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Table of Contents for 6/22/09:
NEWS
Buildings
1. Brandeis U Completes Phase 1 of Green Science Center
2. Arizona State U Wins Green Design Awards Competition
3. Saint Xavier U Wins U.S. Green Building Award
Co-Curricular Education
4. Virginia Tech Selects Sustainability-Themed Book for Reading Prgm
Curriculum
5. Eastern Mennonite U Announces 2 Sustainability Majors
6. Riverland CC to Launch Wind Turbine Program
Dining Services
7. U Winnipeg Establishes 'Diversity Food Services'
Energy
8. U Wisconsin Parkside Installs 26kW Solar System
9. Berea College Installs 15kW Solar Array
10. Maharishi U Mgmt Installs Geothermal in Campus Building
Funding
11. Mount Allison U Students Approve Green Fee
Public Engagement
12. Farmingdale State U Partners to Establish 'Smart Energy Campus'
Research
13. U Toledo Signs Agreement for Renewable Energy Lab
14. IPFW Announces Green Construction & Energy Lab
15. U Rhode Island Receives Funding for Switchgrass Research
Sustainability Institutionalization
16. Middlebury College Athletics Adopts Green Mission
17. North American Schools Excel in Intl Sustainable Campus Awards
Sustainability Staffing
18. Appalachian State U Names Sustainability Director
Transportation
19. Denver U Announces Bike Share Program
Waste
20. Virginia Tech Board of Visitors Goes Paper-Free
21. Maharishi U Mgmt Recycles E-Waste
Other News
22. AASHE Releases STARS Pilot Results
NEW RESOURCES
23. New AASHE Resource on Campus Fair Trade Practices & Policies
24. New Issue of Sustainability: The Journal of Record
OPPORTUNITIES
25. AASHE Campus Sustainability Leadership Award
26. Solar Research Funding Opportunity for Minority Serving Institutions
JOBS & INTERNSHIPS
27. Asst Prof, Environmental Studies, Southwestern U
28. Adjunct Instructor, Environmental Science, U San Francisco
EVENTS
29. Green School & University Virtual Conference and Expo
30. Webinar - Green Globes Rating and Assessment Tool
31. Promoting & Marketing Alternative Transportation Options Webcast
32. Registration Open - Greening of the Campus VIII
News
Buildings
1. Brandeis U Completes Phase 1 of Green Science Center
Brandeis University (RI) has completed Phase One of its 175,000 square foot Carl J. Shapiro Science Center. The structure is built to LEED Silver certification standards and features recycled content materials, low VOC paints, urea-formaldehyde free wood products, a green roof, and a light harvesting system.
See also: List of Green Science Centers (AASHE Members Only)
2. Arizona State U Wins Green Design Awards Competition
Arizona State University's Global Institute of Sustainability has been announced the winner of the Educational Category in Environmental Design + Construction magazine's Excellence in Design Awards competition. Finalists included the Lewis Walpole Library at Yale University (CT), a student housing complex at Reed College (OR), the Danforth University Center at Washington University (MO), and a student housing complex at Vanderbilt University (TN). Honorable Mentions include Stuart and James halls, part of Dickinson College's (PA) new Rector Science Complex, and Dartmouth College's (NH) Floren Varsity House and Memorial Stadium Renovation. The awards recognize commercial, government, institutional and educational projects as well as single-family residences that demonstrate a clear commitment to green building and sustainable design.
3. Saint Xavier U Wins U.S. Green Building Award
Saint Xavier University (IL) has received the 2009 "SMALL feet/large FEAT – Excellence in Organizational Change" award from the U.S. Green Building Council. The annual award recognizes organizations that have made changes to reduce their environmental footprint.
Co-Curricular Education
4. Virginia Tech Selects Sustainability-Themed Book for Reading Prgm
Virginia Tech has chosen Daniel Goleman's Ecological Intelligence for its Common Book Project for the 2009-2010 academic year. The program gives nearly all new and transfer undergraduate students a common academic experience during their first year at the University. VT encourages faculty teaching first year students to integrate the common book into their curriculum in order to foster broader community discussions on important themes or issues. In Ecological Intelligence, Goleman tells of the critical role of the psychological dimension in our decision making, illustrates the inconsistencies in our response to the ecological crisis, and explains why we as shoppers have found it impossible to know the true range of harmful environmental and health consequences of our purchases.
