University of La Verne Named Top Green College by Princeton Review
La Verne, Calif. (PRWEB) May 14, 2015 -- The University of La Verne’s sustainability efforts have again earned the institution a spot in the Princeton Review’s annual Guide to Green Colleges. It is the fifth time La Verne has been included in this report, which is reserved for colleges and universities with the highest “Green Rating” scores.
The 2015 Guide to 353 Green Colleges includes 347 U.S. institutions, five in Canada and one in Egypt. La Verne made the list because it scored at least 83 points in a range from 60 to 99 points related to sustainability efforts and education. Data was collected from a 2013-14 survey of school administrators.
“We are pleased that our sustainability efforts continue to be recognized,” said Dr. Clive Houston-Brown, Vice President for Facilities and Technology, Chief Information Officer and Co-Chair of the Sustainable Campus Consortium.
Dr. Christine Broussard, Professor of Biology and Co-Chair of the Sustainable Campus Consortium, considered La Verne’s inclusion in the report five out of the six times it has been released to be a great honor.
“This kind of recognition tells us and the nation that engaging in sustainability education and practice is a consistent mission of the University of La Verne,” Dr. Broussard said.
Institutions recognized in the report were selected for being environmentally aware and sustainable. The report placed emphasis on universities that prepare students for employment in a clean-energy economy, but also teach students about living in a world defined by environmental concerns and opportunities. Colleges honored also have environmentally-responsible policies.
It is the latest in a string of state and national honors the University has received. Vista La Verne residence hall received gold certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) in 2013, the first such honor to be given to any building in the city. The institution joined the Billion Dollar Green Challenge in 2013, committing to establishing a $400,000 fund toward energy-saving measures on campus. And the Sara & Michael Abraham Campus Center received silver LEED certification when it opened in 2009.
Recent green initiatives include the grand opening on Earth Day of the University of La Verne Community Garden, a site where the campus community can grow produce. The University has numerous utility-reduction projects scheduled for the summer. These include upgrading and replacing air-conditioning systems in Mainiero Hall, Founders Hall and the Hoover Building, Houston-Brown said. Workers also plan to install LED lighting in Mainiero.
Starting in the fall, La Verne students from any major can sign up for a minor in sustainability, Dr. Broussard said.
“The minor will allow students on any career track to apply sustainability principles to their own career arenas and advocate for sustainability in ways that benefit the planet and their career endeavors,” she said.
Melissa Pinion, University of La Verne, http://www.laverne.edu, 909-448-4999, [email protected]
Share this article