ACUPCC Program Planning for 2011

By Toni Nelson, ACUPCC Program Director, Second Nature
(This article appears in the February, 2011 issue of The ACUPCC Implementer)

The support team at Second Nature has developed a plan for 2011 that will provide information and resources on key topics related to the implementation of climate action planning and sustainability education, as well as opportunities for signatories to gather in person to discuss challenges, opportunities, and ways to overcome barriers to these goals.  Second Nature is introducing a briefing paper series, “Viewpoints on Sustainability,” to provide information and resources on specific topics in a concise format that will highlight important concepts and related resources. A website redesign is also in the works, with a re-organized resources section that will group information by topic and thus make it easier to find information on specific topics of interest to the signatories.

Key Topics for 2011

Topics to be addressed through briefing papers, the ACUPCC Implementer, and webinars and other in-person events such as training workshops will include how to institutionalize sustainability at your institution, financing resources and opportunities, outreach to and engagement of the campus and local community, higher education’s role in adapting to climate change, and education for sustainability.

Financing

A particular emphasis will be made in 2011 to provide support and information regarding financing resources and opportunities.  The ACUPCC Steering Committee has created a Financing Sustainability Committee comprised of president and chief financial officers that is tasked with developing a set of recommendations to present to the Steering Committee at the Annual Leadership Summit in June.  The effort is being supported by the Clinton Climate Initiative and NACUBO, which will include financing as a focus at the 2011 Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference in April.

In-Person Meeting Opportunities

For Presidents, Provosts, and CFOs

The 2011 ACUPCC Annual Leadership Summit will be held at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. on June 23-24.  This event will focus on issues related to ACUPC policy and high-level decision-making in support of climate action planning and sustainability education implementation.

For Implementation Liaisons and Sustainability Staff

Implementation Liaison networking meetings will be held as part of the programming at NACUBO’s 2011 Smart & Sustainable Campuses Conference in Washington, D.C., April 3-5, and at the 2011 AASHE Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, October 9-12.  ILs have welcomed these opportunities to talk with their peers about specific projects and issues on their campuses.

For All Campus Sustainability Leaders

The ACUPCC plans to hold two regional gatherings in the next year.  The ACUPCC Northeast Regional Climate Leadership Symposium will be scheduled in early November 2011, most likely in the Boston area, and the ACUPCC Southwest Regional Climate Leadership Symposium will be scheduled in February 2012, most likely in Phoenix.  Regional events will be hosted by ACUPCC institutions and will follow a similar format to the national summit, with an evening keynote and dinner, and working sessions the following day.