$200K
Money collected by student-led sustainability fee goes toward Green Fund initiatives
Salisbury University is proud to be a leader in sustainability. It is something the entire campus enthusiastically embraces, from its LEED-certified buildings to its student-led recycling projects.
For the 13th consecutive year, The Princeton Review, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), has named SU one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges. The University is featured in the publication’s 2023 Guide to Green Colleges, ranking among the top 50 “Green Colleges” in the U.S.
“We are honored to be recognized as an environmental and sustainability leader for institutions across the nation,” said SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre. “Sustainability is a core part of who we are at SU, and this distinction speaks to our commitment to promoting sustainability-focused initiatives across our campus.”
SU’s recycling program began in 1990, and since then, campus efforts have remained on the cutting edge of sustainable practices, including the Eastern Shore’s first U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified new construction project, 10 additional LEED-certified buildings, the region’s first publicly available electric vehicle charging stations, Bird and Bee Campus USA designations, a trayless dining hall, a solar parking canopy producing enough electricity annually to power three campus buildings and the “green roof” atop the Patricia R. Guerrieri Academic Commons.
SU students themselves are also campus leaders of sustainability. Proposed by the Student Government Association and passed by student votes, the Green Fund is a unique program designed to improve environmental sustainability at SU by giving students a say in how their sustainability fees are spent. The Green Fund has supported nearly 70 projects since its establishment in 2015, including a native plant species restoration project, solar benches, bird nest installations, solvent recycling in chemistry labs and more.
“The Green Fund is an opportunity for students to leave their mark on SU,” said Chris Homeister, director of SU’s campus sustainability program. “One idea can change the campus and make SU even better for many years to come.”