ACUPCC 2009 Annual Report - Climate Commitment

2009 Annual Report 

Climate Leadership For America 

Education and Innovation for Prosperity

At a Glance 

The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) is making a 

tremendous impact on the nation and the climate. As of December 31, 2009, 665 schools in 

all 50 states and the District of Columbia have made the Commitment, representing 

5.6 million students – more than one third of the higher education student population in the 

United States. The schools’ current and planned emissions reductions represent a cut of more 

than 33 million metric tons of CO 2 

e per year. 

Signatory schools are showing the rest of society how to work quickly toward climate neutrality. 

They are dramatically reducing operating costs, training clean energy workers, and spurring 

innovation in energy efficiency, transportation, and renewable power. They are teaching 

tomorrow’s architects, business leaders, policy-makers, engineers, economists, and product 

designers how to operate society sustainably. 

As you will see through the stories they share, ACUPCC schools’ impact is reaching well 

beyond their campus gates. Babson College MBA students are working with Oregon Institute 

of Technology’s brightest engineers to develop new green technologies. University of Maine 

researchers are working with groups from across the state to solve problems related to 

urbanization, forest management, and climate. With support from major corporations, NGOs, 

and public agencies, the University of Arkansas and Arizona State University have launched 

the Sustainability Consortium, which may completely change the way companies and consumers 

are able to rate the sustainability performance of products. And this is just the beginning. 

In joining the ACUPCC, signatories are committing to: 

• Conducting an annual inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions; 

• Implementing two or more short-term ‘tangible actions’ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; 

• Developing a customized Climate Action Plan to reach climate neutrality in operations; 

• Making sustainability a part of the educational experience for all students; 

• Making the action plan, inventory, and periodic progress reports publicly available to 

facilitate and accelerate progress for fellow institutions and society. 

In addition to improving climate conditions and training workers for clean energy 

jobs, ACUPCC signatories are generating significant benefits for their institutions, including 

recruitment of top faculty, students, and staff; increased community, funder, and government 

support; lower operating costs; and a boost to educational and research opportunities. 

More information at www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org 

Cover: The back of the Wendy and Malcolm McLean Environmental Living and 

Learning Center at Northland College includes photovoltaic arrays, 

ACUPCC 2009 Annual Report a wind turbine, and a solar water heating system. Photo courtesy of Northland College 

B

Letter From The ACUPCC Chairs 

Dear Colleagues, 

Colleges and universities are developing the knowledge and strategies needed for 

renewed American prosperity, global leadership, and a safer climate. We are proud to 

be championing this effort through the work of the ACUPCC. The leadership of the 

higher education sector has never been more important. 

During this past year of severe economic hardship, we learned that the adverse effects 

of global warming are more serious and happening faster than the world’s scientific 

community predicted even a year before. Both the US Congress and the international 

community took initial steps to address the challenge but fell far short of the action and 

timetable necessary to avert unmanageable climate disruption. 

It is clear that the individual and collective action of the 665 and growing ACUPCC 

colleges and universities is needed now more than ever to deal with these dual economic 

and climate crises. By signing the ACUPCC, we are eliminating net greenhouse gas 

emissions today and training all students to operate a sustainable society tomorrow. 

We believe that our efforts are a model for the kind of international commitments that 

the world’s leaders will have to make in 2010 and beyond. 

ACUPCC schools are making investments that are saving substantial amounts of money 

and expanding their research and teaching opportunities. The initiative gained a great 

deal of public momentum, visibility, and accolades this past year. We are pleased to 

praise and learn from one another’s innovations. However, we cannot rest on our 

laurels. Former President Bill Clinton reminded us at our annual Climate Leadership 

Summit how much farther we have to go and enjoined us to move strongly and quickly. 

In 2010 we will redouble our efforts to help all of the members of the ACUPCC network 

fulfill the Commitment and encourage all of our colleagues across the country to join 

the effort. Shifting to a more sustainable relationship with our natural environment is 

arguably the biggest and most important challenge modern civilization has ever faced. 

Collective action in the higher education sector is essential. We look forward to working 

with you to the take our efforts to another critical level. 

Sincerely, 

Steering Committee 

Michael M. Crow, Co-Chair 

President, Arizona State University 

David Shi, Co-Chair 

President, Furman University 

Mary Spangler, Co-Chair 

Chancellor, Houston Community College 

C. Edward Balog 

President, Aquinas College 

Esther L. Barazzone 

President, Chatham University 

Mark A. Emmert 

President, University of Washington 

Verna Fowler 

President, College of the Menominee Nation 

Herlinda M. Glasscock 

President, North Lake College 

David Hales 

President, College of the Atlantic 

Jaqueline Johnson 

Chancellor, University of Minnesota – Morris 

William Merriman 

President, Southwestern College – Kansas 

Horace Mitchell 

President, California State University – 

Bakersfield 

G.P. “Bud” Peterson 

President, Georgia Institute of Technology 

William S. Pfeiffer 

President, Warren Wilson College 

Thomas L. Purce 

President, The Evergreen State College 

Judith Ramaley 

President, Winona State University 

Rosalind Reichard 

President, Emory & Henry College 

Martha Saunders 

President, University of Southern Mississippi 

Michael M. Crow, President 

Arizona State University 

David E. Shi, President 

Furman University 

Mary S. Spangler, Chancellor 

Houston Community College 

Kathleen Schatzberg 

President, Cape Cod Community College 

Mary Spilde 

President, Lane Community College 

Mitchell S. Thomashow 

President, Unity College 

Timothy P. White 

Chancellor, University California – Riverside 

1 

ACUPCC 2009 Annual Report

2009 Highlights 

TIME Magazine named the 

top 10 college and university 

presidents of 2009, and seven 

were signatories to the ACUPCC. 

The ACUPCC grew in impact, stature, and size in 2009. 

With 665 ACUPCC signatory schools by the end of 2009 and 

a 5400% growth since the launch of the program, the higher 

education sector is now the first in society to substantially commit 

to achieving carbon neutrality. Notably, 195 Community Colleges, 

where thousands of students are being trained for clean energy jobs, 

are now a part of the ACUPCC, with 29 having joined in 2009. 

After completing their greenhouse gas inventories in 2008, the 

first cohort of signatories reached their next major milestone in 

2009: the creation and public release of Climate Action Plans. The 

Plans, available online at the ACUPCC Reporting System, illustrate 

the specific steps schools are taking to reduce their emissions through 

strategies including: using renewable energy, improving energy 

efficiency, reducing waste, and improving public transportation 

options. Schools also outline in their Plans innovative ways 

ACUPCC in the news 

Right: Macalester College President Brian Rosenberg 

with former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan outside 

of LEED platinum Markim Hall 

Below, Left: Ithaca College’s Gateway facility 

designed to achieve LEED Platinum 

A Deadline Day in the Presidents’ 

Climate Commitment 

Photo courtesy of Macalester College 

Giving Sustainability 

The Old College Try 

ACUPCC 2009 Annual Report 2 

Photo courtesy of Adam Baker/Ithaca College


they are re-orienting their educational offerings to prepare the 

approximately three million students who graduate each year from 

their institutions to meet the massive challenge of climate change. 

Thirteen of the 15 schools on the 

Princeton Review’s 2009 Green 

Honor Roll were signatory schools. 

The National Association of Environmental Law Societies and 

the ACUPCC announced a new partnership in 2009 to offer 

free climate action planning assistance to 10 signatory schools. 

Similarly, the ACUPCC and the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) 

are offering pro bono assistance to 10 ACUPCC schools as part of 

a program to reduce campus energy consumption and greenhouse 

gas emissions through energy efficiency building retrofits. Lee College, 

an ACUPCC signatory in Baytown, Texas, recently completed a 

retrofit of its entire 35 building campus as part of this program. 

This project is expected to reduce the college’s annual energy costs by 

32% and will reduce CO2 emissions by 4,434 tons per year. 

Photo courtesy of University of California, Davis 

Left: Bike riding is the norm at University of California, Davis 

Below, Right: Alternative Transportation Fair at Foothill College 

Colleges Go Carbon Neutral 

3 

Drive for Geothermal Power 

Heats Up on College Campuses 

ACUPCC 2009 Annual Report 

Photo courtesy of Foothill College


Sixty-six percent of the nearly 

16,000 college applicants 

and parents surveyed by the 

Princeton Review last year 

said they would value 

having information about 

a college’s commitment to 

the environment in making 

their decision. 