Curriculum
5. Eastern Mennonite U Announces 2 Sustainability Majors
Eastern Mennonite University (VA) has announced two new majors: Peacebuilding and Development and Environmental Sustainability. The Peacebuilding and Development major is a study of intentional social change around issues of conflict, poverty, inequality, sustainability, and social justice. The Environmental Sustainability major focuses on forward-thinking sustainability practices. Students in this program will choose between two tracks of study: Environmental Science and Environmental and Social Sustainability.
See also: Peacebuilding and Development Major Homepage
See also: Environmental Sustainability Major Homepage
See also: List of Bachelor's Degree Programs in Sustainability
6. Riverland CC to Launch Wind Turbine Program
Riverland Community College has received final approval from Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to launch its new Wind Turbine Program in the fall. The Wind Turbine Technician program will explore design, operation, and maintenance theory and application of multi-industry turbine technology usage with an emphasis on wind turbine/renewable energy applications.
Dining Services
7. U Winnipeg Establishes 'Diversity Food Services'
The University of Winnipeg (MB) Community Renewal Corporation and SEED Winnipeg, a non-profit agency that works to combat inner-city poverty by aiding people to start small sustainable ventures, have created a joint venture called Diversity Food Services. The new program will employ approximately 25 recent immigrants and Aboriginal peoples to provide food services on campus. In the coming months, employees and managers of Diversity Food Services will be invited to invest in its ownership. The program will focus, wherever possible, on obtaining and using locally sourced, organic ingredients. The new food service comes into effect this summer.
Energy
8. U Wisconsin Parkside Installs 26kW Solar System
The University of Wisconsin, Parkside has installed a 26 kW solar electric system on campus. The project was funded by a $50,000 incentive through the Focus on Energy Program, a $100,000 grant through the We Energies Renewable Energy Development Program, donations, and the anticipated annual revenue that the system will net. The University has also replaced older and less efficient lights with more efficient lights on campus, which is expected to save the school more than $25,000 annually.
See also: List of Campus Solar Installations
9. Berea College Installs 15kW Solar Array
Berea College (KY) has installed a 15 kW solar array atop its Loyal Jones Appalachian Center. The 66-panel system began producing electricity on March 13. Accompanying the installation is an exhibit created by the Artifacts and Exhibits Studio titled “Energy and Appalachia,” which teaches visitors about the relationships among energy use, lifestyle, resource extraction, and Appalachian communities. The exhibit includes a public monitoring device that indicates the output of solar energy captured and used for varying time periods. It also presents the value of power produced by the system in terms of greenhouse gases avoided by the use of renewable energy. The array is also linked to a website that provides live access to system data.
See also: Appalachian Center Solar Array Data Website
10. Maharishi U Mgmt Installs Geothermal in Campus Building
Maharishi University of Management (IA) has installed a geothermal heating and cooling system in its new storage building. The University had planned to install conventional air conditioning and a gas furnace until it discovered that it could install a geothermal system for approximately the same cost as conventional systems, and the long-term costs would be about half. The installation is part of a pilot project to install geothermal systems in additional campus buildings.
Funding
11. Mount Allison U Students Approve Green Fee
Students at Mount Allison University (NB) have approved a $10 green fee aimed at reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions on campus. The measure was approved by 80 percent of voting students in a recent Students' Administrative Council referendum. The fee, which will total $20,000 - $24,000 annually, will create a Green Investment Fund which will be governed by a committee entirely made up of students and used for projects that help offset or reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by the University.
See also: List of Mandatory Student Fees for Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency
Public Engagement
12. Farmingdale State U Partners to Establish 'Smart Energy Campus'
Farmingdale State College (NY) has teamed with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to create Long Island's first "Smart Energy Campus." Under the partnership, LIPA will work with the College to expand FSU's solar center to become a Renewable and Sustainable Resource Center for demonstration of customer-owned renewable resources such as wind and solar. The College will also utilize the renewable energy center to expand certificate training programs for renewable resources for green technology entrepreneurs and industry workforce.
Research
13. U Toledo Signs Agreement for Renewable Energy Lab
The University of Toledo (OH) has signed an agreement with BottomLine Resource Technologies to serve as a consultant in the transformation of its Scott Park Campus into a dedicated Campus of Energy and Innovation. The campus will serve as a hands-on renewable energy laboratory used for teaching, research and demonstration, as well as to generate energy. Proposed projects include work with wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, energy storage, electric transportation, and transformational grid analytics and modeling. BottomLine will immediately begin conducting an energy audit of the entire University, highlighting recommended energy conservation measures and potential energy savings.
