Tulane University 2008 Campus Sustainability Leadership Award Application
Category
Four-year and Graduate Institutions over 7,500 FTE
Tulane's Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life was a 2008 Top Ten Green Project
Photographer: Paula Burch-Celentano
Contact
Liz Davey
Program Manager
Office of Environmental Affairs/CBR
Tulane University
New Orleans , LA
(504) 865-5145
ldavey@tulane.edu
Governance & Administration
Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Tulane University reopened with a dedication to being a strong force in rebuilding New Orleans as a healthier, stronger, more resilient and sustainable community. "We are determined to find opportunity in the face of adversity," said President Scott Cowen in announcing the university's Renewal Plan. "Tulane will do more than just survive; we will thrive and continue our role as a beacon of learning and research for the region and nation, as well as a dynamic engine of growth and change for New Orleans and its citizens."
The Renewal Plan actualized this commitment with the creation of the Center for Public Service (CPS), which coordinates Tulane's community-based research and service activities as well as serving as an intellectual and physical space for sustained university/community partnerships. CPS supports Tulane's public service graduation requirement, but also provides public service support beyond the campus community, facilitating AmeriCorps*VISTA placements with local non-profit organizations and assisting with placement of volunteers visiting New Orleans. CPS has a staff of 20.
President Cowen was appointed to the city's Bring New Orleans Back Commission and charged with leading a committee to reform and rebuild the city's failing public school system. Tulane chartered a K-12 school in New Orleans and created an Institute to support the transformation of public education in New Orleans. The Cowen Institute for Public Education is an action-oriented think-tank that actively addresses the issues impeding student achievement by designing and advancing innovative, high-impact policies and programs. The Cowen Institute's leadership and high-visibility efforts, including the presentation and publication of an annual "State of Public Education in New Orleans" survey, along with efforts to research and draft legislation crucial to improving the learning environment for children, have kept public education at the forefront of public concern and policy.
In spring of 2008, Tulane hosted the first Clinton Global Initiative University, which drew students from around the country to discuss solutions to the challenges of energy and climate change, global health, poverty alleviation, peace and human rights. The university made a commitment to develop a model for other universities to follow to implement their own public-service graduation requirements. Tulane also pledged to provide cost-effective, accessible health care for people who cannot afford health insurance. The School of Medicine, in cooperation with community groups, is building and managing new community-based health centers in New Orleans that will offer high-quality, preventative care for the uninsured.
That same month Tulane hosted the Clinton Global Initiative University, President Cowen signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging to develop a plan to reach climate neutrality and enhance education and research focused on climate change. A Climate Commitment Advisory Committee, including faculty, staff and students, has been formed. Tulane has an Office of Environmental Affairs that develops environmental sustainability initiatives in collaboration with campus departments and offices. Five staff and seven student employees focus on campus environmental sustainability.
Operations
In December 2007, Tulane completed energy efficiency improvement projects on the uptown campus that will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by 8,000 tons, or approximately 10 percent of the uptown campus' emissions. Measures implemented included lighting upgrades and occupancy sensors in the residence halls and improvements to heating and cooling systems. As part of this project, water conservation retrofits were done that are expected to save 20,000,000 gallons per year.
In 2008, the Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life was recognized as one of the 2008 Top Ten Green Projects by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE). This award recognizes the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
Tulane University currently has three different types of LEED Green Building Projects underway. The renovation of Dinwiddie Hall, a 45,000 square foot building built in 1923, is the university's first major LEED effort. The university is pursuing LEED NC 2.2 certification for this project. Tulane's A Studio in the Woods is participating in the LEED for Homes Program with a target of platinum certification. The building will be carbon neutral, using photovoltaic sources for 100 percent of its energy needs. In 2008-09, staff and student residents of Wall Residential College will work together to certify the residence hall's operations according to the LEED Existing Building: Operations and Maintenance standard.
On the uptown campus, Tulane recycles paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastic bottles and electronics. For the year 2007, the estimated recycling diversion rate of the uptown campus was 9.6 percent. With the recent return of a local vendor who can handle commingled recyclables, bottle and can recycling containers have been returned to the grounds and are now available for large events. Tulane runs donation drives in the residence halls during move-out, collecting tons of clothing, household items, Mardi Gras beads, nonperishable food, and books for area non-profits.
