Ball State University Recognized for Climate Leadership
Ball State University (BSU) receivesSecond Nature’s 1st Annual Climate Leadership Award for Institutional Excellence in Climate Leadership. Award recipients were recognized at the 4th Annual American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) Summit in Denver, CO on October 12th
Ball State University President, Dr. Jo Ann Gora, is one of the twelve founding members of the ACUPCC Leadership Circle. BSU is in the midst of installing a geothermal‐based district system. When complete, it will eliminate the annual burning of 36,000 tons of coal, reducing yearly CO2e emissions by 85,000 tons and saving $2 million in net fuel costs per year.
Academically, BSU offers a university‐wide Cluster of Minors in Sustainable Practices and uses a classification tool called ‘WISER’ to identify core courses that meet the following sustainability‐education criteria; Writing (W), International Awareness (I), Service and Civic Engagement (S), Environmental Awareness and Sustainability (E), and Respect for diversity among peoples and cultures (R). BSU’s ‘Green’‐for‐Green summer workshop program facilitates the inclusion of environmental issues in teaching, research and service and has enrolled one‐fourth of tenured and tenure‐line faculty.
The Indianapolis Center is base camp for BSU’s Green Ambassador Indiana Outreach Program and has employed sustainability principles and practices in design guidelines for the Indiana Department of Education and career guidelines for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The Building Better Communities Program provides immersive learning opportunities for students through outreach services. BSU’s Council on the Environment is the longest‐standing green committee within Indiana Higher Education.