UK has room to improve sustainability

A “B-” grade may be enough to satisfy your parents, but at UK, just above average grades don’t lead to top-20 rankings, which is the ultimate goal of the university and the administration.

According to an Oct. 8 Kernel article, UK received a “B-” on the 2010 Sustainability Report Card.

Although UK improved from a mediocre “C” grade the year before, there still seems to be some room for improvement.

The biggest advancement in the rankings came in the section of student involvement where UK moved from a “D” to an “A”.

After a three-year discussion of a green fee came to an end at the March 2009 Board of Trustees meeting, a recurring revenue stream was created for sustainability on campus.

Students now pay an extra 75 cents per semester as tuition for a green fee to sustain UK’s campus.

Going “green” is a popular movement in today’s society. UK should not be any different.

As the price of energy rises and the questions about climate change continue, providing a sustainable environment will be necessary. UK is doing its part to aid in this movement.

By inviting speakers on campus like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to speak on sustainability and other issues surrounding green initiatives, UK students are becoming more educated on these issues.

At the same time, receiving a “B-” is not desirable and should not be looked upon as a validation of the work already done.

As the flagship university in this state, UK needs to assume the leadership role on this issue. According to the rankings, UK is behind other state colleges, notably the University of Louisville and Berea College.

Boosting the student involvement grade from a “D” to an “A” is encouraging and a step in the right direction, but overall sustainability can surely improve. If UK wants to be top 20 in the nation, it must start by being number one in the state and continue moving toward becoming a more energy-friendly university.