Sept. 14, 2007
University of Wisconsin-Stout Chancellor Charles W. Sorensen signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment Sept. 12, making the campus a Charter Signatory for the pledge.
The climate commitment agreement is a promise by college and university leaders nationwide to reduce and ultimately neutralize greenhouse gas emissions on their campuses and to provide their graduates the education to help society to do the same.
Sorensen joins at least 375 other campus leaders in becoming a Charter Signatory of the climate commitment document. The request to sign the document was brought by the Stout Student Association and supported by leadership on the Chancellor’s advisory council.
“UW-Stout already is the most energy efficient campus in the UW System,” Chancellor Charles W. Sorensen said. “Our work on the goals contained in this agreement will build on that accomplishment.”
The chancellor also created an environmental sustainability coordinator position, filled by Raina Clark Sept. 4.
In her role, Clark brings together the various people and projects on campus committed to environmental sustainability to develop a cooperative campus-wide approach. She also will develop and implement an outreach program to achieve maximum participation in energy conservation, storm water management and recycling and waste reduction.
“We already have so many people on campus devoted to sustainability,” Clark said. “It’s just a matter of bringing them together so they can capitalize on each others’ efforts. Once we have an environmental sustainability plan in place, my biggest job will be communicating that plan to campus and the surrounding community.”
For details of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, go to www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org.
