Harvard U Dedicates $100M to Legacy of Slavery Report Recommendations
The report of the Presidential Committee on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery released in late April describes the university's historical ties to slavery and how they contributed to the institution's rise. The report also offers a series of recommendations, including the inauguration of a $100 million fund to implement the recommendations and a sustained endowment.
Health Students Release 'Planetary Health Report Card'
The Planetary Health Report Card is a metric-based tool for evaluating and improving planetary health content in health professional schools. Featuring responses from students and faculty from 74 medical schools across the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Germany, Malaysia and Japan, the report grades medical schools on their sustainability performance.
U Massachusetts Amherst Announces 100% Renewable Power By 2032 Goal
The university on Earth Day unveiled UMass Carbon Zero–a vision to power the university's 1,500-acre flagship campus with 100 percent renewable energy by approximately 2032. Among other changes, the university plans to transition from fossil fuel-based steam and electricity production to a low-temperature hot water heating system paired with ground-source heating and cooling, and to use a combination of on-site battery-stored solar energy and purchased clean energy.
Cornell U Achieves STARS Platinum
Points of distinction in Cornell's recently earned AASHE STARS Platinum rating include its sustainability-focused module for all first-year and transfer students and a living laboratory project focused on ground-source heating.
California State Polytechnic U Humboldt Releases Climate Action Plan
The newly released roadmap introduces 35 actions to help the university achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 and build climate resilience. The actions span buildings, energy and fuels, transportation, waste and purchasing, carbon offset and sequestration, academics and research, and resilience.
Bentley U Commits to Carbon Neutrality By 2030
The university's new Sustainability and Climate Action Plan focuses on climate resilience, equity, education and further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The plan sets a goal to purchase 100 percent of its electricity to power the campus from renewable sources by 2026 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
New Mexico Passes Bill to Make College Tuition-Free
The governor recently signed into law a bill that will waive tuition for any students attending any in-state public school or tribal college, including community colleges. In addition to covering full tuition and fees at in-state public colleges and universities, the scholarship lets students stack federal aid such as Pell Grants, local scholarships and private scholarships so that they can use these funds to pay for books, materials, housing, food, transportation, childcare and other college costs.
Bates College Releases 'Sustainability Roadmap'
Bates College recently published a Sustainability Roadmap for this decade that sets the goal to sequester more emissions than the college emits by 2030. The roadmap sets forth new Passive House building standards, 100 percent renewable energy targets, and climate-focused coursework/research goals.
Marquette U Prohibits Direct Investments in Fossil Fuels
The university's board of trustees recently approved an updated investment policy for the university endowment. The new socially responsible investing and sustainability language strictly prohibits direct investments in public securities whose primary business is the exploration or extraction of fossil fuels. The university’s current investment portfolio does not include any direct public investments in fossil fuels.