Former President Bill Clinton presented a rousing keynote address 

at the 2009 ACUPCC Climate Leadership Summit in Chicago, IL at 

which he congratulated the higher education sector for taking the 

lead in fighting climate change and emphasized that there is so 

much more that we should be doing to help society join the 

effort. Other inspiring speakers at the Summit included: Martha 

Kanter, Under Secretary of Education of the US Department of 

Education; Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and Founding Chairman of the US 

Green Building Council; Michael M. Crow, President of Arizona 

State University and Co-chair of the ACUPCC Steering Committee; 

and Joseph Grasso, Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration 

at Cornell University and Chair of the Sustainability Advisory Panel 

of the National Association of College and University Business Officers. 

ACUPCC in the news 

Photo courtesy of 

Aurora Winslade/UCSC 

Right: Farm Apprenticeship Program at 

University of California, Santa Cruz 

Below: Babson College conference on 

clean energy innovation 

Bill Clinton: Make College Campuses Greener 

ACUPCC 2009 Annual Report 4 

Photo courtesy of Babson College.


In the summer of 2009, the Boston-based nonprofit Second Nature 

became the lead supporting organization of the ACUPCC, with 

key additional support provided by the Association for the 

Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). 

Second Nature, AASHE, and ecoAmerica (the third founding 

supporting organization) were honored for their ACUPCC 

efforts in the fall of 2009 with the 

prestigious US Green Building Council 

Leadership Award for nonprofits. 

The award ceremony took place at 

the annual Greenbuild Conference 

with an estimated 28,000 people 

in attendance. 

Seventy-eight percent of 

businesses surveyed by the 

National Environmental Education 

Foundation said the value of 

environmental and sustainability 

knowledge as a hiring factor will 

increase over the next five years. 

Photo courtesy of Wilson Community College 

Guide Helps Colleges, Universities 

Cut GHG Emissions 

How a Pioneering University Hopes 

to Cut its Carbon Footprint by Half 

Above: Cisterns store rainwater from roof 

of Wilson Community College’s LEED Gold 

Student Services building 

5 

Left: Northland College students install solar 

panels on roof of Dexter Library 


Photo courtesy of Bob Gross/Northland College

Success Acupcc school Storiesinnovations 

On the following pages are but a few examples of innovative ways schools are applying 

their Climate Action Plans to areas such as curriculum, transportation, renewable 

energy, and partnerships within and outside the campus gates. Please see the ACUPCC 

online Reporting System for the comprehensive Plans of these and many other schools. 

Transportation 

University of Albany, Albany, NY 

President: George M. Philip • Implementation Liaison: Mary Ellen Mallia, Director of Environmental Sustainability 

At the University at Albany, we believe it is our responsibility to model environmentally conscious behavior and provide options for 

our campus community to promote and advance sustainability. We are especially proud of our work in developing a synergistic 

approach to sustainable transportation that incorporates research, public/private collaborations, and practical applications of mass 

transit, all aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Our alternative transportation options include hybrid buses, Global Electric Motorcars 

(GEM), public bus systems, carpooling, and bike-sharing programs. New 30 to 36-seat passenger hybrid buses are being integrated 

into the University’s mass transit fleet. Through grant-funded research, we are studying coordination of traffic signals to reduce wait 

time at lights, transportation patterns to identify carpooling possibilities, and access to bus routes in order to reduce emissions. The 

goals are to minimize car engine idling times, forge new carpooling connections, and more effectively communicate alternative 

transportation options to our community. One of the highlights of our program occurred during “Destination Green,” a day focused 

on encouraging sustainable transportation, when SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and I toured the UAlbany campus on bicycles 

from our bike share program. 

University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 

Chancellor: Linda Katehi • Implementation Liaison: Sid England, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability 

At UC Davis, the reach for sustainability spans all academic and administrative departments and involves students, faculty, and staff 

at work and in their home. Transportation presents one of the biggest sustainability challenges for society, and by extension, the 

university. UC Davis programs help transform “alternative” modes of transportation from the exception to the norm in order to 

reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Most recently, our Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS) launched goClub. This program 

broadens the awareness of the commute options available to the UC Davis community and provides incentives to encourage people to 

choose options with lower emissions. Incentives include discounted transit passes, use of showers and lockers, discounts on bicycle 

storage lockers, emergency rides home, eligibility for prizes, and complimentary parking permits (when it is necessary to drive alone). 

TAPS’ partnerships with multiple campus units and outside agencies like the car-share program Zipcar and the ride share program 

Zimride translate into increased sustainability efforts that benefit the campus. The program already reduces CO2 emissions by an 

estimated 20,000 tons per year. 

ACUPCC 2009 Annual Report 6

University of Albany President George Philip 

and Chancellor Nancy Zimpher taking a 

ride on bikes from the school’s bike share 

program. Photo courtesy of University of Albany 

7 


Santa Fe Community College offers a 

solar energy certificate program through 

which students acquire the skills they 

need to find jobs in the solar and green 

building sectors. Photo courtesy of Santa Fe 

Community College 


Success Stories 

Acupcc school innovations 

Sustainability in the Curriculum 

Greenfield Community College, Greenfield, MA 

President: Robert L. Pura • Implementation Liaison: Brian Adams, Professor of Environmental Studies 

As colleges and universities, our largest “footprint” is the education that our students receive. While continuing to focus on carbon 

reduction through infrastructure measures, ACUPCC signatories cannot forget to “preach what we practice.” 

At Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, Massachusetts, we have leapt into the energy education field by offering a 28 credit 

Certificate in Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency (RE/EE) and a 60 credit Associates of Liberal Arts in RE/EE. Taught in part by 

dedicated practitioners (architects, engineers, business owners, etc.), we have successfully launched 20 new energy courses. An 

innovative credit/non-credit format has drawn employed and unemployed workers along with “traditional” students into these over 

enrolled classes making for eclectic, diverse, and exciting teaching and learning opportunities. We have partnered with businesses, 

employment and training organizations, vocational high schools, and non-profits to get essential feedback on jobs and curriculum. 

We have helped place numerous students in “green collar” jobs, such as energy auditing and photovoltaic and solar hot water 

installation. An informed student body and an educated workforce are essential in meeting the challenging energy and environmental 

demands confronting us. 

Villanova University, Villanova, PA 

President: Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA • Implementation Liaison: John Olson, Associate Professor of Biology 

Our Catholic Augustinian tradition—which emphasizes service to and care for one’s community—serves as the cornerstone of our 

environmental commitment. Villanova launched a Year of Sustainability in 2008–09, which involved the entire campus community 

in embracing a new era of environmental responsibility. Through curricular development, research, and service initiatives, the year 

highlighted our shared responsibility to care for the earth. The year culminated in Villanova’s International SustainAbility 

Conference featuring Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 

Our students encounter sustainability issues in many disciplines across the five colleges at the university. For example, in the College 

of Engineering, students are working on applied renewable energy and water resource projects. Through international volunteer 

experiences, students are designing and constructing schools, water supply systems, and small-scale electrification projects using 

renewable resources, together with partners including: Engineers Without Borders for projects in Kenya and Thailand, the Water for 

Waslala project in Nicaragua, and the Amigos de Jesús project in Honduras. Additionally, business students learn sustainable 

practices in programs associated with the Center for Global Leadership, and students in Arts & Sciences are exposed through courses 

in a variety of departments. 

Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, NM 

President: Sheila Ortego • Implementation Liaison: Amy Tilley, Assistant Vice President for Finance and Administration 

At Santa Fe Community College, students receive the education and job training they need to obtain high-wage green collar jobs 

within the rapidly expanding industry of renewable energy. The college offers associate’s degrees and certificate programs in 

Environmental Technologies, Biofuels, Green Construction, Solar Energy, and Sustainability Practices. Specialized courses are 

offered to professionals who seek to upgrade skills and expand knowledge in green building. Inspectors, home builders, realtors, 

lenders, and homeowners are all taking advantage of practical programs developed and delivered by community practitioners who 

also serve as SFCC faculty. 

The new Sustainable Technologies Center will not only serve as much-needed classroom space but as a learning laboratory with 

interactive design features that include rainwater catchment; solar systems for hot water, electricity, heating, and air conditioning; 

wind for electricity; and a presentation space for business demonstrations and training sessions. The 45,000 square foot facility will 

aim for LEED Gold certification and is slated to open in the fall 2010. 

