Oregon University System - Sustainable Building Plans Greenest of Green

By Dylan Rivera, The Oregonian

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To solidify Oregon's reputation as the center of all things environmentally sound, Portland may soon be home to the greenest large building in the world.

More than a dozen businesses, nonprofits and universities are working with the Oregon University System to create the Oregon Sustainability Center, a high-rise office building near Portland State University that would showcase the region's expertise in developing and designing earth-friendly buildings.

"This is like building a green stake in the ground in Portland," said Jay Kenton, vice chancellor of the Oregon University System. "We're going to do something no one else has done. It's going to brand us as a leader in many ways in doing that."

Backers intend for the building to meet the highest environmental standard devised in the world, the Living Building Challenge. An amalgam of audacious goals, the Living Building Challenge exceeds the highest standards that are gaining industry acceptance.

More than a look-at-me demonstration, the building's first purpose would be to draw visitors from the U.S. and the around the world to learn about green building practices and to find Oregon-based companies to hire.

Backers say the center would also function as a technology incubator where university researchers test new ways to make buildings with the lightest possible environmental footprint. The center would meet its own energy needs on-site with renewable power and use locally produced nontoxic building materials.

Such a monument to low impact would come at a steep price: $80 million to start. How the project would be funded, or how much it would rely on taxpayers, is not certain.

No date has been set for construction to begin.

Organizers say the building's tenants would pay the bulk of the costs. By this summer, a feasibility study will outline what it will take to make the vision reality. State energy efficiency tax credits and urban renewal money are potential sources to help meet the added costs that often come with experimental buildings.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Portland Mayor Sam Adams are pushing for the center and consider it part of their economic development strategies. Kulongoski included $80 million in the budget in higher education revenue bonds -- to be paid back by the businesses and nonprofits that occupy the building.

"I think this is the future," Kulongoski said last week. "More and more, as people learn about the issue of climate change, they'll realize that Portland is the center of sustainability."

With growing international attention on climate change, the American Institute of Architects has pointed to buildings as leading contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Commercial, residential and industrial buildings account for nearly half of the nation's energy consumption.

Meanwhile, Oregon-based architects and developers have designed many celebrated earth-friendly buildings. The Portland region has the highest concentration in the U.S. of real estate professionals and buildings certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard, the most recognized green building standard in commercial real estate.

The idea of a sustainability center hatched in the minds of several people over at least three years.

Sean Penrith, executive director of Earth Advantage Inc., decided three years ago that his nonprofit should be housed in an urban building that shows off the cutting edge of green design.

"The biggest thing we have to overcome is the perception that the boundaries that we need to go beyond are always impossible," Penrith said.

Penrith found Andrea Durbin, executive director of the Oregon Environmental Council, pursuing a similar concept. Last year they met with Kenton, who was also dreaming about a sustainability-focused center for academic research.

"Sustainability is kind of this emerging science," Kenton said. "Why couldn't we be the first in the country to get a national sustainability research center?"

The sustainability center could encompass 250,000 square feet, mostly for businesses and nonprofits, but also space for a half-dozen state university and city offices.

Penrith and Durbin now lead the Oregon Living Building Initiative, a consortium of mainly environmental organizations that are starting to raise money for their portion of space in the building.

The Portland Development Commission is handling the real estate side of the project. The agency has offered a three-quarters of a block tract it owns at Southwest Fourth Avenue and Montgomery Street. The site abuts the new MAX light rail line and must incorporate a long-planned extension of the Portland Streetcar through the property.

When the PDC sought developers to study the project's feasibility, with the chance of constructing it in the end, the agency received 11 proposals, from as far away as Germany. Winning was a team that included Gerding Edlen Development, Hoffman Construction and an unusual joint effort by two local architecture firms and three local engineering firms.

Jason F. McLennan, the Seattle-based chief executive of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council, dreamed up the Living Building Challenge and counts about 60 building projects that may attempt to meet it.

None are close to the scale Portland envisions.

"It's international-level leadership," McLennan said. "So let's hope they succeed." 

Oregon State's Green Energy Fee Helps Cut Emissions

The Oregonian

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A renewable energy fee approved by Oregon State University students helped the college reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in 2007-08, the university says.

OSU's gross emissions increased by 2 percent, according to the school's sustainability office, largely because of increased natural gas consumption. Air miles flow and electricity consumption also increased slightly. But the net emissions dropped because of a green energy fee of up to $8.50 per student that the student body approved in 2007, with 71 percent of voters in favor.

The fee, one of the first in the nation, helps cover purchases of renewable energy. The emissions inventory includes energy consumption, air miles, commuting miles logged by faculty, staff and students, solid wastes taken to landfills, refrigerants used and fertilizer and animal waste used in OSU's agricultural programs.

The inventory covers the main campus, the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend, extension service offices and facilities operated by the Forest Research Laboratory and Agricultural Experiment Station.

