Contact Us
Aysha Bodenhamer, Ph.D.
Sustainability Manager
540-831-5067
abodenham3@radford.edu
President's Task Force on Sustainability
On Friday, November 13, 2020, Radford University President Brian Hemphill signed the Carbon Commitment, reaffirming the University’s commitment to pursuing net carbon neutrality. The Carbon Commitment recognizes the increasing pace and detrimental impacts of climate change and the need for colleges and universities to exercise leadership in addressing the problem. At the core of the Commitment is the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040 and to integrate sustainability and climate action into university curriculum and culture.
On November 16, 2020, President Hemphill charged the newly formed President's Task Force on Sustainability with developing a new sustainability and climate action plan. The new plan will be complete by October 2021.
The President’s Task Force on Sustainability was designed to enhance cross-campus collaboration and develop partnerships and strategies for advancing sustainability and achieving net carbon neutrality. President Hemphill appointed 13 faculty, staff, and student members from Finance, Facilities, Admissions, Sustainability, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and University Services. This specially formed team developed a sustainability and climate action plan that permeates University culture, trains students to be sustainability leaders, and demonstrates that achieving carbon neutrality is possible for all types of institutions.
The Task Force convened at 6-week intervals over a 10 month period to create the new Radford University Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. In between plenary meetings, Task Force subcommittees engaged stakeholders from each of their focus areas and made recommendations that strategically reduce carbon emissions and integrate sustainability and climate action into academics and university culture. Subcommittee focus areas included Academics, Engagement, Planning & Administration, Campus Services, and Operations.
The President's Task Force on Sustainability concluded work on The Path to 2040: The Radford University Sustainability and Climate Action Plan in December 2021.