9 




Green Building and Renovation 

Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY 

President: Thomas R. Rochon • Implementation Liaison: Carl Sgrecci, Vice President of Finance and Administration 

Ithaca College recently dedicated our new Peggy Ryan Williams Center. This 58,000 square foot building features a large atrium 

overlooking Cayuga Lake and a multipurpose auditorium for admissions presentations. This spectacular facility was designed to 

achieve platinum LEED certification. Over 50% of the building’s energy comes from renewable sources, including a geothermal 

system to provide heating and cooling. Other sustainable features include: nearly 6,500 square feet of vegetated roof area; natural 

convection ventilation that draws cooled night air across a shade garden and relieves it out the four-story light monitor; lighting 

controlled by daylight and occupancy sensors and mechanical ventilation systems that reduce energy by automatically responding to 

ambient conditions; and a 12,000-gallon tank that collects rainwater for toilet flushing, meeting over 85% of the building’s yearly 

water needs. The building is located adjacent to the LEED Platinum-certified Park Center for Business and Sustainable Enterprise, 

which opened in 2008. 

University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD 

President: Thelma B. Thompson 

Implementation Liaison: Maurice Ngwaba, Assistant to the Vice President of Administration and Facilities 

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), Maryland’s only Historically Black Land Grant University, has prioritized green 

building and renovation. By the spring of 2010, UMES will construct a 20-acre photovoltaic solar farm on our campus that will 

generate about 2.2 megawatts of clean electricity. This SunEdison construction will be the largest renewable energy project in 

Maryland and will provide UMES with long-term, predictably priced solar-generated energy. UMES’ ten-year plan will reduce the 

amount of energy used across the campus by more than 20 percent per year from 2005 levels. 

We are committed to a minimum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Rating for our major capital 

projects. In the renovation of two campus buildings, the university used a geothermal system to generate heating and cooling in a 

residence hall and began a separate $7.2M project designed and constructed to meet LEED Silver Rating. To achieve this goal, 

facilities staff members have become certified as LEED Accredited Professionals and are working with other professionals across the 

University System to ensure that required LEED rated facilities are constructed. To connect sustainable building with sustainability 

education, we’re developing new courses in green building concepts in the Construction Management Technology department. 

Utah State University, Logan, UT 

President: Stan L. Albrecht • Implementation Liaison: Nat Frazer, Dean of the College of Natural Resources 

In June 2009, our Wetland Discovery Point building at the Utah Botanical Center was awarded Platinum LEED certification. Its roof 

functions as both a rainwater collector and a tool to provide shade or allow winter sunlight into the building to warm it and provide 

abundant natural light. Harvested precipitation is stored in a cistern and used to irrigate part of the landscape and to flush low-flow 

toilets. Much of the power used in the building is solar generated, and solar-heated water flows through the building’s heating 

system. Extensive use of windows connects visitors with the landscape and improves ventilation. 

Not only is the building’s design sustainable, but the facility is also used as an educational site where adults and thousands of school 

children come to learn about the importance of conservation and wetland ecosystems, and about how they can implement green 

practices into their homes and lifestyles. 


11 

Utah State University’s Wetland Discovery 

Point building at the Utah Botanical Center 

(UBC) was awarded Platinum LEED 

certification in June, 2009. The UBC 

practices sustainability through recycled 

materials, wetland restoration, habitat 

creation, and water quality enhancement. 

Photo courtesy of Gary Neuenswander/ 

Utah State University 




The Black Hills Power Renewable Energy 

Facility at the South Dakota School of 

Mines and Technology includes two 

turbines and three photovoltaic panels 

for renewable energy research. 

Photo courtesy of the South Dakota School of 

Mines and Technology 



New Partnerships 

Babson College, Babson Park, MA 

President: Leonard A. Schlesinger 

Implementation Liaison: Shelley Kaplan, Associate Vice President, Facilities Management and Planning 

For most business schools, the challenges of realigning what we do with the realities of today’s marketplace have never been greater, 

particularly in the arena of creating sustainable societies. Babson’s partnership with the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) 

establishes a new model of how we must educate our students to build a better world. 

Babson MBA students, firmly rooted in the business and leadership skills that transform entrepreneurial thought into action, are 

working with OIT’s brightest engineers to begin solving the world’s most important problems. Students will conduct market analyses, 

explore product costing, and lay the foundation for a technology incubator. Projects focused on renewable energy, services, and 

systems, will ultimately result in new commercialized green technologies. This unique collaboration brings entrepreneurship and 

innovation to the next level. 

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 

Chancellor: G. David Gearhart • Implementation Liaison: Mike Johnson, Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management 

There are significant environmental and social impacts associated with the manufacture, use, and disposal of the products and 

services we buy. Understanding these environmental impacts is difficult for buyers and consumers. The University of Arkansas has 

partnered with Arizona State University to launch the Sustainability Consortium. The Consortium’s goal is to support the 

measurement of product sustainability through systems, education, and research. With funding from more than 20 organizations, 

including major manufacturers and retailers, the Consortium will provide a foundation that will enable reporting of the 

sustainability performance of consumer goods in a consistent, scientifically grounded way. The consortium is bringing together 

leading academic, corporate, government and NGO partners, leveraging the strengths of each organization to drive meaningful 

change. This initiative will provide opportunities for interdisciplinary research with real world impacts, and will allow our 

students to gain valuable experience at the leading edge of corporate sustainability. The University of Arkansas is excited to be 

involved in this ground breaking work that will change the way business is done around the world. 

University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 

Chancellor: George Blumenthal • Implementation Liaisons: Daniel Press, Professor and Chair, Environmental Studies and 

Aurora Winslade, Sustainability Manager 

At the University of California, Santa Cruz — home to one of the first PhD programs in environmental studies in the US — reducing 

our environmental footprint is increasingly reflected in our academic vision. In this tradition, last spring we announced an exciting 

partnership with other institutions to establish a sustainable community for education and research in Silicon Valley. 

UC Santa Cruz and Foothill-De Anza Community College District have formed a nonprofit entity, “University Associates – Silicon 

Valley,” which has signed a lease with NASA to develop the educational community on 75 acres of land in the NASA Research Park 

at Moffett Field. Work on the site could begin in 2013, with initial occupancy as early as 2015. Students attending the new campus 

will provide a source of future employees to strengthen NASA’s workforce and help the agency achieve its exploration objectives. 

Our vision is to seed innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability through the creative reuse of this property. Not only will this 

project contribute to the region’s economic vitality by delivering innovative education and research, we will be creating a prototype 

for an environmentally sustainable community. 

13 



(New Partnerships Continued) 

University of Maine, Orono, ME 

President: Robert A. Kennedy • Implementation Liaison: Misa Saros, Conservation & Energy Compliance Specialist 

The University of Maine has made significant strides in fulfilling its commitment to sustainability. Last summer, UMaine – leading a 

partnership involving numerous research, educational, and business partners statewide – received a $20 million National Science 

Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) grant for a new project called the Sustainability 

Solutions Initiative (SSI). SSI is an interdisciplinary research and outreach program, led by UMaine’s Senator George Mitchell Center, 

which will dramatically affect our state’s future. University researchers will work with diverse stakeholder groups from across the 

state to address problems related to urbanization, forest management, and climate change. This work will complement our 

internationally known research efforts in the areas of climate science and renewable energy, including work in wind energy technology 

and biofuels. At UMaine, we are also proud of our sustainability-focused campus master plan and ongoing outreach efforts through 

Cooperative Extension. With these exciting programs and initiatives in place, we are most enthusiastic about our future as a 

land-grant institution rising to the challenge of the ACUPCC in significant and innovative ways. 

Renewable Energy 

Ball State University, Muncie, IN 

President: Jo Ann M. Gora • Implementation Liaison: Robert Koester, Professor of Architecture 

Our first major step at Ball State University to meet our commitment to the ACUPCC is now under construction. Phase I of our 

geothermal district heating and cooling system – which will allow us to shut down at least two of our four coal-fired boilers and 

eliminate fifty percent of our 85,000 tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions – will come on line in mid-2011. This is the largest 

project of its kind in the nation. Our investment of $42.5 million in Phase I will yield a net $1 million in annual savings at current 

fuel prices. Phase II of the program, which will allow us to shut down our remaining coal-fired boilers, will continue at a pace 

determined by available finances. This project has significantly shaped the development of our Climate Action Plan as we work to 

achieve climate neutrality. 

That Plan includes an academic integration of the ACUPCC commitment to be found in graduate and undergraduate courses 

throughout the university as well as what we call “immersive learning.” For example, students recently explored a new model for 

sustainable neighborhood renewal in Indianapolis. This Smart Growth Renewal District has been selected as one of five pilot projects 

in the nation to be supported by the Office of Sustainable Communities, a new collaboration among the federal Departments of 

Environmental Protection, Housing & Urban Development, and Transportation. 