Western Oregon University Will Host Third Cesar Chavez Leadership Institute

By Justin Much, Statesman Journal

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A guy who was regarded as a failure, even described as "a piece of garbage" by a high school teacher, will be the keynote speaker Friday when Western Oregon University (WOU) hosts the daylong Cesar Chavez Leadership Institute.

WOU expects more than 1,400 Latino student leaders from Oregon high schools to visit Friday, marking the third consecutive year WOU has hosted the event, which is financed by a $25,000 grant from the Educational Credit Management Corporation Foundation. Participants attend workshops on leadership, community engagement and college preparation, including meetings with college and university representatives.

Poet, writer and educator Carlos Ojeda Jr. will be the keynote speaker. A child of immigrant parents from Puerto Rico, Ojeda is said to have grown up with a vague understanding of his social, economic and cultural background, and many of his high school teachers reportedly told him he wouldn't amount to anything.

Ojeda exhorts on his Web site: "Don't ever, ever let anyone tell you who you are or who you will become because it's your destiny to feel, no one else's." Ojeda said he failed classes routinely in high school before turning his life around and becoming the first person in his family to graduate from college, which he did with honors.

"America needs to understand that the success of our country lies on the success of the Latino student population: We're the largest, fastest-growing minority in this country," Ojeda said.

Friday's event is largely geared toward inspiring Latino students with that understanding. "Educational opportunities are so important in bettering our young people's future," said March Kessler, executive director of ECMC Foundation. "We are honored to continue to partner with Western Oregon University and the many community leaders who organize this important event that recognizes and strengthens Oregon's Latino student leaders."

During the past four years, the number of Latino students at WOU has increased 50 percent.

"Effectively serving and educating Latino students is a core part of Western Oregon University's mission and daily work," WOU Associate Provost David McDonald said. "Hosting the Cesar Chavez Leadership Institute is important to the community and the university and is another way for us to support outstanding students and their families."

Students Should Take Interest in New University Administration

By Alexandra Garry, edited by Carly Halvorson, University Daily Kansan

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As the search for Chancellor Robert Hemenway’s replacement continues, the departure of Provost Richard Lariviere leaves another vacant spot in the University’s administration to be filled.Administrators and student leaders said students were unlikely to feel any direct effect but should take a strong interest in new candidates for the positions.

Alex Rock, Lawrence senior and coordinator of the Dole Institute Student Advisory Committee, said students generally didn’t realize the importance of the chancellor’s and provost’s jobs because of a lack of “face-to-face contact.” But, he said, students should still pay attention to and care about the leaders of the University.

“Students take it for granted what these positions do, but the chancellor and provost dictate the culture and environment of the whole school,” Rock said.

The top administration openings mean more of the weight of running the University will fall to the six vice provosts, officials said.

Steve Warren, vice provost for research and graduate studies, said the vice provosts would feel the effects of Lariviere leaving to become president of the University of Oregon. But, Warren said, they were well-equipped to keep everything running smoothly. Warren said the increased workload would not continue to trickle down the administration.

“We’re not leaderless or rudderless just yet,” Warren said. “You can rest assured that everything will be fine. ”The chancellor search committee has set the end of June as the deadline for announcing a finalist candidate. Though the nominations are still being taken and no stand-out candidates have been selected, Drue Jennings, the chairman of the search committee, said it was on track to keep the deadline.

“No one wants the University to endure any kind of vacuum,” Jennings said.Jennings said once the chancellor search committee made their selection, the new chancellor would then pick the new provost.

Adam McGonigle, Wichita junior, student body president and member of the chancellor search committee, said students were taking a strong interest in the chancellor search and many had contacted him asking how they could make a difference.

“The administration has a tremendous impact on students — they shape the mission and the vision of the University and set the goals,” McGonigle said. McGonigle said he hoped students were also involved in the selection of the new provost and he planned to speak with Chancellor Hemenway to try to ensure that it would happen. Rock said he “would like to see a younger chancellor or provost, making more of an effort to reach out to students beyond those who are heavily involved.”

“Those students who can’t get involved because they have to work the part-time jobs to pay for school, those are the students who need to be heard even more,” Rock said. “Those are the students who need more help, and that’s something we’re going to see more of.

”Paul van Donkelaar, chairman of the president search committee at the University of Oregon, said the ability to communicate effectively with legislators and grant writers in order to better provide resources for students was a crucial quality in a good university administrator. It is also why students should care about the selection process.

Campus Profile: Western Oregon University

Western Oregon University (WOU), the oldest institution in the Oregon University system, knows how to have an impact beyond the classroom. With faculty engaged in wide-ranging scholarship, students invested in serving their community and the greater region, and a range of community-based projects and faculty-student collaborations, WOU has developed the reputation of a public-serving institution.

