Contact:
Bill Noblitt                                                   
Executive Director, University Communications  
(417) 873-7276                                            
E-mail: bnoblitt@drury.edu
 
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., June 18, 2007 — Drury University Interim President Todd Parnell joined more than 250 other college and university presidents in formally committing to sharply reduce and eventually eliminate all of the university’s global warming emissions.
 
The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment was formally adopted at a summit of higher education leaders in Washington, D.C., this week.
 
“Global warming is a defining challenge of our time,” Parnell said. “Just months ago, when former President John Sellars committed Drury to the Climate Commitment, there were scarcely more than two-dozen schools involved.  I’m so pleased to see our numbers now already exceeding 250 other college and university presidents, including those from such respected institutions as Georgia Tech, Villanova and the University of Arkansas.
 
“Human activities bear great responsibility for the problem, and working together humans have the capacity to address it,” Parnell added. “Drury is committed to setting an example and inspiring students to help lead the way.”
 
Drury is currently creating a comprehensive institutional action plan to move toward climate neutrality. The first step is the creation of a campus “report card” on Drury’s steps toward sustainability and greenhouse gas emission management. Drury also participates in a new fuels conference and recently hosted the group’s planning meeting.  Through numerous Drury classes, students are participating in local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as designing and building a sustainable house for Habitat for Humanity.
 
“We have several plans on the table for reducing our campus greenhouse gas emissions,” stated Dr. Wendy Anderson, Drury’s Director of Campus Sustainability. “We are exploring solutions for reducing electricity and natural gas use in our buildings and for encouraging students and employees to walk and bike to and around campus.  We are also considering a variety of options for purchasing or producing renewable energy.”
 
Drury’s Global Perspectives 21 curriculum offers a unique chance to help ensure that Drury students are environmentally aware and prepared to grapple with resource conservation and sustainability issues.
 
The Presidents Climate Commitment is the first such effort by any major sector of society to set climate neutrality – not just a greenhouse gas emission reduction – as its target. Efforts like those begun by the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, the U.S. Climate Action Partnership and other collective state and business campaigns inspired this undertaking by America’s colleges and universities.
 
“Colleges and universities must lead the effort to reverse global warming for the health and well-being of current and future generations,” said Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University and chair of the ACUPCC Steering Committee. “On behalf of all the signatories, I welcome Drury to the commitment. We are honored and pleased to have the Drury community join us.”
 
The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment is a high-visibility movement to address global warming by garnering institutional commitments to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions and to accelerate higher education’s research and educational efforts to re-stabilize the earth’s climate. Under the guidance and direction of university presidents, the Commitment is being supported and implemented by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Second Nature and ecoAmerica. Learn more at www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org.

Drury University has taken the lead among private universities in the Midwest in truly integrating a liberal arts education with comprehensive professional programs. At Drury, the power of intensive faculty and staff mentoring in small-class settings creates an atmosphere of high academic expectation grounded in a supportive learning community, an ideal combination which produces leaders ready to serve in a global community. For more information, visit www.drury.edu.
 

###

University Communications staff are available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 894-0051. Visit the Office of University Communications online at http://news.drury.edu. Resources include a searchable Expert Guide, staff contacts and downloadable print-quality images and logos.