Here's the latest in news, events, and announcements from WCU's Office of Sustainability!
WCU Sides with Clean & Keeps Going Green with New Propane Buses
The Office of Sustainability applauds Sustainability Council members Patti Shields and Ashley Ross, who played important roles in working with our contractor, Krapf School Bus, to bring new propane shuttle buses to the WCU Campus. Read the full article from the WCU Newsroom below.
Scheduling the Spring 2023 Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar
We’ve wound up another fascinating slate of Sustainability Research and Practice Seminar presentations last week and we're already starting to plan the Spring 2023 program. Do you have a research project or a practical initiative you’ve launched that you would like to share with the WCU community of faculty, students, and staff? We would be glad to include you in next semester’s seminar series. Just reach out to Bradley Flamm, Director of WCU’s Office of Sustainability, by email or phone (610-436-2053) by Friday, December 9, 2022.
West Chester High Street Pedestrian Improvements, Virtual Open House
The Transportation Management Association of Chester County announced in its Monday Morning Memo on November 28th that PennDOT will host a virtual open house this evening, Tuesday, December 6, 2022 from 6 to 8 pm to learn about proposed High Street improvements to make conditions safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, including those traveling to and from WCU’s north campus.
TMACC reports that “the proposed project features several safety enhancements at intersections along the High Street corridor between Rosedale Avenue and Miner Street, including upgrading existing traffic signals; installing new traffic signals at University Avenue and Sharpless Street; installing pedestrian pushbuttons at signalized intersections; and installing curb extensions, high visibility crosswalks and new LED lighting at select intersections.”
This time of year in the Gordon Natural Area, there is a decided absence of foliage which allows other species a moment to shine in the spotlight. For this week's Spotted in the GNA, we're giving the stage to Feather Moss or Brocade Moss(Hypnum imponens). Aptly named for its delicate, featherlike appearance, this moss forms in dense mats covering logs and rocks. You've likely come across it on your hikes, as its fairly common to the GNA.
The Gordon Natural Area is NOW HOME TO 2,003 KNOWN SPECIES, with the list growing longer every day. These are just a small sampling of the amazing organisms you can find while visiting the GNA. Find more information, directions, and visitor etiquette on theGordon Natural Area webpage.
Faculty members, if you're interested in incorporating a tour of the GNA into your courses, reach out to GNA Stewardship ManagerDr. Nur Ritter.
Remember, you can find a whole host of images and information about the hundreds of species found in the Gordon Natural Area by accessing the GNA's Biotapage.
There are a number of exciting student employment opportunities opening up for the Spring 2023 semester in the Office of Sustainability, in the Center for Civic Engagement and Social Impact, and in WCU campus gardens. Click on the links below to see position details and apply through Handshake.
Graduate Assistantship for Social Media & Student Outreach, WCU Office of Sustainability
SC Campus Tree Committee Meeting The Sustainability Council's Campus Tree Committee meets again this Wednesday, December 7th at 1pm in the Philips Memorial Building Lower-Level Conference Room. Anyone interested in getting involved is welcome to attend.
Dark Sky Committee Meeting
The West Chester Green Team's Dark Sky Committee, led by WCU Professor Marc Gagne, will meet on Thursday, December 15th at 7pm via Zoom. On the agenda will be an update on the initiatives of the Fall semester and selection of a chair/co-chairs to lead the committee starting in January. If you're interested in getting involved with the Dark Sky Committee, please join their December meeting next Thursday using the following link.
We'd love to help you spread the word! If you would like to have an announcement included in the weekly Office of Sustainability Bulletin, please send the details to sustainability@wcupa.eduby 8am Monday, the week it should go out.
Did someone forward this edition of the bulletin to you? You can subscribe yourself through the link below!
