January 26, 2016
In October, I shared
information with you about a new phase of growth for the American College and
University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), a group that I helped
initiate in 2006 and to which Virginia Wesleyan College has been a member since
2007. Last fall, the ACUPCC underwent a significant rebranding by the
Boston-based organization Second Nature that has created new standards for climate leadership in higher
education.
To summarize, the ACUPCC
has been renamed the “Carbon Commitment.” A group called the Alliance for
Resilient Campuses has been renamed the “Resilience Commitment.” And together,
the concepts of carbon neutrality and climate resilience constitute a new,
integrated “Climate Commitment.” These three commitments, known as the Climate
Leadership Commitments, share common elements in their core philosophy, most
notably the ability to transcend traditional campus silos of academics,
operations, student life, community engagement, and administration for holistic
social impact.
At the October 2015
presidential signing event in Atlanta, it was announced that over 60 colleges
and universities had committed to the newly integrated Climate Commitment.
Since then I have taken the time to assess this new opportunity, and I am proud
to inform you that on January 17, I became a charter signatory of the
commitment. The network of all signatory institutions is called the Climate
Leadership Network, and it continues to be served by a presidential steering
committee on which I serve. This network consists of more than 650 institutions
in all 50 states and the District of Columbia working together to implement
comprehensive plans in pursuit of a sustainable future, acting as worldwide
models.
As a signatory of the
Climate Commitment and with the support of Second Nature, Virginia Wesleyan
College will now begin to develop a comprehensive Climate Action Plan. This
initiative will be supported by the President's Environmental
Issues Council (PEIC), a group appointed by me
that works with campus leaders to address environmental issues on campus and to
promote conservation and environmental stewardship among the College's
students, faculty and staff.
The Climate Commitment is
more than just a declaration or statement, it is a catalyst for rigorous and
robust action on our campus and in our community. We are enthusiastic about
exploring and implementing sustainability initiatives as part of this effort,
and as always, we welcome your ideas and feedback as we progress with this very
important work.