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 

President: Robert A. Wharton • Implementation Liaisons: Duane Hrncir, Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs 

and Jerilyn C. Roberts, Campus Environmental Health and Safety Manager 

The knowledge of renewable energy principles will be an increasingly important skill for students as they compete for technology jobs 

in the future. The best way to incorporate these principles is by practicing sustainability as a campus. In addition to our commitment 

to building LEED certified buildings, purchasing Energy Star appliances, and other recycling and green initiatives, we recently 

unveiled the Black Hills Power Renewable Energy Research Facility. The facility, funded through a $90,000 donation from Black 

Hills Power, consists of two wind turbines and three photovoltaic panels, providing modern technology for researching wind and 

solar energy opportunities. Through this partnership with Black Hills Power, there is an unprecedented opportunity to provide 

meaningful research experiences for our engineering and science students and to establish collaborative outreach activities for the 

community and K-12 teachers and students. 



Ball State University President Jo Ann Gora 

and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) stand 

behind one of the university’s six hybrid 

electric buses. Photo courtesy of Ball State University 

15 


ACUPCC Impact 

“Furman decided to be a charter 

signatory of the ACUPCC because 

we believe the movement toward 

carbon neutrality is both an essential 

manifestation of the liberal arts 

tradition and a necessary step to 

ensure the sustainability of the 

university for generations to come.” 

David E. Shi, 

President, Furman University 

There are more than five and half million students attending 

ACUPCC institutions – more than one third of the nation’s total 

student population. Climate and sustainability issues are being 

integrated into the educational experience for all of these future 

engineers, business leaders, teachers, architects, technicians, 

artists, lawyers, politicians, product designers, etc. The ACUPCC 

network has the critical mass needed for business, government, 

and civil society to take notice and engage in the kind of crosssector 

collaboration that will revitalize our economy and ensure 

a safer future. 

IMPACT ON CARBON EMISSIONS 

As of December 31, 2009, the number of institutions that had submitted GHG emissions 

inventories totaled 462. Average gross emissions reported from the sources covered per 

institution were: 

• Associate’s and Tribal Colleges: 18,422 metric tons CO 2 

e 

• Baccalaureate Colleges: 16,683 metric tons CO 2 

e 

• Master’s Colleges and Universities: 27,116 metric tons CO 2 

e 

• Doctorate Granting Universities: 175,147 metric tons CO 2 

e 

• Special Focus Institutions: 1 53,178 metric tons CO 2 

e 

Extrapolating these averages across the entire 

signatory group, when the 665 ACUPCC 

institutions to date achieve climate neutrality, 

they will eliminate an estimated 33,129,710 

metric tons of CO 2 

e emissions per year. 2 

The bold example of the higher education sector to pursue climate neutrality is showing the way 

for other sectors of society to move towards what the science shows is necessary to avoid the 

most dangerous impacts of climate disruption. 

1 Institutions awarding baccalaureate or higher-level degrees where a high concentration of degrees is in a single field or set of related fields. 

Does not include tribal colleges. 

2 ACUPCC institutions agree to inventory emissions from the following sources: Scope 1 (direct emissions from on campus activities); Scope 2 (indirect 

emissions from purchased energy); and two Scope 3 sources (regular commuting and air travel paid for or through the institution). Many institutions 

also inventory other Scope 3 emissions such as those from solid waste, emissions embodied in purchased goods, and other custom sources. 


acupcc impact 

President Bill Clinton spoke at the 2009 

ACUPCC Climate Leadership Summit 

in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Second Nature 

17 


Tangible Actions 

“It is absolutely crucial that the 

ACUPCC…succeeds—if colleges 

and universities fail to point the 

way to a sustainable future, we 

should not be surprised but we 

will long regret that wider society 

failed to act in a substantial and 

timely manner on the matter of 

climate change.” 

Richard J. Cook, President 

Emeritus, Allegheny College 

The framework of the ACUPCC facilitates the process of establishing a vision for a climate 

neutral, sustainable future while at the same time taking immediate, tangible actions. 

ACUPCC institutions agree to take at least two of the following actions within two years of 

signing the Commitment: 

1 

2 

Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the 

US Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard or equivalent. 

Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy, requiring purchase of 

ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which such ratings exist. 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas 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 at our institution. 

Within one year of signing the Commitment, 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 where our institution’s endowment is invested. 

Participate in the Waste Minimization component of the national RecycleMania 

competition, and adopt three or more associated measures to reduce waste. 

Number of Schools Committing to Each Tangible Action 

LEED Silver 

425 

ENERGY STAR 

471 

Air Travel 

53 

Public Transportation 

370 

Renewable Electricity 

201 

Endowment Policy 

57 

Waste Minimization 

340 

0 100 200 300 400 500 

The 15 schools that will take all seven actions are: Antioch University New England, Bowie State University, Eastern University, Gloucester County 

College, Grand Rapids Community College, Loyola University New Orleans, Manhattanville College, Morgan State University, Penn State Berks, 

Shasta College, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Washington Tacoma, Victor Valley College, 

and Western Technical College. 

18 


Greenhouse gas emissions Reports 

By the end of the year, 462 institutions had submitted greenhouse 

gas inventory reports. This critical first step of establishing an 

emissions baseline helps institutions paint a clearer picture of 

their campuses’ greenhouse gas profiles and identifies the major 

challenges and opportunities ahead. For the first time, this 

searchable database brings together hundreds of greenhouse 

gas inventories from the higher education sector in the same 

place, enabling institutions to benchmark their emissions and 

learn from others’ reports. The reports are available to the public 

at www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/reportingsystem. 

“The pride and sense of larger 

purpose that this experience 

conveys will help us in our efforts 

to become a truly engaged 

21st century university. The 

climate commitment work offers 

an extraordinary focus for 

shared responsibility and the 

creation of a different kind of 

campus community.” 

Judith A. Ramaley, President, 

Winona State University 

Acupcc signatories by state / territory 

15 

32 

2 

5 

1 

2 

3 

26 

15 

14 

56 

6 

10 

49 

11 3 

15 

4 

4 

68 13 

1 

13 

4 10 

21 7 

5 

16 

3 

28 

16 

22 

2 

18 

3 

11 

14 

2 

2 

6 

14 

17 

4 2 

14 

26 

3 

1 

2 

12 

19 ACUPCC 2009 Annual Report 

1

Climate action plans 

“In the coming years, 

the University – and our culture 

as a whole – will have exciting 

opportunities to affect changes 

in behavior, choices, and 

direction. The intent of Penn’s 

Climate Action Plan, and the 

goal of this overall effort, is to 

make the sustainable choices 

the default choices for the 

campus community.” 

University of Pennsylvania’s 

2009 Climate Action Plan 

Each ACUPCC signatory agrees to develop a Climate Action Plan within two years of its 

start date. By the end of 2009, over 130 Climate Action Plans had been submitted by 

ACUPCC institutions to the online Reporting System (www.presidentsclimatecommitment. 

org/reportingsystem), representing a great diversity of creative and innovative approaches to 

promoting education and research on climate and sustainability, and the pursuit of climate 

neutrality in campus operations. Never before has such an extensive collection of 

comprehensive Climate Action Plans been publicly available in one place. 

These initial plans, which will be revised and updated as progress is made and circumstances 

change, are the result of hard work and creativity from hundreds of committees, comprised 

of thousands of people on campuses nationwide. 

Education, Research, and community engagement 

Central to the ACUPCC and to the Climate Action Plans is ensuring that all students 

understand the basic science of climate change and sustainability, and graduates are equipped 

to help society overcome these challenges in their personal and professional lives. In 2009, 

the ACUPCC produced a guide with hundreds of examples of programs that incorporate 

sustainability into student education. 

Wilson Community College in North Carolina now includes a module on sustainability in a 

required orientation class, which features a carbon footprint calculator for students to 

determine and reduce their emissions. 

The pursuit of climate neutrality by 2011 at Green Mountain College in Vermont has inspired 

a new certificate program that will provide students with experience in green building and 

renewable energy technology and prepare them for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental 

Design (LEED) exam. A group of GMC faculty and students will research potential sites for 

solar, hydroelectric, wind, and geothermal energy in Poultney, Vermont, with the intent of 

creating a community energy plan for the town. 

Reaching outside the campus is another key component of Climate Action Plans that creates 

opportunities for ‘town-gown’ partnerships. The University of South Carolina Columbia has 

partnered with the City of Columbia, two local counties, and the Climate Protection Action 

Campaign. Last year they started a Farmer’s Market that educates the public about the 

impact of food choices on climate change. They also brought the National Hydrogen 

Association Convention to the city and established additional fuel cell technology applications 

for Columbia’s growing fuel cell program. 


