Prescott College

Prescott College

Campus Category:

Four year and graduate institutions under 5,000 student FTE

Contact Information

Mary

Lin

Marketing and PR

Education

One of oldest environmentally focused colleges in country/world
Mission-based education which mandates focus on environmental and social sustainability suffused throughout curriculum
One of first full undergraduate curriculums in the nation to focus on Sustainable Community Development (SCD). Founding faculty member Terril Shorb has just completed a case study of the SCD program and found that all eleven graduates interviewed are fully engaged in sustainable activities in their communities.
First Sustainability Education PhD program
College’s SEED (Sustainability) Committee funds, through a proposal process, student and faculty- initiated sustainability projects which enhance the student experience and deepen curriculum in sustainability
Community based sustainable “how-to” programs and activist presentations and discussions through College community events and the Center for Extended Studies (hundreds of events/opportunities for community each year)

Collaborations

CIEL consortium: colleges pooling resources for online-based language education and field programs
Ecosa Institute: sustainable design program partnership with the College

Research

Conservation projects and sustainable fishing research by faculty and students in Kino Bay region of Mexico, impacting health of biologically diverse and important region, and local and national (Mexican) fishing policy
Conservation and other research projects across Southwest resulting in published papers by students and faculty, including invasive species eradication in Grand Canyon, etc.
Ongoing research in sustainable Natural Systems Agriculture
Ongoing grazing and fire ecology research by Faculty members Lisa and David Hanna, Tom Fleischner, students and alumni
Important policy paper on adjusting fertilizer use globally to address needs of population and reduce environmental degradation/ global warming effects, by coalition including Dr. Tim Crews, in Science this past month
A comprehensive case study of the Sustainable Community Development program performed by director Terril Shorb for his PhD thesis reveals its “Butterfly Curriculum” to be suitably well- rounded and highly applicable in the diverse communities where graduates have used its guiding principles.

Faculty Development

Diversity training (diversity is an important aspect of College’s definition of sustainability)

Staff Development

The College’s staff- initiated Staff Partnership organization offers staff development programs developed and offered by staff - sharing our talents - including greening our individual offices, etc.

Climate

One of first signatories of President’s Climate Committment and in compliance with that agreement, completing Carbon Audit in collaboration with Sustainability Committee (SEED) and several classes

Grounds

Xeriscaping in place or planned across campus with two year (?) estimated completion of installment
Campus-wide Gardenification project growing food for College use run by Agroecology program
Our Autumn leaves are composted with our Café scraps and coffee grinds, keeping these valuable nutrients on-site for the campus vegetable gardens next season.

Buildings

Purchasing

Bookstore - Eco-purchasing is our primary focus. Whenever reasonable we purchase products that are made from renewable resources, recycled products and which are responsibly manufactured in the US. Focus on products made by local folks.

Food

Focus on local and organic foods in Cafe (Food Service)
Some foods grown by students in campus gardens
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) hosted by College serves local community members
Campus composting bins for food waste, designed and built with help of students

Other

Recycling across campus and ban on sale of certain disposables
Conversion this year to energy-saving blade servers by IRT staff
Paperless processing in place for three years now in Financial Aid
Paperless processes for student administrative needs being planned for and implemented across the College, starting with Adult Degree Program, funded in part by SEED (sustainability) committee

Transportation

Bike-friendly campus
Bike racks at buildings students use
Student-run bike cooperative, HUB, provides tools, space and volunteer assistance to work on and build bikes, to the local town and community

College invests conservatively for the most part in relatively neutral investment instruments, with some funds alloted for management by board members in sustainable and "green" fund. To the extent practicable, the College avoids investing in individual securities whose underlying business derive the majority of its income from the production, sale, or distribution of alcohol, tobacco, land mines, or chemical agents used as weapons of war. The college also, to the extent practicable, gives preference to individual securities whose underlying business has demonstrated a progressive approach to environmental issues including, but not limited to, waste disposal, recycling, and wise resource management, and to individual securities whose underlying business has demonstrated a progressive approach to social issues.
SEED (Sustainability) Committee has done research and is working on developing comprehensive sustainability guidelines for College, ETA Fall '00
Campus Development Plan (currently in development) focuses on sustainable new buildings, xeriscaping, food growing, sustainable retrofits of old buildings, minimizing impact and footprint, and balancing social and environmental sustainability concerns
College-wide Diversity Committee revised and created a substantial new version of Diversity Plan this past year iwth help of outside advising, and has begun implementation, with first major project implementation of a new student diversity course

Please email resources@aashe.org with any suggestions, additions or updates.