یک سیستم مدیریت زیست محیطی در حال توسعه برای کنسرسیومی چند دانشگاهی

South Carolina's three research universities — Clemson, Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina — have come together through the Sustainable Universities Initiative (SUI) to incorporate sustainability into their own institutions, and, by extension, other institutions in the state. Coordinating an effort by three such large and diverse institutions is a challenge. One tool we think will assist us in this endeavor is an environmental management system geared specifically toward the needs of higher education. This paper briefly describes SUI and offers an in-depth view of our plans for the development of a statewide higher education EMS.

In late 1996, representatives of an international foundation approached South Carolina's three research universities — Clemson, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and the University of South Carolina (USC) — and asked them to work together to incorporate sustainability into their own institutions, and, by extension, other institutions in the state. Among the three universities are two medical schools, a law school, and a variety of professional programs. Together, the three schools educate approximately 56,000 students — or 60% of those educated in public colleges and universities in the state. Coordinating an effort by three such large and diverse institutions is a challenge. Integrating the activities of the three is an even greater challenge. We believe that one tool which will help us to both coordinate and integrate activities at the research universities, and eventually at all institutions of higher education in the state, is an EMS geared specifically toward the needs of higher education. This paper briefly describes SUI and offers an in-depth view of our plans for the development of a statewide higher education EMS.