In his ceremonial address to the United Nations on September 20, General Assembly President Csaba Korsoi called for “solutions through solidarity, sustainability and science.” That message, intended for the world community, will resonate in October on the Oakland University campus during “Sustainability Awareness Month.”
“As a community of higher learning, we must see ourselves as leaders in educating our students, each other and our communities on threats from climate change, and work together for a more sustainable society and planet,” said OU President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz. “Dedicating October to that cause will be the first of many steps for our university to address one of the greatest challenges of our times.”
“Rally for Sustainability” will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 4 at the Elliott Tower.
Speakers include President Pescovitz; Vice President of Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer Glenn McIntosh; OU Sustainability Team Leaders Christopher Reed and Mozhgon Rajaee; OU Student Congress President Andrew Romano; OU Student Congress Director of Sustainability Chiara Nava; and Lily Mendoza (and other faculty members) from Campus Alliance for Sustainability and the Environment (CASE-OU).
“As we create a viable sustainability plan, we need to broaden support and find innovative ways to become more sustainable,” said Rajaee. “The events in October will educate campus. The next phase is for specific steps to be taken to create a more sustainable campus community.”
A comprehensive report on Oakland’s sustainability practices was submitted to President Pescovitz in fall 2021. The report offers a benchmark for sustainability-related measures, practices and policies in academics, energy and building maintenance, food and dining, transportation, investments, wellness, biodiversity and research. The report is the first step toward meeting the requirements for a sustainability campus according to the rigorous index established by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
Panel discussions in October feature “How to do my part to contribute to more sustainable society?” and “Think Globally. Act Locally: Conversations with Oakland County Sustainability Leaders” moderated by Nina Misuraca Ignaczak, editor, Planet Detroit.
“A Living Wall” will be dedicated during the month as a symbol of the university’s commitment to sustainability.
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