WNC NEWS & NOTES

College makes commitment to sustainability

Western Nevada College President Carol A. Lucey has put her signature to a document that commits the college to increasing its energy sustainability and working to make WNC campuses carbon neutral.

Dr. Lucey made the announcement at the college-wide fall semester start-up meeting last week. With the action, Western joins colleges and universities around the country that are making similar efforts to reduce energy consumption and costs.

Although her signing of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment is the college's formal obligation to the program, the college has a history of taking steps to lessen its impact on the environment.

WNC has reduced its electricity consumption by 20 percent over the past few years and has long had a recycling program. It is now working with Truckee Meadows Community College on a request for proposals from vendors to find ways to save energy and to generate alternative power through solar, wind or geothermal technology.

"Staff members came to me more than a year ago to see if I would make the climate commitment, and I said I wouldn't sign it unless there was grassroots support among the staff and faculty to make sure we could honor each one of those actions," Dr. Lucey said.

Several faculty and staff members enthusiastically supported the idea, and a 12-member sustainability committee was created that includes college employees, a student, and representatives from NV Energy and Southwest Gas Corporation.

The commitment calls for developing a plan to:

• Achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible,

• Initiate two or more tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases while a comprehensive plan is being developed, such as requiring a LEED silver standard or equivalent on new building and purchasing a greater percentage of renewable energy, and

• Create an action plan and post periodic progress reports publicly through the Association of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Dr. Lucey said she approved the document at the campus-wide meeting to ensure awareness by all faculty and staff.

"I thought it would be appropriate to sign it at a major event to reinforce our commitment and give it the maximum amount of exposure," she said.

Daniel Neverett, vice president for Finance and Administrative Services, said the sustainability commitment includes the Fallon and Douglas campuses. The advancing age of some of the campus buildings, which date to 1974, can be a challenge because promoting energy efficiencies was not as large a factor when they were built, he added. As part of recent efforts, the college just completed a major retrofit of the heating and cooling system in the Bristlecone Building on the Carson City campus.

Lushina joins foundation board

Financial adviser Joe Lushina of Carson City has been appointed to the WNC Foundation Board of Trustees. Lushina and his family have lived in the Carson City area for more than two decades, and he has been active in a number of civic organizations, including St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church's finance committee, St. Teresa's Basque Festival Committee, Carson City Rotary Club, Sierra Club and the Knights of Columbus.

Lushina works for Edward Jones Company. "I am very happy and excited, but mostly honored, to be asked to join Western Nevada College's Foundation Board," Lushina said. "It will be very rewarding for me to be part of helping others achieve academic success.

"WNC foundation members and the college's faculty have built a traditional learning experience and environment that promotes success, leadership, the love of knowledge, and wisdom characterized by the open mind and the readiness to decide, as truth may point the way, without prejudice. I'm proud to be joining this great institution because of its long tradition of providing education access and opportunities for non-traditional students."