A cornerstone of the school's identity, approximately one-third of Western students are enrolled in the College of Education. These students are prepared to contribute to the fields of education, rehabilitation, interpretation, and health sciences, and are often in high demand throughout the state and region. WOU is also home to the nationally-renowned Teaching Research Institute, which has fostered relationships with local schools, districts, and teacher education programs to facilitate positive change to educational systems.

Similarly, the WOU office of Service Learning and Career Development, a recipient of the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the third year in a row, provides faculty with support and models to better understand and incorporate service learning into their teaching, while promoting community engagement and volunteerism among students, staff, faculty, and alumni.

In addition to being the host campus for Oregon Campus Compact's 2008 CAPITAL Conference, opportunities for the Western community to strengthen their academic studies though service and experiential learning include: becoming a member of the WOU LeaderCorps, receiving an AmeriCorps education award through the Students In Service program, contributing in volunteer efforts in the local community on national service days, and participating in an Alternative Break trip.

During winter break, an Alternative Break team traveled through the snow to Seattle, WA. This team assisted with the Salvation Army’s Toy and Joy drive, doing everything from sorting to helping the families pick out toys. They also volunteered for the Kimball Elementary School.

And as the weather warms, Alternative Break trips are on the horizon for many Oregon schools. Here's what Western has planned:

DENVER, CO

Students will volunteer for the Food Bank of the Rockies to help fight hunger. The team will enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Colorado while giving a helping hand in their host community.

SAN DIEGO, CA

Student volunteers will provide activities for the homeless youth in the area. They will also assist a youth emergency shelter through cleaning and organizing the group facilities.

TEXAS

Students will be taking part of a vast array of volunteering activities in order to assist victims of Hurricane Ike through Community Collabrations International.

CAPE VERDE, AFRICA

Students will help in three different schools for children of all ages. The team will also provide educational supplies to assist the children with their development.

COSTA RICA

Students will help in the preservation efforts of endangered sea turtles and learn about the environment and culture. The team will assist in clearing beaches for turtles to lay their eggs, moving eggs to a safe hatchery, and keeping night watch against poachers and predators.

To find out what other Oregon schools have planned for their Alternative Breaks, check out our ASB '09 GoogleMap, below!

View Larger Map

Community Partner Profile: International Partnership for Service Learning and Leadership

The International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership (IPSL) is a not-for-profit educational organization serving students, colleges, universities, service agencies, and related organizations around the world by fostering programs that link volunteer service to the community and academic study.

Today, IPSL offers 9 undergraduate service-learning programs in 7 nations—programs in which nearly 3,000 students from more than 400 universities or colleges in the U.S. and 25 other nations have participated.

Additionally, beginning in 2009/10, the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies: Focus in International Service-Learning & Leadership (MAIS) program will be offered with a revised curriculum through Portland State University.

Resulting in a recent relocation to Portland, Oregon, IPSL’s relationship with PSU and the Pacific Northwest is based on sharing “similar service-learning missions… as a way to develop shared programming, research, and student services."

“Portland State University has distinguished itself as a leader in the field of service-learning and has been recognized nationally for implementing a campus-wide engagement strategy that involves students and faculty in service-learning activities. We are thrilled to announce this new partnership,” IPSL Board of Trustees Chair, Margaret Pusch, stated in Spring 2008.

The MAIS program integrates rigorous academic study with substantive volunteer service in two nations, giving students opportunities to test theoretical knowledge through hands-on, practical experience in different cultures.

IPSL furthers service-learning and fosters communities that are civically engaged, inter-culturally literate, internationally aware, and responsive to the needs of others by:

- Sponsoring international conferences;

- Conducting research on the effect of service-learning on students, educational institutions and communities;

- Offering consulting and technical assistance in all aspects of creating and maintaining service-learning programs;

- Publishing curricular and other materials related to service-learning;

- Conducting workshops & training seminars for faculty members and administrators; offers international networking and learning opportunities through membership in IPSL;

- Helping to develop partnerships between colleges/universities and service agencies, both locally and internationally.

Greenleaf Scholars Program

The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership is pleased to announce the establishment of the Greenleaf Scholars Program.

The goals of the program are (1) to inspire a new generation of critical scholarship based on the concepts of servant leadership that were articulated by Robert K. Greenleaf; (2) to support rigorous empirical studies that offer evidence of the impact of servant leadership on the health and effectiveness of organizations and communities; and (3) to build a nurturing community of academic researchers, practitioners, and students who study and teach servant leadership. The program is administered through The National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good at the University of Michigan.

The Greenleaf Center will sponsor up to five awards each year for pre-tenured faculty, early career practitioners, and advanced graduate students who engage in research that explores servant leadership. Greenleaf Scholars will be selected by an international review committee comprised of faculty members from seven public and private universities in the United States and overseas. Each Greenleaf Scholar will receive an award of $2,500 to support outstanding research and encourage publication. Information and application forms are available at www.greenleaf.org/scholars.

All application materials for the 2009 awards must be received by the National Forum by Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Inquiries about the program or the award may be sent to: greenleafscholars@umich.edu.