Allegheny College Calls on Higher Education Community to Accelerate Climate Action and Address Intertwined Social and Economic Issues
Develops Seven-Step Resolution for Resilient, Carbon-Free Campuses and Communities
MEADVILLE, Pa., April 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allegheny College, one of the nation's oldest and most innovative four-year colleges where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold, is calling on higher education institutions in the U.S. to accelerate climate action by tackling intertwined issues of climate, social and economic inequality and public health. The College has developed a seven-point resolution aiming to decarbonize campuses by transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, to support the development of regional energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, and to cultivate and participate in more inclusive and resilient local communities.
Allegheny College was one of the first 10 institutions of higher education in the United States to achieve carbon neutrality, doing so in 10 years without a substantial endowment, a large staff or a big budget. For the last five years, the College's Environmental Science and Sustainability program has been listed among the top five in the U.S. for its interdisciplinary, experiential approach.
"Allegheny College is building on our carbon neutrality to achieve community resilience, while moving to ensure inclusion and success for all students in everything we do," said President Hilary Link, Ph.D. "Climate action is not only about preserving natural spaces, protecting endangered species and reducing global emissions, but also about improving rural and urban environments and ensuring equity and participation for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by climate change."
For Allegheny College, climate justice means that those who have traditionally been most harmed must be most involved in developing solutions and visioning the future. To this end, the College has launched a new Office for Economic, Civic and Community Engagement that will move beyond campus-focused climate action to involving the local and regional community in inclusive solutions and a vision for a strong and resilient future.
Allegheny College's resolution for individual colleges and universities includes seven short- and long-term steps to simultaneously confront climate, social and economic, as well as public health issues on their campuses and in their surrounding communities.
"We are calling on the higher education community to join our commitment to climate action, catapulting off the challenges posed by the pandemic, social injustice and financial adversities to dramatically address the impact of our environmental footprints on our campuses and the surrounding communities," noted President Link, a member of Second Nature's Climate Leadership Steering Committee.
About Allegheny College
Allegheny College, founded in 1815, is one of the nation's oldest and most innovative four-year colleges where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold. It is one of the few colleges in the United States with a unique requirement to choose both a major and minor for graduation, to provide students with a cross-disciplinary path in the sciences and humanities for educational depth and intellectual growth. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Allegheny College is one of 40 colleges featured in Loren Pope's "Colleges That Change Lives." In its 2021 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny College in its Top 20 Best in Undergraduate Teaching and Top 30 Most Innovative National Liberal Arts Colleges.
Media Contact
Josh Tysiachney
Allegheny College
814-332-2746
[email protected]
SOURCE Allegheny College
