April 22, 2008

MEDIA CONTACT: Tracy Schario
(202) 994-3566; tschario@gwu.edu

GW PRESIDENT STEVEN KNAPP SIGNS AMERICAN COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS CLIMATE COMMITMENT

University is First in the District of Columbia to Sign Pledge

WASHINGTON - Recognizing the importance of addressing global warming, GW President Steven Knapp signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment on April 17, 2008. GW is the first university in the District of Columbia to sign the pledge and joins more than 500 signatories nationwide.

"Signing this pledge is just one sign of GW's commitment to transform our own institution and to collaborate with the District of Columbia and other partners in addressing this urgent local and global challenge," said Knapp. "We are proud to be the first university in the District of Columbia to join universities around the nation in this important initiative."

The Presidents Climate Commitment reinforces the unique responsibility that institutions of higher education have as role models for their communities and in training the people who will develop the social, economic, and technological solutions to reverse global warming. This action complements the work of GW's ongoing Presidential Task Force on Sustainability, which is examining the university's operations and academic programs in the areas of environmental stewardship, climate change, and university policies. The Task Force on Sustainability was created by President Knapp upon his arrival at GW.

During an Earth Day signing ceremony on April 22, Knapp was joined by 10 co-signers of the commitment letter -- co-chairmen of GW's Presidential Task Force on Sustainability Mark Starik, professor and chairman of strategic management and public policy in GW's School of Business, and Lew Rumford, senior advisor for business development; and representatives from eight student organizations, including Mike Aloi, GW Students for Fair Trade; Maggie Desmond, Student Association; Daniel Fromm, Environmental Law Association; Jeff Gustafson, GW Sustainability Coalition; Robert Joppa, Net Impact; Casey Pierzchala, Green GW; Ian Tully, Progressive Student Union; and Sarah Zubair, Center on the Environment, Roosevelt Institution.

Located four blocks from the White House, The George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the nation's capital. The university offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study as well as degree programs in medicine, law, engineering, education, business, and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 120 countries.

For more information about GW's task force on sustainability, visit the http://sustainability.gwu.edu.
For more news about GW, visit the GW News Center at www.gwnewscenter.org.

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