20

Climate action plans 

Emissions Reduction Strategies 

Climate Action Plans include target dates for achieving specific emissions reductions 

milestones and climate neutrality. To date, the following number of institutions have set 

target dates for climate neutrality in or before: 

2020: 14% 2030: 15% 2040: 7% 2050: 30% After 2050: 5% 

Dickinson College in Pennsylvania will become climate neutral in 2020 through a 25 percent 

reduction in emissions from 2008 levels and 75 percent offsets. By 2025, it will reduce 

emissions to 50 percent of 2008 levels and 50 percent offsets. By 2030, emissions will be 

reduced to 75 percent below 2008 levels with only 25 percent offsets. 

Relative to its 2005 baseline, the University of Florida expects to reduce emissions 3% by 

2012, 17% by 2020, 42% by 2030, and 83% by 2050. The University plans to achieve 

climate neutrality in 2025 using carbon offsets, while continuing to reduce its own emissions 

each year thereafter. 

“As more and more campuses 

sign on to the ACUPCC, higher 

education itself is becoming more 

relevant. Moreover, as college 

and universities challenge 

themselves to show leadership 

in pursing climate neutrality, 

advancing appropriate research, 

and graduating environmentally 

aware students, we can expect 

to see a ripple effect throughout 

society – providing a sense of 

hope that maybe, just maybe, 

we are smart enough, care 

enough, and are committed 

enough to address this problem.” 

Walter Simpson, 

Former Director of UB 

Green Office, University of 

Buffalo SUNY 

The University of Wyoming’s Plan is divided into three phases: (1) reducing emissions to 15% 

by 2015; (2) 25% by 2020; and (3) achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Phase 1 provides 

specific goals and action steps focused on education, behavior change, and facility upgrades. 

Phase 2 is more aggressive, with attention to long-term infrastructure and alternative energy 

projects in line with Wyoming’s prominent position as an energy-producing state. Phase 3 

action steps are more general due to unknown advancements in technology and uncertainty 

in cost and funding components. 

At the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry students, 

faculty, staff, and administration have united to craft a unique and creative plan for reducing 

campus greenhouse gas emissions. This plan organizes projects into five major categories: 

Energy Conservation, Alternative Energy, Green Building Energy Systems, Campus Action 

Plans, and Forest Carbon Sequestration. In total, there are 40 projects across those areas for 

a 13,000+ metric tons of carbon dioxide per year offset by 2015. Approximately half of the 

reduction will come from carbon sequestration from management of a portion of the 

institution’s forest properties. 

Wilson Community College has 

developed a Weatherization 

Specialist Certificate program to 

train technicians in weatherization 

of residential homes. Photo courtesy of 

Wilson Community College 

21

Support and Resources for Prospective and 

C u r r e n t AC U P C C M e m b e r s 

Students in the Delta College Water 

Environment Technology program study 

stream water for potential environmental 

impact on aquatic organisms. 

Photo courtesy of Delta College 


ACUPCC Resources 

The ACUPCC supporting organizations have developed a comprehensive program to 

help signatories meet their ambitious goals. The sophisticated ACUPCC online 

Reporting System (www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/reportingsystem) allows for 

public submission and analysis of Climate Action Plans, greenhouse gas inventories, and 

more, and the now more user-friendly ACUPCC web site provides a plethora of other 

resources. A robust training and education program (www.presidentsclimatecommitment. 

org/resources/training-events) provides signatories with webinars and workshops on 

greenhouse gas measurement and mitigation strategies. Programs developed in 

partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative and the National Association of 

Environmental Law Societies have aided many schools with free services related to 

climate action planning and energy performance contracting. The full-time program 

team at Second Nature engages in regular communication with the signatories, including 

the publication of the free monthly ACUPCC Implementer e-newsletter and direct oneon-one 

contact with signatories to answer questions and assist with reporting deadlines. 

“If our core mission of learning, 

discovery, and engagement results 

in a more sustainable world, 

then we will have succeeded. 

That’s why this effort is a priority 

for Cornell University.” 

David Skorton, 

President of Cornell University 

In coordination with national experts, the ACUPCC program team has developed the 

publications and resources highlighted below to help signatories implement the 

Commitment. All of these and more can be found in the Resources & Events section of 

the ACUPCC website: 

Leading Profound Change: A Resource 

for Presidents and Chancellors 

Provides support to all ACUPCC presidents 

and chancellors in taking an active leadership 

role in the ongoing process of developing and 

implementing the Climate Action Plan. 

Education for Climate Neutrality and 

Sustainability: Academic Guidance for 

ACUPCC Institutions 

Provides guidance on various approaches 

to the academic component of the ACUPCC, 

including hundreds of links to examples of 

education for sustainability. 

ACUPCC Energy Performance Contracting 

Best Practices Toolkit 

Best practices toolkit created by the 

ACUPCC and Clinton Climate Initiative. 

ACUPCC Implementation Guide 

The “handbook” of the ACUPCC 

Climate Action Planning Wiki 

An online collaboration tool that allows 

multiple users to post and discuss 

approaches to greenhouse gas 

inventories and other climate action 

efforts for the higher education sector. 

Cool Campus! How-To Guide for College 

and University Climate Action Planning 

A publication summarizing common 

approaches to greenhouse gas inventories 

and other climate action planning efforts 

in the higher education sector. 

Voluntary Offset Protocol 

The formal voluntary protocol that guides 

ACUPCC institutions and others through 

the process of evaluating and investing 

in the voluntary carbon offset market. 

Climate Neutral Campus Report 

The Climate Neutral Campus Report is a 

thought-provoking collection of essays about 

sustainability by leaders in higher education 

and business. 

Greenhouse Gas Inventory Brief 

A summary of common greenhouse gas 

inventory tools and resources. 

23 


2009 Budget 

2009 Financial Overview 

The 2009 ACUPCC financial overview includes the results of the operations of the program 

across the three supporting organizations: Second Nature, the Association for the Advancement 

of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), and ecoAmerica. 

Funding 

In the fiscal year 2009, ACUPCC revenues totaled $1,231,423, with 49 percent coming from 

signatory dues. Foundations and corporations provided grants totaling $547,375. Major 

foundation grants were awarded by The Kresge Foundation, The John Merck Fund, the 

Surdna Foundation, and the Wege Foundation. Fundraising in 2009 fell short of expenses by 

$390,282, which was covered by Second Nature and will be repaid in 2010. 

2009 Revenue 

Private Sector Support 

21% 

Signatory Dues 

49% 

24% 

Foundation Support 

6% 

Event Income 

2009 Expense 

Fundraising 

Conferences & Events 

General & Administrative 

Travel 

6% 

3% 

11% 

17% 

2% 

Office Expenses 

26% 

35% 

Program Personnel 

Direct Expenses 


2009 Budget 

Programs 

The 2009 ACUPCC program expenses totaled $1,621,705 in support of the following 

program activities: 

• Implementation Support, including: direct telephone support for ACUPCC signatories; 

identification and development of climate action planning resources; management of the 

online reporting system; and development and moderation of AASHE’s climate action 

planning wiki and climate discussion forum. 

• Organizing of the annual Climate Leadership Summit as well as workshops, 

Implementation Liaison networking events, and webinars throughout the year. 

• Outreach to Presidents and other senior leaders with resources and opportunities to help 

them advance sustainability. 

• Provision of administrative support to the Steering Committee. 

• Development and distribution of resource guides (in partnership with dozens of key 

experts), including a voluntary carbon offsets protocol, academic guidance document 

with hundreds of examples of successful sustainability education efforts, and a document 

to help presidents understand and develop the skills to lead profound change initiatives 

such as the ACUPCC. 

• Communications, including: media outreach to publicize the power of the network and 

activities of member schools; management of the ACUPCC web site; development and 

dissemination of the monthly Implementer newsletter; and creation and distribution of 

the annual report. 

Support Services 

General, administrative, and fundraising expenses, which directly support the ACUPCC, 

totaled only 17 percent of total expenses for 2009. 

