Sense & Sustainability

In a recent study of the implications of the “sustainability” movement in higher education, the National Association of Scholars (NAS) reported in their March, 2010 newsletter that “the ideology has gone viral and is being handed down to the next generation on campuses everywhere.”

Some examples include:
1. “University Considers New Sustainability Requirement, Vermont Cynic,

The Student Government Association senate passed a resolution supporting the creation of a six-credit Sustainability Education Requirement [to be incorporated into existing requirements at the University of Vermont];

2. “New Report Shows Higher Education Sector Could be Model for Governments on Climate, Second Nature,

By meeting their obligations under the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), colleges and universities are transforming into sustainability centers. Society should take its cue from academia, says Second Nature;

3. “New Sustainability Degree Aimed at Professionals, Mother Nature Network. Columbia University’s Earth Institute and School of Continuing Education are sponsoring a degree for New York business professionals who want to become sustainability experts;

4. “Students’ Perspective on Building Knowledge for Sustainability (The Sustainability Review),

Students at Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability are poised to become ‘agents of change’ while studying sustainability.”

Deborah Lambert writes the Squeaky Chalk column for Accuracy in Academia.