a bike shed with a green landscaped roof; native landscaping; and low-flow water fixtures.
Kentucky CTCS Earns National Accolades for Diversity Efforts
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) has announced that it will receive the Central Regional Award for Equity from the Association of Community College Trustees. KCTCS has earned the recognition with several new diversity initiatives designed to create an inclusive community of learners and increase the college-going rate of underrepresented populations.
Michigan State U Participates in Clean Commute Challenge
In an effort to raise awareness of alternative transportation options to campus, Michigan State University announced its participation in the 2011 Clean Commute Campus Challenge, coordinated by the Capital Area Transportation Authority. Campuses throughout the state logged their “clean commutes” during the week of September 19-23 for the chance to be named the cleanest commuting college in Michigan.
Northwestern U Dining Hall Employees Campaign for Living Wage
Northwestern University (IL) campus dining hall workers recently voted to pass a new contract with Sodexo that increases wages by 80 cents and lowers the price of health care over the next four years. Thirty-two contract changes were approved including wages no less than $10 per hour plus benefits. The contract allows for free health care and an $85 flat fee for family healthcare, no matter how many family members are covered. Members of the Living Wage Campaign worked with labor union Unite Here and university administrators to negotiate with Sodexo.
NSF Funds Climate Course at 100 Minority-Serving Institutions
The American Meteorological Society (AMS) has partnered with Second Nature to implement a climate studies course at 100 minority-serving institutions (MSI) across the country. The National Science Foundation awarded the AMS Education Program $1,028,705 to implement the course over a five-year period. The project will introduce and enhance geoscience coursework at MSIs with a focus on American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) signatories and/or members of the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation.
NY Times: Fordham U Administrators Shutter Farm Share
Fordham University's legal counsel ordered the shutdown of the School of Law's farm share program this month, reports the New York Times. Founded by third-year law student Michael Zimmerman, Farm to Fordham allowed students, faculty and staff to buy a share of a harvest from a local farm for $150 per semester. Objections to the project remain “perplexing” to Zimmerman. Law school administrators declined to comment on the university's decision.
San Diego State U Launches Sustainable Surf Tourism Program
San Diego State University (CA) has debuted a new nonprofit Center for Surf Research and sustainable surf tourism curriculum. The center will engage with the surf industry to create a research agenda, disseminate specialist knowledge and shape responsible global citizens.
