Second Nature invites signatory institutions to submit applications for Climate Leadership Awards

 

 

Deadline Extended

Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards

Recognizing Innovation and Excellence in Climate Leadership at Signatory Institutions of the

American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment

 

2013 Call for Nominations 

Second Nature invites nominations for the 4th Annual Climate Leadership Awards, recognizing innovative and advanced leadership in education for sustainability, climate mitigation and adaptation, and institutionalized sustainability at signatory campuses of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment.

Nominations are now being accepted from current American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) signatory institutions in good standing. Nominees will be considered based on their commitment to climate neutrality and sustainability education, and innovative leadership. Please review the Nomination Process listed below for more information.

Applications must be submitted using the online form by midnight November 30th, 2012.

A select group of Finalists will be chosen in January 2012 and featured in partnership withPlanetForward.org, the web to television initiative that asks citizens and experts to share energy, climate and sustainability innovations, to highlight the leadership of the ACUPCC network.  Finalists will create a short video to be used in a variety of publicity opportunities including a public voting competition with PlanetForward.org, features with Bloomberg TV, and exclusive articles with the Huffington Post, Sustainable Cities Collective, and EnergyChallenge Blog.

Award winners are chosen in Spring 2013 by Second Nature Board of Directors members unaffiliated with signatory institutions, and will be honored by Second Nature in an awards ceremony at the ACUPCC Presidential Summit, in addition to other publicity opportunities.

NOMINATION MATERIALS

Eligible Institutions: 
Institution must be a signatory to the ACUPCC, and must be in good standing with the ACUPCC (i.e. have no outstanding, overdue reports). See if your institution is in good standing by visiting the ACUPCC Reporting System.

Institutional Categories

  • Doctorate Granting University
  • Master's Colleges and Universities
  • Baccalaureate College
  • Associate/Tribal Colleges
  • Special Focus College

Nomination Process: 
Fill out online Nomination Form for 2013 Awards

Any signatory institution that meets the pre-requisites may nominate itself by filling out the application form above. Applications are due November 30th, 2012.

Award finalists will be asked to submit a video accompanying their application form in Spring 2013; no video submissions are due at the time of the initial application deadline.

Finalists and Videos

All finalists will create a short video for feature on the PlanetForward.org website and in promotional materials.  Videos will be open to the public in Spring 2012, where users can vote on the most innovative campus in each Carnegie Classification. 

Campuses with the top votes will be featured at the Planet Forward Conference and in other publicity. In addition, every entrant will have the opportunity to be featured on Planet Forward’s front page and as a feature.   
http://planetforward.org/climate-leadership-awards/ 

Evaluation Criteria: 
Applications will be evaluated based on the climate leadership of programs, administration, the campus community, and overall achievements of the campus.  Campuses are encouraged to consider the following in their application:

  • Student Preparedness
    How is your campus creating educational opportunities within the classroom and other learning environments on campus to prepare students for climate change, and the new green economy?  In what ways has your campus provided learning opportunities around climate disruption and sustainability, for students or other community members? How is your campus addressing the academic and/or research aspects of the Commitment? What community partnerships have created experiential learning opportunities linking campus to community?
     
  • Climate Innovation 
    How has your campus created new and effective projects, initiatives, or programs to educate, address, and prepare the campus and surrounding community adapt to a planet that is changing as a result of climate change?
     
  • Creating Opportunity
    In what creative ways has your campus invested in conservation, efficiency, demand reduction, and clean energy production? Have you partnered with utilities, suppliers, local communities, etc. to scale up investments in order to achieve greater GHG reductions? How has your campus utilized its social and political capital to reduce emissions not directly within the institution's control?  How has the campus reduced expenses and made strategic sustainable investments in order to fund other opportunities on campus?

SELECTION PROCESS
Nominations will be evaluated and both finalists and award winners will be selected by members of the Second Nature Board not affiliated with ACUPCC institutions, and in consultation with the Second Nature staff.

2-3 finalists in each institutional category will be chosen and notified in January 2013 and will be asked to produce a short video to be featured on the Planet Forward.org website.

VIDEO GUIDELINES
Videos should be between 2-3 minutes, and should focus on the innovation that your project, initiative, or program presents. For more information on the video guidelines, see Planet Forward's "Learn How To Make a Video" page.  Videos are only needed from award finalists, who will be notified in January 2013, after submitting their nomination in November 2012.

Contact your Communications or Media Relations Department early and share this exciting opportunity for highlighting the success of your campus sustainability efforts and the innovation of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment as a whole. Consider involving students, or a media/communications/production class in the process of producing your campus's accompanying nomination video.

http://planetforward.org/climate-leadership-awards/

For questions about the Nomination Process and Awards, please contact:
Sarah Brylinsky, Program Associate (Second Nature)
Email: sbrylinsky@secondnature.org 
Phone: 617 722 0036 ext. 205

For questions about video production and media highlights for Finalists, please contact:
Joel Goldberg, Outreach Coordinator (Planet Forward)
Email: joel@planetforward.org

 

 

Publication Date: 
Tuesday, March 8, 2011