Ulmer, Rogers throw down the green gauntlet

Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: 907-474-7902
11/19/09

The Governor’s Cup won’t be the only trophy that UAA and UAF will battle for this year. This year, the campuses will compete in the first UAA/UAF Sustainability Cup Challenge, an environmentally friendly version of the annual intrastate hockey rivalry.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Brian Rogers issued the challenge to University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor Fran Ulmer this fall. Ulmer quickly accepted. The contest is built around the Sustainability Report Card, which is published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute. The institute grades 300 public and private colleges and universities each year. UAF’s 2010 grade was C-, while UAA’s was B-.

While contest details are still being worked out, art students at both schools will create a trophy made from recycled materials. The school with the highest report card grade will house the trophy of the losing school during the 2010-11 academic year. The next set of scores will be released in October 2010.

Each school will decide how best to raise its grade and each university is currently plotting its secret green strategy for the year. The chancellor of the losing school will deliver the Sustainability Cup to the chancellor of the winning school and will prepare a sustainable meal for the chancellor of the winning school using locally grown products.

CONTACT: Scott McCrea, UAF marketing director, at 907-474-7905 or sjmccrea@alaska.edu. Kristin DeSmith, UAA assistant vice chancellor for university relations, at 907-786-1263 or afkad@uaa.alaska.edu. Marmian Grimes, UAF public information officer, at 907-474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@alaska.edu.

ON THE WEB: http://www.greenreportcard.org/

MG/11-19-09/095-10