Consolidated Statement of Activities For the Year Ended December 31, 2009 

Revenue 

Contributions from signatory schools $ 608,062 

Contributions from foundations $ 293,875 

Contributions from corporations $ 253,500 

Event income $ 75,986 

Total revenue $ 1,231,423 

Expense 

Program Expenses 

Conferences and events $ 270,029 

Office expenses $ 35,608 

Personnel $ 415,807 

Direct expenses $ 575,454 

Travel $ 56,513 

Support Services 

Fundraising $ 174,391 

General and administrative $ 93,903 

Total expense $ 1,621,705 

25 

Net Assets $ (390,282) 


AC Signatories 

U P C C 

ACUPCC Signatories 

s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Completed 

n Climate Action Plan Completed 

In Good Standing 


Institution AS of 12.31.09 Institution AS of 12.31.09 

Adams State College s Yes 

Agnes Scott College s n Yes 

Alaska Pacific University 

no 

Albion College s Yes 

Alfred University u N no 

Allegheny College s n u Yes 

Alliant International University 

no 

American Public University System s u Yes 

American University s l Yes 

Anaheim University 

Yes 

Ancilla College 

no 

Anna Maria College s u Yes 

Antioch University Los Angeles s No 

Antioch University New England s u Yes 

Antioch University Seattle s u Yes 

Appalachian State University s Yes 

Aquinas College s u Yes 

Arizona State University s n u Yes 

Auburn University s Yes 

Augsburg College s u Yes 

Austin College s u Yes 

Austin Community College District u Yes 

Babson College s u Yes 

Bainbridge Graduate Institute s Yes 

Ball State University s u Yes 

Bard College s Yes 

Bates College s Yes 

Bellevue College s u No 

Bemidji State University 

Yes 

Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology 

no 

Bentley College s Yes 

Berea College s u Yes 

Bergen Community College s u Yes 

Berkeley College 

Yes 

Berkshire Community College s Yes 

Berry College s u Yes 

Bethany College u Yes 

Birmingham–Southern College 

no 

Black Hills State University s n Yes 

Boise State University s Yes 

Boston Architectural College u Yes 

Bowdoin College s n u Yes 

Bowie State University s n u Yes 

Brandeis University s n Yes 

Bridgemont Community and Technical College u Yes 

Bridgewater State College s u Yes 

Bristol Community College s u Yes 

Brookhaven College u Yes 

Broome Community College s Yes 

Bryn Mawr College s Yes 

Bucknell University s u Yes 

Bunker Hill Community College s n u Yes 

Butte College s Yes 

Cabrillo College s Yes 

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute 

no 

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona s n u Yes 

California State University, Bakersfield s u Yes 

California State University, Chico s Yes 

California State University, Monterey Bay s n u Yes 

Cape Cod Community College s u Yes 

Carleton College s u Yes 

Carolinas College of Health Sciences 

no 

Carteret Community College s Yes 

Cascadia Community College u N no 

Case Western Reserve University s u Yes 

Castleton State College s Yes 

Catawba College s u Yes 

Cedar Valley College s n u Yes 

Central College s n u Yes 

Central Connecticut State University s n u Yes 

Central New Mexico Community College s n u Yes 

Central Washington University s Yes 

Centralia College s u No 

Centre College s n Yes 

Century College s u Yes 

Chabot College s u Yes 

Chaffey College 

Yes 

Chandler, Gilbert Community College s l Yes 

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science 

no 

Chatham University s n u Yes 

Chicago State University 

no 

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College s u Yes 

Claremont McKenna College s u Yes 

Clark University s n u Yes 

Clemson University s u Yes 

Coastline Community College s No 

Coconino County Community College 

no 

Coe College s u Yes 

Colby College s u Yes 

Colby–Sawyer College s Yes 

Colgate University 

Yes 

College of Alameda 

no 

College of Charleston 

no 

College of Lake County u Yes 

College of Marin s n u Yes 

College of Menominee Nation s Yes 

College of Saint Benedict s n u Yes 

College of Saint Rose s Yes 

College of the Atlantic s n u Yes 

College of the Holy Cross s n u Yes 

College of the Sequoias 

no 

Colorado College s u Yes 

Colorado Mountain College 

Yes 

Colorado State University s Yes 

Columbia Basin College 

Yes 

Columbia College Chicago 

Yes 

Columbia Gorge Community College 

Yes 

Columbus State Community College s n u Yes 


u Membership Dues Paid for AY2009–10 

l Membership Dues Pledged for AY2009–10 





Community College of Denver s Yes 

Gaia University 

Yes 

Concordia College, New York 

Concordia University, Nebraska 

Concordia University, Portland 

no 

no 

no 

Gainesville State College s Yes 

Gateway Community College s Yes 

Gateway Technical College u Yes 

Confederation College s Yes 

Connecticut College s Yes 

Coppin State University s Yes 

Cornell University s n Yes 

County College of Morris s u Yes 

Crafton Hills College u N no 

Dakota County Technical College s n u Yes 

Davidson College s u Yes 

De Anza College s u Yes 

Delaware State University u Yes 

Delta College s u Yes 

DePauw University s u Yes 

Des Moines Area Community College s Yes 

Dickinson College s n u Yes 

George Mason University s u Yes 

George Washington University s Yes 

Georgia Institute of Technology s n u Yes 

Georgia Southern University u N no 

Georgian Court University s u Yes 

Gettysburg College s n u Yes 

Gloucester County College u Yes 

Goddard College s n u Yes 

Golden West College s No 

Goshen College s n u Yes 

Goucher College s u N no 

Governors State University s Yes 

Grand Rapids Community College u N no 

Grand Valley State University s l Yes 

Dillard University 

no 

Granite State College u N no 

Drake University s u Yes 

Drew University s Yes 

Drury University s Yes 

Green Mountain College s n u Yes 

Greenfield Community College s l Yes 

Guilford College s n u Yes 

Duke University s n Yes 

Gustavus Adolphus College 

no 

Durham Technical Community College s u Yes 

Hamilton College s n u Yes 

Dutchess Community College 

no 

Hampshire College s u Yes 

East Los Angeles College s u No 

Eastern Connecticut State University s n u Yes 

Harford Community College s u Yes 

Harrisburg Area Community College u Yes 

Eastern Iowa Community College District s u Yes 

Hartnell College 

no 

Eastern Oregon University 

Eastern University 

Yes 

no 

Harvey Mudd College s u Yes 

Haverford College s u Yes 

Eastern Washington University s u no 

Haywood Community College s n u Yes 

Eastfield College u N no 

Eckerd College s n u Yes 

Heartland Community College 

Hibbing Community College 

no 

Yes 

Edmonds Community College s u Yes 

Hillsborough Community College u Yes 

El Centro College 

Yes 

Hiram College u Yes 

Emerson College s n Yes 

Hiwassee College 

no 

Emory & Henry College s u Yes 

Everett Community College s u Yes 

Fairfield University s u Yes 

Hobart and William Smith Colleges s Yes 

Hocking Technical College u Yes 

Hollins University s n Yes 

Fayetteville Technical Community College 

Yes 

Holyoke Community College s Yes 

Ferrum College 

no 

Houghton College 

Yes 

Finger Lakes Community College s u Yes 

Fitchburg State College s No 

Houston Community College s n u Yes 

Howard Community College s n Yes 

Florida Atlantic University s Yes 

Huston–Tillotson University 

Yes 

Florida Gulf Coast University s u No 

Florida International University s n Yes 

Foothill College s u Yes 

Fort Lewis College s Yes 

Illinois Central College u N no 

Illinois College s u Yes 

Illinois State University s Yes 

Indiana State University s u Yes 

Framingham State College s n Yes 

Franklin & Marshall College s n u Yes 

Inst. of American Indian & Alaska Native Culture & Arts Dev. 

Interdenominational Theological Center 

Yes 

no 

Franklin College of Indiana s u Yes 

Franklin Pierce University s u Yes 

Frostburg State University s n u Yes 

Furman University s n u Yes 

Inver Hills Community College s l Yes 

Iowa Lakes Community College s n Yes 

Ithaca College s n u Yes 

Jackson Community College s u Yes 

This list of signatories is generated with the information from the signatory profiles in the ACUPCC Reporting System. Implementation Liaisons are responsible for keeping their profiles up-to-date. 

