Sustainability at RMU: To make decisions that support, develop, and promote the institution without damaging the ability of other communities or generations to thrive.
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n January 15, 2010, Michael Viollt and Robert Morris University signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment . In signing this commitment, President Viollt and RMU stand at the forefront of higher education’s growing movement to combat climate change by reducing the institution’s greenhouse gas emissions and implementing a comprehensive focus on sustainability.
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obert Morris University has a long history of sustainability, which involves making decisions that support, develop, and promote the institution without damaging the ability of other communities or generations to thrive. President Viollt has ensured the continuation of this history by setting RMU on a course toward climate neutrality through converging technologies and experiential teaching that draws connections between our classrooms and our world. www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org
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obert Morris University President Commits to ‘Climate Neutral’ Campus Michael Viollt Joins Growing List of Higher Education Leaders to Fight Global Warming. Robert Morris University President Michael P. Viollt committed this week to sharply reducing and eventually eliminating all of the global warming emissions controlled by the University, and accelerating educational opportunity for students to work toward sustainability on every front. The pledge came with President Viollt’s signing of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, joining the leaders of 600 other universities across the country.
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Global warming is a defining challenge of our time, human activities are responsible for the problem, and working together humans have the capacity to solve the problem. said President Viollt.
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President Viollt will move toward climate neutrality undertaking the following concrete actions:
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Colleges and universities must lead the effort to reverse global warming for the health and well-being of current and future generations.
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Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University
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he Presidents Climate Commitment is the first such effort by any major sector of society to set climate neutrality – not just reduction – as its target. This undertaking by America’s colleges and universities is inspired by efforts like the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and the U.S. Climate Action Partnership. “Colleges and universities must lead the effort to reverse global warming for the health and well-being of current and future generations,” said Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University and a founding member of the ACUPCC Leadership Circle.” On behalf of all the signatories, I welcome President Viollt to the commitment, we are honored and pleased to have him join us.”
Adopting green standards for new building construction; Encouraging public transportation; Opening a new interactive technology library; Moving to electronic books; Providing all students with access to converging technologies; Using energy efficient heating and cooling systems. These efforts build on Robert Morris University’s long-term strategy, including: Converting existing underutilized buildings into university facilities; Utilizing all buildings on a year-round basis; and Locating near abundant public transportation.
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he American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment is a high-visibility effort to address global warming and to accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate. Under the guidance and direction of the Leadership Circle of presidents, the American College & University. Presidents Climate Commitment is being supported and implemented by theAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Second Nature, and ecoAmerica.
Sustainability Definitions Sustainability in higher education:
Climate Action Plan: Within 2
To make decisions that support,
years of signing the ACUPCC,
develop, and promote the institution
create an institutional action plan
without damaging the ability
for becoming climate neutral,
of other communities or
which will include:
generations to thrive.
Tangible Actions: tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases while the more comprehensive plan is being developed. Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard or equivalent.
A target date for achieving climate
Carbon Neutral:
neutrality as soon as possible. Interim
Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy
Involves calculating your total
targets for goals and actions that will
requiring purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products
climate-damaging carbon emissions,
lead to climate neutrality.
in all areas for which such ratings exist.
reducing them where possible, and then balancing your remaining
Actions to make climate neutrality and
emissions, often by purchasing
sustainability a part of the curriculum
a carbon offset: paying to plant
and other educational experience
new trees or investing in ‘green’
for all students.
technologies such as solar and wind power.
Actions to expand research or other
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
neutrality. Mechanisms for tracking
Inventory:
progress on goals and actions.
ACUPCC, complete a comprehensive
emissions generated by air travel paid for by our institution. Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students and visitors
efforts necessary to achieve climate
Within one year of signing the
Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas
at our institution. Within one year of signing this document, begin purchasing or producing at least 15% of our institution’s electricity consumption from renewable sources. Establish a policy or a committee that supports climate and sustainability shareholder proposals at companies
inventory of all greenhouse gas
where our institution’s endowment is invested.
emissions (including emissions from
Participate in the Waste
electricity, heating, commuting, and air travel) and update the inventory every other year thereafter.
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Minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition, and adopt 3 or more associated measures to reduce waste.
Student Interest: According to current pedagogical research, our leadership on issues of sustainability in higher education will help us establish an important foundation for students’ learning of critical thinking and serve as a successful draw for potential students. In fact, The Princeton Review Reports that 66% of potential students and 59% of parents who responded to a survey stated that they would value information about a college’s commitment to the environment. Among them, 26% of potential students and 18% of parents said that such information would “very much” impact their decision to attend a school.
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