Unity College (ME) has announced that it will offer $2,000 scholarships to all Maine students who apply for enrollment in 2008. The move is intended to improve access to higher education and help increase the number of Maine residents who go to college.

The University of Rhode Island has entered into an $18 million energy performance contract designed to reduce its energy usage through the replacement of lighting fixtures, windows, heating/air conditioning systems and other equipment, as well as improvements to building energy management control systems. The upgrades are expected to save over 7 million kWhs of electricity and 42 million pounds of steam per year. The cost of the two-year contract will be paid over 12 years from the savings on the University's utility bills.

The Vermont Campus Energy Group has launched the Vermont Campus Sustainability Network (VCSN) and an associated website. VCSN aims to serve as a clearinghouse for sustainability-related information for Vermont's college and university communities. The Network's overarching objective is to create a cohesive community among Vermont's colleges and universities based on environmental sustainability. The VCSN website features a comprehensive sustainability profile for each Vermont campus, highlights projects and achievements. The website also features state and national news and events related to campus sustainability; a sign-up for VCEG's monthly newsletter; links to campus sustainability resources and project ideas; and an online forum that allows the website's users to discuss sustainability issues and ideas.

Walsh University (OH) has been awarded an $111,795 grant from the Herbert W. Hoover Foundation to develop, implement, and disseminate protocols for environmentally friendly chemistry labs. The project has been designed to involve students, under the supervision of trained faculty researchers/educators, in the development of each lab procedure. This initiative will create a system of teaching green chemistry that participants hope will be used at other colleges and universities.

The West Virginia University Board of Governors have approved a $12.5 million plan of capital improvements designed to significantly reduce the amount of energy and water consumed at three of the University's campuses. The effort, which is phase two of an energy savings performance contract, is expected to lead to savings of $1.48 million annually over the next 15 years. Planned changes include: replacing thousands of traditional fluorescent light bulbs with newer bulbs that use less energy and produce more light; installing low flow toilets, urinals and shower heads to reduce water usage; installing computer controlled monitoring systems that can more effectively control temperatures by utilizing outside/fresh air for heating and cooling; and updating motors on fans, blowers and air handlers with variable speed that can reduce speed and energy usage when full speed is not needed. Additional improvements include the installation of chiller units in several buildings that will replace less efficient natural gas absorbers, replacement of old boiler units with more energy efficient units and improvement of power factor capacitance to reduce the amount of power the University needs to purchase.