27 








James Madison University s Yes 

Jamestown Community College u Yes 

Marymount Manhattan College s n Yes 

Massachusetts Bay Community College s No 

Jewish Theological Seminary of America 

no 

Massachusetts College of Art & Design s n u Yes 

Johnson County Community College s u Yes 

Joliet Junior College u Yes 

Juniata College s u No 

Kalamazoo College s Yes 

Kankakee Community College s Yes 

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts s n Yes 

Massachusetts Maritime Academy u N no 

Massasoit Community College s u Yes 

McDaniel College s n u Yes 

McLennan Community College s n u Yes 

Kansas Wesleyan University 

no 

Medical University of South Carolina s u Yes 

Keene State College s u Yes 

Mercer County Community College u N no 

Kennebec Valley Community College 

Yes 

Mercyhurst College 

no 

Kennesaw State University s u Yes 

Merritt College 

no 

Kent State University Stark Campus s Yes 

Keystone College s n u Yes 

Mesa Community College s Yes 

Messiah College s u Yes 

Labette Community College 

Lafayette College 

no 

no 

Metropolitan State College of Denver s Yes 

Metropolitan State University s Yes 

LaGrange College s n u Yes 

Middlebury College s n Yes 

Lake Land College 

Yes 

Middlesex Community College s No 

Lake Michigan College s u Yes 

Midwestern State University 

no 

Lake Superior College s Yes 

Mills College s Yes 

Lake Washington Technical College 

no 

Minneapolis Community and Technical College s Yes 

Lakeshore Technical College s Yes 

Minnesota State Community and Technical College 

no 

Lane Community College s u No 

Minot State University u Yes 

Laney College 

no 

Mississippi State University 

Yes 

Lansing Community College s Yes 

Las Positas College s Yes 

Lasell College u N no 

Lee College s No 

Mississippi Valley State University 

Missouri University of Science & Technology 

Monroe Community College 

Montana State University, Bozeman 

no 

Yes 

no 

no 

Lesley University s n u Yes 

Montana Tech of The University of Montana u N no 

Lewis & Clark College s n u Yes 

Montclair State University 

no 

Lewis and Clark Community College s u Yes 

Life University s u No 

Monterey Institute of International Studies s u Yes 

Montgomery County Community College s u Yes 

Lincoln Land Community College 

Yes 

Morgan State University u Yes 

Linfield College s u Yes 

Morrisville State College 

no 

Lorain County Community College s Yes 

Loras College s u Yes 

Los Angeles City College s u No 

Los Angeles Harbor College s u No 

Los Angeles Mission College s u N no 

Los Angeles Pierce College s u No 

Mount Mercy College u Yes 

Mount St. Mary’s University s n u Yes 

Mount Union College s u Yes 

Mount Wachusett Community College s u Yes 

Mountain View College u N no 

Naropa University s u Yes 

Los Angeles Southwest College s u No 

Nashua Community College 

no 

Los Angeles Trade–Technical College s u No 

Los Angeles Valley College s u No 

Loyola Marymount University s Yes 

Nassau Community College s Yes 

New College of Florida s Yes 

New England Institute of Technology s Yes 

Loyola University New Orleans 

Yes 

New Mexico State University at Alamogordo s n u Yes 

Luther College s n u Yes 

Lynchburg College s u Yes 

Macalester College s n u Yes 

New Mexico State University at Carlsbad s u No 

New Mexico State University Dona Ana Branch u N no 

New Mexico State University Grants Branch s n u Yes 

Macomb Community College 

no 

New Mexico State University Main Campus s u Yes 

Madison Area Technical College s Yes 

Maharishi University of Management s n Yes 

New York University s u N no 

Norfolk State University s n u Yes 

Manchester Community College (CT) s l No 

North Arkansas College 

no 

Manchester Community College (NH) s Yes 

North Carolina State University s Yes 

Manhattanville College u Yes 

North Central Michigan College 

no 

Mary Baldwin College 

no 

North Iowa Area Community College u Yes 








North Lake College s u Yes 

North Seattle Community College u Yes 

North Shore Community College s n u Yes 

Rochester Community and Technical College s No 

Rochester Institute of Technology u Yes 

Roger Williams University s u Yes 

Northeast Lakeview College 

Yes 

Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology s Yes 

Northeastern University s Yes 

Northern Arizona University s u Yes 

Northern Essex Community College s u Yes 

Northern Kentucky University s l Yes 

Northern New Mexico College u N no 

Northland College s Yes 

Rosemont College s l Yes 

Rowan University s n l Yes 

Roxbury Community College l no 

Saint John’s University s Yes 

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine u Yes 

Saint Norbert College s Yes 

Northland Pioneer College 

Northwest Vista College 

Yes 

Yes 

Saint Peter’s College s Yes 

Saint Xavier University s Yes 

Norwalk Community College l Yes 

Salem Community College 

no 

Oberlin College s u Yes 

Ocean County College s Yes 

Salem State College s u Yes 

Salisbury University s Yes 

Ohio University s u Yes 

San Antonio College 

Yes 

Ohlone College u N no 

Olympic College s l Yes 

Onondaga Community College s n u Yes 

Orange Coast College s no 

Oregon College of Art and Craft u N no 

Oregon Institute of Technology s u Yes 

San Bernardino Valley College u N no 

San Francisco State University s Yes 

San Joaquin Delta College s u Yes 

Santa Clara University s u Yes 

Santa Fe Community College (NM) s n u Yes 

Santa Monica College s Yes 

Oregon State University s n Yes 

Sarah Lawrence College 

Yes 

Pacific Lutheran University s u Yes 

School for International Training s Yes 

Paine College u N no 

School of the Art Institute of Chicago 

Yes 

Palo Alto College 

Palo Verde College 

Yes 

no 

Scottsdale Community College s Yes 

Seattle Pacific University s Yes 

Park University s No 

Parkland College u Yes 

Seattle University s u Yes 

Sewanee: The University of the South s u Yes 

Pasadena City College 

no 

Shasta College 

Yes 

Paul Smith’s College of Arts and Sciences s u Yes 

Shenandoah University 

no 

Peninsula College u Yes 

Penn State Berks s n Yes 

Pine Manor College u N no 

Shoreline Community College s u Yes 

Simmons College s Yes 

Simpson College s Yes 

Pitzer College s u Yes 

Plymouth State University s u Yes 

Skagit Valley College 

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania 

Yes 

Yes 

Point Loma Nazarene University s Yes 

Polytechnic University u N no 

Smith College s u Yes 

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology s n Yes 

Pomona College s n u Yes 

South Puget Sound Community College 

no 

Portland Community College s n Yes 

Portland State University s u Yes 

South Suburban College s Yes 

Southern Connecticut State University s n u Yes 

Pratt Institute s n Yes 

Prescott College s u Yes 

Southern New Hampshire University 

Southern Oregon University 

no 

no 

Presidio Graduate School 

no 

Southern Polytechnic State University s No 

Purchase College, State University of New York s u Yes 

Quinsigamond Community College s n Yes 

Southwestern College, Kansas s u Yes 

Southwestern University l Yes 

Radford University 

Yes 

Springfield College s u Yes 

Ramapo College of New Jersey s u Yes 

Randolph College s Yes 

Rhodes College s n Yes 

Springfield Technical Community College 

St. Augustine’s College 

St. Catherine University 

no 

no 

no 

Rice University s Yes 

Richland College s n u Yes 

Rider University s u Yes 

Rio Salado College s n u Yes 

Robert Morris University u Yes 

St. Clair County Community College s Yes 

St. Cloud State University u Yes 

St. Lawrence University s Yes 

St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley u Yes 

St. Louis Community College at Meramec l Yes 


29 








St. Mary’s College of Maryland s u Yes 

University of Arizona 

Yes 

St. Philip’s College 

Yes 

University of Arkansas Main Campus s n u Yes 

State University of New York at Albany s Yes 

State University of New York at Binghamton s n u Yes 

State University of New York at Buffalo s n Yes 

State University of New York at Fredonia s Yes 

State University of New York at New Paltz s Yes 

State University of New York at Stony Brook s Yes 

State University of New York College at Cortland u N no 

State University of New York College at Geneseo s u Yes 

State University of New York College at Oswego s n u Yes 

University of Baltimore s u Yes 

University of California, Berkeley s n Yes 

University of California, Davis s u Yes 

University of California, Irvine s n Yes 

University of California, Los Angeles s n Yes 

University of California, Merced s n u Yes 

University of California, Riverside s u Yes 

University of California, San Diego s no 

University of California, San Francisco s Yes 

State University of New York College at Potsdam 

State Univ. of N.Y. College of Envir. Science & Forestry s n 

State University of New York Empire State College 

State Univ. of New York Upstate Medical University 

no 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

University of California, Santa Barbara s n Yes 

University of California, Santa Cruz s u Yes 

University of Central Florida s u Yes 

University of Central Missouri s u Yes 

Stetson University s u N no 

Sullivan County Community College u N no 

University of Central Oklahoma s No 

University of Cincinnati s n u Yes 

SUNY Canton–College of Technology 

no 

University of Colorado at Boulder s n l Yes 

SUNY Orange u no 

SUNY Rockland Community College s Yes 

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs s u Yes 

University of Colorado Denver s u Yes 

Sussex County Community College 

Yes 

University of Connecticut s Yes 

Sweet Briar College s Yes 

Syracuse University s n u Yes 

University of Delaware s l Yes 

University of Denver s n u Yes 

Tech University of America 

no 

University of Florida s n u Yes 

Temple University s Yes 

Texas Christian University s Yes 

The City College of New York s u Yes 

The College of New Jersey s n u Yes 

The Community College of Baltimore County s u Yes 

The Evergreen State College s n u Yes 

The Nat’l Graduate School of Quality Management s u Yes 

The New School s Yes 

The Ohio State University Main Campus s u Yes 

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey s u Yes 

University of Hawai’i at Manoa s l Yes 

University of Houston – Downtown s Yes 

University of Houston, Victoria s n Yes 

University of Idaho s u Yes 

University of Illinois at Chicago s n u Yes 

University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign s u Yes 

University of LaVerne u N no 

University of Louisville s l Yes 

University of Maine s u Yes 

University of Maine at Augusta s n u Yes 

The Universities at Shady Grove 

Yes 

University of Maine at Farmington s n Yes 

The University of Memphis s Yes 

University of Maine at Fort Kent s u Yes 

The University of Montana – Helena College of Tech. 

