Campus Green Builder

By Marya McQuirter, PhD
chocolate & arugula

Sustainability Squared
Photo Credit: E-Architect

introduction

Do a Google search on sustainability @HBCUs and the first ten results may not yield much on environmental sustainability. But there will be dozens of results on a different kind of green sustainability—financial sustainability.

brief background

There are currently 105 historically black colleges & universities in 19 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. HBCUs are 4-year private institutions, public institutions, community colleges, technical institutes, business colleges and medical schools. Clearly, they represent a diverse range of institutions. What they share in common is that they were built before 1964 to serve the vast majority of African American students when most historically white institutions mandated and practiced segregation and racism in their admissions policies.

Fast forward to the 21^st century. HBCUs constitute 3 percent of higher education institutions and educate 16 percent of African American students. What a difference forty years make! As a result, HBCUs have regrouped, reconstituted and reconsidered how to remain viable institutions.

sustainability squared

Sustainability squared is one such viability strategy employed by HBCUs who are banking on environmental sustainability—

• new green buildings
• green renovations
• energy assessments
• green endowments

—as a critical component of their financial sustainability. And for the trailblazers, it is paying off!

Spelman College is one of the trailblazers. Indeed, if one googles Spelman College and sustainability all of the first ten results will focus on its environmental sustainability initiatives. And that's great news! Under President Beverly Daniel Tatum's leadership, Spelman College has effectively coupled environmental sustainability with financial sustainability. Click here for Spelman College's 2009 Strategic Plan Report.

The sustainability squared strategy will continue to increase at other HBCUs as local, state and federal monies, as well as private funding and institutional capital campaigns, are dedicated to squaring environmental sustainability with financial sustainability.

Sources:

• “Historically black colleges and universities,” Wikipedia, accessed 12 February 2010.
• Stephen Pelletier, “ A Snapshot Look at Today's HBCUs,” accessed 12 February 2010.
• White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, accessed 12 February 2010

Marya McQuirter, PhD is a sustainability consultant, scholar and blogger based in Washington, DC. She works with universities, businesses and non-profits on researching, writing and marketing their sustainability portfolios. She also lectures widely on sustainability and writes about sustainability on her blog, chocolate & arugula.