Since Lehigh’s Campus Sustainability Plan 2020 was formally released to the campus community in January 2017, Lehigh has made great progress toward several of its goals. In this article, we highlight key progress toward our goals in the areas of forest management, outreach materials, and sustainability across the curriculum.
Operations
GOAL FOR 2020: Conduct an assessment to identify vulnerable species and environmentally sensitive land on institution owned or managed property.
Lehigh has initiated a process to develop a comprehensive forest stewardship and conservation plan. This includes the assistance of local organizations, like the Wildlands Conservancy, to develop approaches that will integrate recreational and educational uses of Lehigh’s South Mountain property. At the same time, Lehigh is assessing spaces on campus for meadow conversion, which will limit the need for lawn mowing and provide a more ecologically diverse and sustainable habitat.
Campus and Community Engagement
GOAL FOR 2020: Cover sustainability topics in outreach and guidance materials distributed to prospective students and new employees.
The Office of Sustainability developed a new ‘Sustainability at Lehigh’ trifold brochure and water refill station map for the Admissions Office to distribute to guidance counselors and prospective students. Additionally, the Office of Sustainability provides a one-pager to new employees at new employee orientation. This one-pager includes information on Lehigh’s sustainability commitment, the Campus Sustainability Plan 2020 focus areas, and ways that new employees can be a sustainability champion at Lehigh.
Academics & Educational Experience
GOAL FOR 2020: Establish an ongoing program that offers incentives for faculty in multiple disciplines or departments to develop new sustainability courses and/or incorporate sustainability into existing courses or departments.
Integrating sustainability across the curriculum is a university initiative. During the fall and winter, members of the Lehigh Sustainability Council and the Office of Sustainability presented at a faculty meeting in each of the four colleges. The purpose of these presentations was to give context for understanding why sustainability integration into the curriculum is important. This spring, there will be a series of workshops with faculty members to discuss how this integration is already occurring on campus, and to provide additional resources so that sustainability content can be integrated into the courses.
For the next two years, the Campus Sustainability Plan 2020 will guide departments and resources to advance our institutional commitment to sustainability through the implementation of the plan’s goals.
How will YOU help Lehigh reach its sustainability goals?