Humboldt State is recognized in the new annual edition of the company’s downloadable book, “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2012 Edition."
The free guide for prospective college students and their families canvases “institutions of higher education that demonstrate a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.”
Humboldt State is one of only seven of the 23 California State University campuses to be profiled in the review, which has no affiliation with Princeton University.
“Being recognized nationally and transnationally as a green school is a big help in letting prospective HSU students know that we have a lasting and demonstrated commitment to sustainability,” said Tall Chief Comet, the university’s director of sustainability programs.
“Our reputation as an outstanding institution for natural resources and environment-oriented studies, due in no small part to our unique geographical location, lends a synergistic effect to the university and surrounding community. Together, we are very cognizant of needing to balance the social, economic and environmental issues of our society, now and in planning for the future. There’s an ever-expanding breadth and depth of sustainability activities on this campus; I’m constantly challenged with trying to keep up, but also very heartened by what is happening!”
The Princeton Review polled administrators at 768 institutions of higher learning in the summer of 2011 about their schools’ sustainability initiatives and their environmentally-related policies, practices and academic offerings.
A separate but related Princeton Review survey confirmed recently that college-bound high school graduates attach increasing importance to applying at schools where sustainability and environmental protection are institutional priorities. Of more than 7,400 applicants contacted, fully 68% said collegiate “green” commitments would influence their choice of school.
As a long-time green campus, Humboldt State incorporates sustainability across a broad series of academic and service learning disciplines, coupled with many student volunteer programs in the Redwood Coast community. Healthy living, energy and water conservation and financial savings are integral to the sustainability mix, often driven by student-led initiatives like CCAT and the Humboldt Energy Independence Fund.
Details are posted at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.
Full information about HSU’s sustainability programs is at www.humboldt.edu/green.