Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 11

Climate Commitment Celebrates Anniversary Early 2008 marked the first anniversary of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The Commitment is a call to action for university officials across the nation and was organized by ecoAmerica, Second Nature, Inc., and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The document invites universities to construct and execute plans to achieve climate neutrality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since its inception, scores of presidents and chancellors have stepped up to the challenge. Presently, there are 558 signatories, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Organizers hope to reach 1,000 signatories by the end of 2009. “The fight against global warming will shape the 21st century,” says Megan Begley, office manager at Second Nature, Inc. “Campuses that address the climate challenge will better serve their students and meet their social mandate to help create a thriving ethical and civil society.” One such campus is Rice University in Houston, Texas, where President David W. Leebron signed the Commitment in October. He is enthusiastic about the outcome: “Our students are passionate about being part of the solution that will lead to a greener future.” Since taking part in the Commitment, the university has announced plans to construct Duncan College, a residence hall that designers expect will receive gold LEED certification. “Duncan College is expected to be about 50 percent more energy efficient and 30 percent more water efficient than a typical building of its type,” explains Richard Johnson, director of sustainability. Begley feels encouraged by the great progress being made at schools all over the country. She notes the outstanding efforts of Arizona State University in Tempe for their Global Institute of Sustainability and the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, which in December became the first campus in the U.S. to achieve climate neutrality. As Begley says, the Commitment creates a larger context for a college or university’s efforts to reduce their carbon footprint: “By having the common framework of the ACUPCC within which they can operate, institutions have focused on this issue, enjoyed unexpected benefits of student and community engagement, and made more progress than seemed possible before they started.” For more details, visit www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org. StorieS From the Field Each year brings a new round of stories about parents worrying about their students and about students acclimating themselves to campus. Here are a few that were shared during a survey on assignment processes this past June. They are bound to put a smile on your face and have you nodding your head in sympathetic understanding with your fellow housing friends. For more information about the survey, go to: http://sites.google.com/site/ housingassignments/ Last year we received a wait-list appeal (the student had applied after the guarantee deadline) with a letter from a physician indicating that the situation was causing a level of stress that was complicating other medical conditions, in particular diabetes. The medical note was for the mom and the dad, not the student – our first doctor’s note for parents. Two of our residential complexes are located across a busy highway. Many years ago the university built tunnels under the highway (twelve feet wide, with concrete walls and floors and plenty of light – it looks like an enclosed sidewalk). One year a mother called about her son’s room assignment. She was concerned that he was in one of the complexes across the highway and worried about how he would safely get to class. I explained we had tunnels under the highway and that safety should not be a problem. She was quiet for a moment or two and then asked (very softly), “But won’t he get dirty?” A student from the Virgin Islands, who had been placed with a native Alaskan, arrived in our northern climate without coats or warm clothing. The roommate took her “home,” clothed her in warmweather gear, and introduced her to native foods. It was an amazing cultural connection and just a perfect match. Both visited each others’ families and still remain in touch. Send us your information What are the issues and events that affect your professional life? Have some news that you want to share? The Talking Stick is your magazine, and we need your help to be the authoritative source for campus housing. If you have a story that you think would be appropriate for Just In or another part of the magazine, let us know at talkingstick@acuho-i.org. September + October 2008 11

http://sites.google.com/site/housingassignments/ http://sites.google.com/site/housingassignments/ http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org

Talking Stick - September/October 2008

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