The AUP Community’s Commitment to Campus Sustainability

by the Advisory Board on Environmental Sustainability

The Advisory Board on Environmental Sustainability, which reports directly to the President and Provost, takes for its mission the centralizing of information and ideas about environmental sustainability for the AUP community and the organization and support of on-campus projects and events related to environmental sustainability. It is composed of two staff members, two faculty members and two undergraduate students, all appointed by President Celeste Schenck in Fall 2020. The Advisory Board meets every other week to discuss ongoing campus initiatives, design new projects and events, and relay updates from across the AUP community. We are looking to add a graduate representative to the board, so don’t hesitate to reach out if interested.

By including members of all on-campus constituencies the Advisory Board aims to represent and unite the entire AUP community in efforts to reduce the University’s carbon footprint and to educate each other about environmental issues. In the past 70 years, the world has witnessed an acceleration of global warming, degradation of biodiversity, wildfires, floods, droughts, deforestation, pollution and warming seas. Never has the climate changed so quickly and radically for Earth’s 7.8 billion inhabitants. People will be burdened with higher temperatures and rising sea levels, which will in turn lead to increased social injustice and inequality.

The Advisory Board believes that AUP’s global outlook and liberal arts tradition make it a perfect place for encouraging people to join the planet-wide effort to work toward a shared future of sustainability and social justice. We invite all AUP community members to participate in this global movement to keep the Earth habitable. Whether you are an undergraduate, graduate, faculty member or staff member, if you have a question, concern or comment about environmental projects on campus; a suggestion for a campus-wide event related to the environment; or an idea for making AUP a more sustainable place, please reach out to the Advisory Board at sustainabilityaup.edu.

Collaborating Across Campus

The Advisory Board welcomes visits from any community member or organization looking to collaborate on projects or events related to sustainability and the environment. We work to support and share information with the two other on-campus organizations dedicated to environmental issues: the AUP Green student club and the Environmental and Community Service (ECS) Committee, a branch of the Student Government Association.

AUP Green invites all students interested in environmental issues to attend their meetings and events. Their current priority is to roll out an educational campaign around recycling – look out for posters mounted above trash and recycling stations across campus and leaflets distributed throughout university buildings. AUP Green also organizes classroom visits and other activities. If you are a student with an idea for a cool event or activity related to the environment, or if you want to hang out with other students who are passionate about the environment, reach out to AUP Green at aupgreenaup.edu.

The ECS Committee was established in Fall 2019 to provide assistance to students interested in implementing environmental or other community-service projects. It works as a liaison between students and their clubs, as well as between clubs. If you are a student with an idea for a project that could make AUP a greener campus and you are looking for funding to support that idea, the ECS Committee will put you in touch with the right person to help you grow your idea. You can contact the committee at sga_serviceaup.edu.

The Advisory Board on Environmental Sustainability is: faculty members Elena Berg and Albert Cath, staff members Brenda Torney and David Horn, and undergraduate students Sandra Lefaure and Alayna Amrein.