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History and Commitments


A tradition of excellence in sustainability commitments and environmental conservation has translated today into institutional accountability and collegiate leadership.


Download the full report here

History

Since 1966, the Dickinson tradition of community commitment, planning, and environmental education has grown into one of the most talked about institutional commitments in America.  Dickinson’s commitment to sustainability has deep roots in the facilities and curriculum of the college.  From the College’s management of The Reineman Wildlife Sanctuary , a 3,000 acre reserve in Perry County, beginning in 1966, to the establishment of the first Environmental Studies class in 1970, dedication of The Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM)  in 1986, and introduction of recycling in 1991, both campus operations and community engagement have spurred on growth and leadership in sustainability. 

 

Today

A new initiative to make study of sustainability a defining characteristic of a Dickinson education was launched with the opening of the 2008-2009 academic year. Under the initiative, with the support of a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and matching funds from the College, we are integrating sustainability across the college curriculum, encompassing the natural sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, and study abroad programs. The Living Laboratory initiative connects and enriches classroom learning with direct, hands-on experiences in research and co-curricular and extra-curricular programs, a faculty sustainability development program strengthens existing curriculum and provides new professional development opportunities, and student-faculty research projects take academic inquiry in to the field.


 

Explore the topics below to find out more about the development of the sustainability initiative at Dickinson College, our institutional commitments and strategic planning, and mitigation strategies for reducing our carbon and resource footprints.


Changing Together: History of All-College Committees 

 

 

Historical Committees
The first society for discussing sustainability issues on campus was formed in 1987: ‘Dickinsonians Advocating Resourcefulness in the Environment,’ a mainly student-based advisory and discussion group.  1991 marked the creation of the ‘President’s Commission on the Environment’ (COTE), the first committee of faculty, staff, students, and alumni which provided guidance to the College President on environmental issues. COTE submitted an official proposal in 2004 recommending that environmental sustainability be elevated to a “Defining Characteristic” of the College in the Strategic Plan, and was renamed in 2006 to the ‘Society Advocating Environmental Sustainability’ (Dickinson SAVES).

 
Changing Committees 
Students debate on a sustainability forum (2005)
 
Present Committees
SAVES continues to serve as a forum for students, staff, faculty, and alumni to share information about sustainability at Dickinson and work together to promote sustainable initiatives in student life, campus culture, institutional resources, facilities management, and community outreach.
>>LEARN MORE AT THE SAVES WEBSITE 

Additionally, in 2009 the ‘President’s Commission on Environmental Sustainability’, comprised of administrators from every division of the college, was formed to guide the continued development of a strategic vision for sustainability at Dickinson, identify priority actions needed to advance the vision, promote engagement of the major divisions of the college in the initiative, provide a forum to share information among the major divisions, coordinate cross-divisional efforts, monitor and evaluate progress, and provide advice to the President.
 
1987: DARE        (Dickinsonians Advocating Resourcefulness
                               in the Environment)
1991: COTE         (President’s Commission on the Environment)
2004: SAVES      (Society Advocating Environmental Sustainability )
2009: PCES        (President’s Commission on Environmental Sustainability)
 
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Walking the Walk  

American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) Leadership Signatory (2007)

Dickinson College has taken a proactive stance on climate change. President William G. Durden ’71 signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)  as part of the Leadership Circle in 2007 . In doing so, Dickinson College pledged to become climate neutral.  This commitment not only signifies the College’s dedication to playing a role in the global fight against climate change, but also reflects Dickinson’s dedication to its central mission: education.
 
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Taking the Long View: Strategic and Master Planning

Dickinson’s Strategic Plan  and the Dickinson College Campus Master Plan (2008) highlight sustainability as a defining characteristic of the college.  These guiding documents commit the college to strive toward a number of goals that contribute to creating a sustainable society. Theses include:

  •  preparing young people for engaged lives of citizenship and leadership in the service of society;
  • enabling members of the college community to act as responsible and effective global citizens;
  • promoting principles of openness, pluralism, inclusiveness and democracy;
  • integrating environmental accountability into our decision-making and planning; and
  • instilling a culture of ecological sustainability, prudent use of resources, and respect for the natural world that supports civilized society.

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Greening Our Footprint

    Climate Change Action Plan  (2009)
    Dickinson has set a date of 2020 for becoming climate neutral. The Climate Change Action Plan details how the College will achieve this ambitious goal. Dickinson has already made important strides in recent years to reduce and offset its greenhouse gas emissions and these efforts are being intensified. Implementation of the action plan will reduce emissions 25 percent from 2008 levels by the year 2020.

View the full report submitted to the ACUPCC September 15th, 2009 

   

The balance of emissions will be offset through projects with community partners, composting and recycling, purchases of renewable energy certificates, and other measures. The commitment, however, does not end there. Dickinson will continue to reduce its emissions to 50 percent below the 2008 level by 2025 and to 75 percent below 2008 level by 2030. The deepening reductions after 2020 will lessen the College’s reliance on offsets for attainment of climate neutrality. Emissions reductions will result from projects focusing on conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy. Helping the campus community to adopt more sustainable behaviors will be at the core of the conservation projects.  

 

 

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