See also: List of Campus Renewable Energy Research Centers (AASHE Members Only)
14. IPFW Announces Green Construction & Energy Lab
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) has announced plans for a Sustainable Construction and Renewable Energy Lab. The lab will be located in a remodeled 25,000 square foot building on the University’s northeast campus. IPFW plans to use wind, solar, and geothermal to power the building and a grey water building system to filter water on-site using natural biological systems. The new lab will serve as an example of sustainable construction for the student population and surrounding community and will provide educational meeting space for local organizations.
15. U Rhode Island Receives Funding for Switchgrass Research
The University of Rhode Island has received $1.5 million to fund the research of the genetics and usage of switchgrass for biofuels. The research will be led by Professor Albert Kausch.
Sustainability Institutionalization
16. Middlebury College Athletics Adopts Green Mission
The Middlebury College (VT) Department of Athletics has adopted a new mission that focuses on sustainability. The mission reads, "In considering Middlebury's athletic and environmental goals, the department of athletics, through its intramural, club and varsity programs as well as through its physical facilities and interactions with the general public, works to promote a sustainable culture in all of sport." The mission has been assumed by individual athletes and teams at Middlebury. Both the men's and women's lacrosse teams have begun purchasing offsets for their travel, the volleyball team reported more conscientious purchasing, and the ski and crew teams enjoyed a reduction in travel costs through waste vegetable oil vehicle conversion and a reduced fleet. Similarly, owing to a league-wide push to combine travel, the men’s and women’s basketball teams have merged most of their schedules, reducing their travel needs. They will now arrive at games in the same bus and play consecutive games against the same opponents.
17. North American Schools Excel in Intl Sustainable Campus Awards
5 higher education institutions in the U.S. and Canada have been named Top Five Finalists in The International Sustainable Campus Network's First International Sustainable Campus Awards. The awards recognize sustainable campus projects that demonstrate leadership, creativity, effectiveness, and outstanding performance in the areas of "Construction" and "Impact". Berea College (KY), Butte College (CA), Northern Arizona University, and the University of British Columbia placed in the top five positions in the Excellence in Construction Award, and Warren Wilson College (NC) placed in the top five for the Excellence in Impact Award.
Sustainability Staffing
18. Appalachian State U Names Sustainability Director
Appalachian State University (NC) has named Ged Moody as University Sustainability Director. Moody will be responsible for coordinating the University's progress toward sustainability, creating a campus sustainability plan, implementing new programs, and communicating sustainable practices with students, faculty, and staff. Moody earned a master’s degree from Appalachian in appropriate technology in 2008. During 2009, he was entrepreneur-in-residence in Appalachian’s Walker College of Business where he taught entrepreneurship full time while working to promote green business activities for the university and the region. He will begin on July 1, 2009.
See also: Directory of Campus Sustainability/Environmental Officers (AASHE Members Only)
Transportation
19. Denver U Announces Bike Share Program
USA Today has published an article on Denver University's (CO) new bike sharing program which will launch this fall. Two DU graduate students, who raised $50,000 in financing, founded the program, which will be available at no cost to campus members. The "bike library" is also serving as a pilot project for the city of Denver, which plans to launch its own city-wide bike sharing program next spring.
See also: CBS News Video on DU Bike Library
See also: List of Campus Bicycle Sharing Programs (AASHE Members Only)
Waste
20. Virginia Tech Board of Visitors Goes Paper-Free
The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors had made all of its meetings paperless. Preparing three-ring binders and shipping them to each board member in advance of each meeting cost VT about $11,800 per year. With an up-front expenditure of about $26,000 for laptop computers, the University expects to get a payback in less than two years.
21. Maharishi U Mgmt Recycles E-Waste
Maharishi University of Management (IA) has begun its Second Annual Great E-waste Roundup, a program that encourages campus residents and employees to drop off unwanted electronics for recycling. Several drop-off points are available on campus for items such as computers, monitors, fax machines, printers, desktop copiers, stereos, and other items. With the conversion of digital TV, this year's program is focusing on the collection of old cathode ray tube televisions.
Other News
22. AASHE Releases STARS Pilot Results
AASHE has released the results and the summary of feedback from its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) pilot project. The 12 month pilot project was completed by nearly 70 diverse colleges and universities from across the country and ended in January of this year.
See also: STARS Pilot Project Results (pdf)
New Resources
23. New AASHE Resource on Campus Fair Trade Practices & Policies
AASHE has released a new resource that lists colleges and universities in the US and Canada that are purchasing goods that are certified Fairtrade for use in their dining facilities and campus stores. The new resource is only available to AASHE members.