Waste reduction measures implemented this year include the release of a student-designed, signature reusable cup, which can be used with substantial discounts at campus eateries. Three thousand of these cups have been sold or given away. The same university offices that produced the cup are now collaborating on a signature reusable bag. To reduce food waste and reduce dishwasher use, Dining Services removed trays from the main cafeteria.
Tulane offers several shuttle services to help students and employees travel without a car. An on-off campus shuttle gives evening rides home to surrounding neighborhoods, and Saturday Grocery and Entertainment Shuttles are operated in partnership with Loyola University. A major project to remove parking and vehicle traffic from the center of the uptown campus will result in significant enhancement of pedestrian and bicycle travel, and improve access to public transportation.
In 2007-2008, the student Green Club and the Office of Environmental Affairs held a Fall used bike sale and offered free bike repair instruction every Sunday.
The university also adopted biodiesel in the uptown campus fleet at the beginning of 2008.
Curriculum & Research
Tulane has a two-part Public Service graduation requirement. All students must take one service-learning course before the end of their sophomore year, and they must complete a more substantial public service experience, such as an internship, public service research project, honors thesis or international experience during their junior or senior year. The Center for Public Service requested from schools, departments and programs a plan for implementation of a permanent curriculum that would support the graduation requirement. As a result, service learning classes with an environmental, social justice and/or community resilience focus are offered in the curriculum on a regular basis by departments throughout the university. In Fall 2008, twenty courses and thirty nine sections will be offered for service learning credit, along with six public service internship seminars that bring together students who are doing internships for weekly discussions.
Almost every school within the university offers undergraduates or graduate students an environmental major or focus. These include a top-ranked Environmental Law program, Environmental Health Sciences degrees at the graduate and undergraduate levels, an Environmental Science degree and studios and courses that focus on sustainable design in the School of Architecture. The Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Earth and Environmental Sciences departments have strong programs that address coastal sustainability and global change. In 2007-2008 the Environmental Studies curriculum was revised and expanded into a new Environmental Studies major, which includes required courses in the areas of "Civic Engagement and Local Environments" and "Built Environments." During the past year, new courses were offered in "Infrastructure of Sustainable Urban Environments" (300-level Earth & Environmental Sciences) and "Renewable Energy Resources" (700 level, Finance, A.B. Freeman School of Business.)
Since 2006, architecture students working in URBANBuild and Tulane City Center studios have provided urban planning and design services, with an emphasis on affordable, sustainable design, to low-income and underserved New Orleans neighborhoods. In the first year after Hurricane Katrina, Tulane architecture students designed and built an exemplary affordable home with sustainable features in the Treme neighborhood, possibly the first home constructed after the storm that publicly demonstrated hurricane-resistant, neighborhood-sensitive design strategies. This project was followed by the GreenBuild, a modular, eco-friendly prototype built by students in Central City. This experience is now a curriculum requirement. Fourth year architecture students spend one semester working in the Tulane City Center, which houses the school's urban research and outreach programs. Additionally, environmental studies are part of the second year curriculum for students in the School of Architecture.
Tulane requires every first year student to participate in a Tulane Interdisciplinary Experience Seminar, a small seminar that explores an interdisciplinary topic under the guidance of a faculty member. Seminars offered for Fall 2009 with a focus on sustainability include Public Education in New Orleans, Greening the Media, Going Green in New Orleans (sustainable design & renewable energy in rebuilding), Global Warming & Climate Change, Non-profit Organizations and Katrina Recovery, and Energy & the Environment: Meeting Future Energy Needs Locally and Globally.
Campus Culture
Discussions of climate change were a major focus of the 2007 new student orientation and the first-year experience. The Tulane Reading Project-a program that selects a first-year book for all incoming students-sent all first year students Elizabeth Kolbert's Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature and Climate Change, which includes chapters on creating a more sustainable society. All first-year students attended a lecture on climate change research by a Tulane professor, and then met for small group discussions about the book with faculty. Resident Assistants (R.A.s) were given ideas and resources for sustainability programs that they could offer to their residents to follow-up from the discussions of the book. These initial discussions were continued at the beginning of the second semester, when Tulane held a one day event titled "Focus the Nation: A campus-wide conversation about climate change." Over 20 faculty from 15 different departments spoke; the event's audience of over 550 people included students from 30 different courses. In conjunction with the event, Tulane hosted the final stop of "NorthSouthEastWest: A 360° View of Climate Change," an outdoor exhibit of photographs depicting the effects of climate change on ordinary people around the world.
