Topics: Sustainability/Environment, Administrative, Geothermal

May 6, 2010

Ball State University is one of the country's most environmentally responsible colleges according to The Princeton Review. The university is one of only 286 schools in the nation to be recognized as an eco-friendly campus by the nationally known education service company.

The university was the only public institution in Indiana to be named to the "Guide to 286 Green Colleges," the first, free comprehensive book focused solely on colleges and universities that have demonstrated an above average commitment to sustainability.

Factors that placed Ball State on the list included: available transportation alternatives, its geothermal project and new buildings designed to be LEED certified. The university also provides guidance on green jobs and offers an environmental studies degree.

Ball State also has a Council on the Environment, which promotes the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of ecological systems that sustain life on campus and in the surrounding area.

Other green accolades for Ball State include its Center for Energy Research Education Service (CERES), an interdisciplinary academic support unit focused on issues related to energy and resource use. The university offers the CERES Research Fellows Program, in which faculty are encouraged to secure time to engage in energy-related research as an extension of their expertise.

Out of 2,000 schools invited to take the survey, almost 700 schools responded. Of those that responded, the 286 designees were selected based on a Green Rating score from The Princeton Review.

The guide book was developed by The Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council. For more information about the guide, visit www.princetonreview.com.

By Chanel Richards