24. New Issue of Sustainability: The Journal of Record
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc has released the June 2009 Issue of Sustainability: The Journal of Record. This month's issue includes an interview with Jeremy Friedman, the Coordinator for the New York University Sustainability Task Force. The publication also features a profile on the sustainability program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an editorial entitled, "Getting Going – Colgate University's Sustainability Path," an article describing approaches to institutionalizing sustainability at Yale University (CT), Princeton University (NJ), and Johns Hopkins University (DC), and a roundtable on how to make seismic shifts toward sustainability.
Opportunities
25. AASHE Campus Sustainability Leadership Award
AASHE is now accepting applications for its 2009 Sustainability Leadership Awards, to be presented the Greening of the Campus VIII Conference (Sept. 20-23 in Indianapolis, IN). Four Campus Sustainability Leadership Awards will be presented. The Campus Sustainability Leadership Award recognizes the institutions that have made the greatest overall commitment to sustainability as demonstrated in their governance, curriculum and research, operations, campus culture, and community outreach. Applications are due July 1, 2009.
26. Solar Research Funding Opportunity for Minority Serving Institutions
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is soliciting applications from Minority Serving Institutions to encourage their participation in federal programs in the area of solar technologies. Successful applicants will receive awards to support undergraduate and graduate students, and their faculty advisors to conduct energy research in areas of photovoltaics, concentrating solar power, solar systems integration, and solar market transformation. The closing date is July 13, 2009.
Jobs & Internships
27. Asst Prof, Environmental Studies, Southwestern U
Southwestern University (TX) seeks a tenure-track assistant professor of environmental studies to begin fall 2010. Qualifications include a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies, Environmental Geography, Urban Studies, Public Health, or a related field. The successful candidate will have a broad knowledge of environmental studies and current environmental concerns. This faculty person will help develop a core environmental studies curriculum and will teach in that curriculum. Courses will include an interdisciplinary Introduction to Environmental Studies, a Senior Research Seminar, and courses in the person's area of specialty. Consideration of applications will begin October 1, 2009 and will continue until the position is filled.
28. Adjunct Instructor, Environmental Science, U San Francisco
The University of San Francisco (CA) seeks an Adjunct Instructor of Environmental Science to teach one lecture section and one lab section of ENVS 110, Understanding Our Environment, during the Fall 2009 semester. In addition to teaching the lecture and lab and attending the field trip, the Instructor will hold office hours, meet weekly with other lab instructor to discuss experiments and grading of labs, and turn in lab grades to other lecture instructors in a timely manner. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in a field related to environmental science by August 2009. Teaching experience is desirable.
Events
29. Green School & University Virtual Conference and Expo
June 24, 2009; 10:30am – 6pm Eastern; Online
American School & University invite participants to "Green School & University: A Virtual Conference & Expo," a free event dedicated to green/sustainable practices in education institutions. Participants will learn about green design and planning, green buildings, and green cleaning and operation.
30. Webinar - Green Globes Rating and Assessment Tool
June 26, 2009; 10 – 11:15am Pacific; Online
The Green Building Initiative will host a complimentary informational webinar on the Green Globes rating and assessment tool. The event will include presentations on Drexel University (PA) and the University of Arkansas, two universities that have used the Green Globes system to evaluate the energy efficiency and sustainability of their buildings. Attendees will also learn about the Green Building Initiative's academic outreach program.
31. Promoting & Marketing Alternative Transportation Options Webcast
July 14, 2009; 1 – 2:30pm Eastern; Online
Academic Impressions will host a webcast entitled, "Promoting and Marketing Alternative Transportation Options." The event will teach participants to analyze the campus culture; craft a message about transportation alternatives; consider how to effectively communicate the message; and identify communication channels and tactics that will be effective for your campus. The webinar will be led by Holly Parker, Director of Sustainable Transportation Systems at Yale University (CT).
32. Registration Open - Greening of the Campus VIII
September 20-23, 2009; Indianapolis, IN
Ball State University and AASHE invite registration for Greening of the Campus VIII: Embracing Change. Keynote speakers will include Geoff Chase, Dean of Undergraduate Studies at San Diego State University (CA); Frances Moore Lappé, author of Diet for a Small Planet; and Jerome Ringo, President of the Apollo Alliance. Other conference features will include pre-, post-, and in-conference workshops; a two-day tradeshow focused on promoting environmentally sustainable and socially responsible products and services; panels, forums, and posters; and a networking reception with the Labs 21 conference. Early registration ends August 1, 2009. Discounts are available for students and AASHE members.
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