An "Energy Star Showcase Dorm Room" is used to educate incoming students about the importance of energy efficient purchasing. To encourage energy efficient purchasing, in summer 2007, Tulane held an essay contest that awarded two first year roommates all new energy efficient appliances, including computers.
IN Exchange, a store that sells fair trade products and works by local and international artisans, is a socially conscious venture created by Tulane students and located in the Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life.
As part of Tulane's participation in RecycleMania, Tulane student recycling coordinators organize and lead an on-campus RecycleMania competition. In the spring 2008 competition, 15 student teams-a total of 300 students--recycled over 16,000 pounds of cardboard, paper, aluminum cans and plastics.
In spring of 2008, Tulane hosted the first Clinton Global Initiative University, an event that drew 700 hundred students from around the country to discuss solutions and make commitments to address to the challenges of energy and climate change, global health, poverty alleviation, and peace and human rights. About 100 Tulane students participated, and a sustainability council is being formed to assist them in implementing their commitments.
The Green Club is a student environmental service and education organization that promotes sustainability on campus. In addition to the work of the Green Club and the students who have made Clinton Global Initiative Commitments, many students received support from many campus offices for independently-initiated sustainability projects. For example, the Juggling Club is building an on-campus garden, with raised beds available for residence halls and student organizations. A team of R.A.s organized "Marsh Madness," an on-campus festival focusing on Louisiana's coastal wetland loss. A senior received a grant from the Newcomb College Institute to organize student volunteers to install cfl bulbs in the homes of New Orleanians.
Community Service and Outreach
It is difficult to summarize Community Service & Outreach efforts at Tulane University, as departments, offices, and organizations across the university have joined in efforts to rebuild New Orleans as a stronger, healthier community.
In addition supporting service-learning projects and internships, the Center for Public Service supports community partners by guiding an AmeriCorps*VISTA program that helps community partners build capacity to work with public service students from Tulane. The VISTA members also work on additional development projects specified by the partner organizations during their term of service.
Over the years, students have been strong leaders in Tulane's community service efforts. The Community Action Council of Tulane University Students (CACTUS) is one of the oldest and largest student-run community service organizations in the nation. It has twelve projects that provide education and recreation opportunities for local children and six projects supporting local human service agencies. "Outreach Tulane," a large-scale day of community service, is held the first Saturday of every academic year to introduce students to community service. The Green Club, the student environmental education and service organization, provides service opportunities in the areas of recycling, tree planting, wetland restoration, and environmental education.
The Environmental Law Program at the Tulane Law School provides representation and education on pressing environmental issues to the region. Through Tulane's Environmental Law Clinic, student lawyers provide representation to community organizations and members across the state who could not otherwise afford competent legal help on environmental issues. The Environmental Law Society, a student organization, hosts an annual conference on Law, Science and the Environment that provides an important community venue for understanding and discussing emerging environmental and sustainability issues.
Several Tulane Centers have staff and projects dedicated to facilitating the incorporation of sustainable design into the rebuilding and redevelopment of New Orleans neighborhoods. The Center for Bioenvironmental Research assisted the Holy Cross/Lower 9th Ward neighborhood in the development the Holy Cross Historic District and Lower 9th Ward Sustainable Restoration Plan-a neighborhood recovery plan that emphasizes energy efficiency and redeveloping as a climate neutral neighborhood. The CBR assisted in the creation of the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development. These efforts are part of a broad partnership of environmental organizations, universities, and neighbors working to help the Holy Cross neighborhood rebuild and be an inspiring example of a sustainable New Orleans.
In the School of Architecture, the URBANBuild program and Tulane City Center have partnered with Neighborhood Housing Services to design and construct of affordable, resilient, sustainable homes in lesser-served New Orleans neighborhoods. Websites, media coverage, open houses and tours share the design and building strategies before the home is sold at cost to a New Orleanian. The GreenBuild home made modular, environmentally-friendly building techniques a priority and held a well-attended open house in December 2007.
After Hurricane Katrina, service-learning students working in Tulane's Office of Environmental Affairs updated a New Orleans City Recycling Guide to provide New Orleans residents recycling information while curbside recycling is suspended.