no 

University of Maine at Machias s u Yes 

The University of Montana, Missoula s u Yes 

The University of Montana – Western s Yes 

The University of South Dakota s No 

University of Maine at Presque Isle s u Yes 

University of Maryland Baltimore s n u Yes 

University of Maryland Baltimore County s n u Yes 

The University of the Arts 

no 

Univ. of Maryland Center for Environmental Science s Yes 

Tiffin University u N no 

University of Maryland College Park s n Yes 

Toccoa Falls College 

no 

University of Maryland Eastern Shore s u Yes 

Tompkins Cortland Community College s u Yes 

Towson University s n Yes 

Transylvania University l no 

Trident Technical College u Yes 

Trinity College s Yes 

Trinity University s u Yes 

Truckee Meadows Community College s u Yes 

Tulane University s u Yes 

Union College s No 

University of Maryland University College s u Yes 

University of Massachusetts Amherst s Yes 

University of Massachusetts Boston s n Yes 

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth s u Yes 

University of Massachusetts Lowell s No 

University of Massachusetts Medical School s n Yes 

University of Miami s u Yes 

University of Minnesota, Crookston s u Yes 

University of Minnesota, Duluth s u Yes 

Union Theological Seminary 

no 

University of Minnesota, Morris s n u Yes 

Unity College s u Yes 

University of Alaska Anchorage s Yes 

University of Minnesota, Rochester s u Yes 

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities s u Yes 








University of Mississippi s Yes 

University of Missouri, Columbia u Yes 

University of Missouri, Kansas City s Yes 

University of Missouri, Saint Louis s u Yes 

University of Nevada, Las Vegas s Yes 

University of Nevada, Reno s n Yes 

University of Wyoming s n Yes 

Urbana University u Yes 

Ursinus College s u Yes 

Utah State University s Yes 

Valdosta State University u Yes 

Valencia Community College l Yes 

University of New England 

Yes 

Vermilion Community College s u Yes 

University of New Hampshire s n u Yes 

University of New Mexico Main Campus s n Yes 

Victor Valley College s n Yes 

Villanova University s u Yes 

University of New Mexico, Gallup 

University of New Mexico, Los Alamos 

University of New Mexico, Taos 

University of New Mexico, Valencia 

no 

no 

no 

no 

Virginia Commonwealth University s u Yes 

Virginia Wesleyan College s n u Yes 

Wagner College u N no 

Warren Wilson College s n u Yes 

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill s n u Yes 

Washington and Jefferson College l no 

University of North Carolina at Charlotte 

Yes 

Washington and Lee University s u Yes 

University of North Dakota s u Yes 

University of North Texas s u Yes 

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus s n u Yes 

University of Oregon s Yes 

University of Pennsylvania s n u Yes 

Washington College s Yes 

Washington State University Pullman s Yes 

Washington State University, Spokane s Yes 

Washington State University, Tri–Cities s Yes 

Washington State University, Vancouver s Yes 

University of Pittsburgh at Titusville 

no 

Washtenaw Community College s u Yes 

University of Portland s u Yes 

Weber State University s n u Yes 

University of Puget Sound u N no 

Webster University 

no 

University of Redlands s u Yes 

University of Rhode Island s u Yes 

University of Richmond s u Yes 

University of Saint Thomas s Yes 

University of South Carolina Aiken s n u Yes 

University of South Carolina Beaufort s n u Yes 

Wells College u Yes 

Wentworth Institute of Technology s Yes 

Wesley College s u Yes 

Wesleyan College s Yes 

Wesleyan University s Yes 

West Los Angeles College s u No 

University of South Carolina Columbia s n Yes 

West Valley College 

no 

University of South Carolina Lancaster 

no 

Westchester Community College 

no 

University of South Carolina Salkehatchie s n Yes 

University of South Carolina Sumter s n Yes 

University of South Carolina Union s n Yes 

Western Connecticut State University s u N no 

Western Iowa Tech Community College u N no 

Western Michigan University u Yes 

University of South Carolina Upstate s u No 

Western Nevada Community College 

no 

University of South Florida s Yes 

University of Southern Maine u N no 

University of Southern Mississippi s Yes 

Western Oregon University u Yes 

Western State College of Colorado s n u Yes 

Western Technical College s u Yes 

University of St. Francis 

no 

Western Washington University s u Yes 

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga u Yes 

Westfield State College 

no 

University of Tennessee, Knoxville s Yes 

Westminster College, Utah s Yes 

University of Toledo – Main Campus 

Yes 

Whatcom Community College u N no 

University of Utah s Yes 

Wheelock College s u Yes 

University of Vermont s u Yes 

Whittier College 

no 

University of Washington Bothell s n u Yes 

University of Washington Seattle s n u Yes 

University of Washington Tacoma s n u Yes 

University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire s l Yes 

University of Wisconsin, Green Bay s Yes 

University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh s n u Yes 

University of Wisconsin, River Falls s u Yes 

University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point s Yes 

University of Wisconsin, Stout s n u Yes 

Whitworth University s u No 

Wilkes University s No 

Willamette University s u Yes 

William Paterson University of New Jersey s n Yes 

Wilson College s u Yes 

Wilson Community College s n Yes 

Winona State University s n u Yes 

Wofford College s u Yes 

Worcester State College s u No 

University of Wisconsin, Superior 

no 

Xavier University s u Yes 

University of Wisconsin, Whitewater s u No 

Yeshiva University s u Yes 


31 


Sponsors & Endorsers 

We are grateful to the numerous foundations, nonprofits, corporations, schools, and individuals 

Foundation Sponsors 

Anonymous 

Foundation 

Anonymous 

Individual 

Endorsers 

American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) 

American Association of State Colleges & Universities (AASCU) 

American Forests 

Association of College & University Housing 

Officers International (ACUHO-I) 

Association of College Unions International (ACUI) 

Association of Governing Boards of Universities & Colleges (AGB) 

Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (APPA) 

Campaign for Environmental Literacy 

Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) 

National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) 

National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) 

National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) 

National Intramural-Recreational 

Sports Association (NIRSA) 

National Wildlife Federation 

Restoring Eden 

Society for College & 

University Planning (SCUP) 

Sustainable Endowments Institute 

The Conservation Fund 

The Wilderness Society 

Treehugger.com 

Trust for Public Land 

Union of Concerned Scientists 

Will Steger Foundation 

National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) 


Sponsors & Endorsers 

whose generous financial support in 2009 has helped make the ACUPCC a success. 

Corporate Program Sponsors 

Diamond Partner 

Platinum Partners 

Gold Partners 

Silver Partners 

Design: creativemint.com 

GLACIAL ENERGY 

For information about how you can support the American College & University Presidents’ Climate commitment, 

please contact Second Nature at 617.722.0036, or donate online at: http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/supporters 

33 


Cornell University’s Frank Perry (left), 

Combined Heat and Power Plant Associate 

Project Manager, meets with Sierra Club’s 

Bruce Nilles at the new plant, opened in 

2009. Turbines fired by natural gas and 

waste heat from the turbines generate 

electricity. Exhaust from steam turbines 

circulates through underground tunnels 

and warm radiators all over campus. 

The result: a 28% cut in emissions. 

Photo Courtesy of Cornell University 

www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org 

Second Nature is the lead supporting organization of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. 

Additional support is provided by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and ecoAmerica. 

617.722.0036 

www.secondnature.org 

859.258.2551 

www.aashe.org 

202.457.1900 

www.ecoamerica.org 

This annual report is printed with soy-based ink on process chlorine-free Mohawk Options Smooth 100% PC White, which is made with 100% post 

consumer recycled fiber and is Green Seal certified. Mohawk Fine Papers purchases enough Green-E certified renewable energy certificates (RECs) 

to match 100% of the electricity used in their operations. The paper selection for 2,800 copies of the report prevented 3,260 lbs net greenhouse gas 

emissions, preserves 35 trees for the future, averted 14,966 gallons of wastewater flow, and saved 24,956,000 BTUs of energy. 

Find us on Facebook: “American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment” 

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ACUPCC

ACUPCC 2009 Annual Report - Climate Commitment

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