Welcome to the University of Portland

Environmental Studies at the University of Portland Sustainability is a major concern at the University of Portland and is embodied in its Environmental Studies Program. Environmental issues are complex and multidisciplinary, and Environmental Studies is deliberately designed to give students a broad sense of the scientific and ethical issues at the heart of what will be the greatest challenge of the 21st century - sustaining our natural environment. The Program is designed to give students a sense of the scientific implications as well as the moral, ethical, philosophical, economic, and political issues at the heart of environmental studies. The Program offers both a B.A. degree in environmental ethics and policy and a B.S. degree in environmental science. www.up.edu

We are pleased to host this conference at our campus, and expect it will be a vibrant, lively, and informative meeting!

The liberal arts and sciences are at the heart of this private University "on the bluff" and its educational goals: teaching students to discover knowledge of the world and their place in it, developing their personal values, and refining their skills and abilities in dozens of ways.

We are excited to share our vision of sustainability with visitors, who will see our environmentally sensitive science building and our interdisciplinary approach to sustainability. But equally, we hope to learn from our visitors and broaden our view of what sustainability can be in higher education.

One of the highlights of the meeting will be the delicious meals hosted by Bon Appetit, which has policies for sustainability and social responsibility that make it a national leader in the industry. Kirk Mustain, Bon Appetit's General Manager at UP, is on the leading edge of many of these efforts and has a special program prepared for Friday night highlighting Bon Appetit's use of rBST-free dairy products, its adherence to Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch guidelines and provisions of Fair Trade Coffee, and its partnerships with organizations such as The Food Alliance, Farm to Fork produce, and Oregon Country Beef. Whether vegetarian, vegan, or more conventional in your diet, you will feel good about eating here! (Kirk will also help ensure that we meet any special dietary needs.)

Waldschmidt Hall, first building at the University of Portland

Our Director of University Events, Bill Reed, and his staff are pulling out all the stops to help ensure that everything runs smoothly and that the meeting space facilitates collegial interaction and exchange of ideas, whether at plenaries in Buckley Auditorium or sessions in Franz Hall.

The city of Portland is a national model for sustainable land use and transportation planning and an important center of concern for environmental matters. We will draw on our local institutions and leaders for field trips, speakers, and even local transportation that will enrich the conference. We are working hard to make the conference itself as sustainable an event as possible.

Lobby of Franz Hall (conference registration area).

So whether you're a student or administrator, faculty member or business or nonprofit leader, we will have a lot to offer as you gather on our campus to discern a pathway to sustainability for higher education. Welcome to the University of Portland!

Steven Kolmes
Conference co-chair
Director of the Environmental Studies Program