Letter from President Wohlpart Dear CWU Community, We find ourselves at an inflection point as a society, and as an institution, about what we can — and should — be doing to combat the existential crisis of climate change. Every year, we are reminded about the negative environmental impacts caused by releasing more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Scientists have warned us for decades that, if we want to preserve the long-term health of our planet, we cannot sustain the same level of carbon emissions we have grown accustomed to since the Industrial Revolution more than a century ago.
Land Acknowledgement We acknowledge the land on which Central Washington University resides. It is the historic home of the Yakama people. The federally recognized Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation is made up of Klikitat, Palus, Wallawalla, Wanapam, Wenatchi, Wishram, and Yakama people. The Yakama people remain committed stewards of this land, cherishing it and protecting it, as instructed by elders through generations. We are honored and grateful to be here today on their traditional lands. We give thanks to the legacy of the original people, their lives, and their descendants. This statement is a reminder that the land is not owned. It is, rather, a gift that is inherited. In taking responsibility for that gift, we must think of the seven generations—of how we will pass this gift forward and create a legacy worthy of our inheritance. This statement should disrupt our usual ways of thinking and being in the world to help us think beyond ourselves to something bigger. We aspire to this new way of thinking and being in all that we do.
After years of unheeded advice and delayed policy decisions, countries around the world — including our own — are now coping with the severe consequences of inaction in the form of catastrophic natural disasters, record-breaking heat, and rising sea levels. Central Washington University refuses to stand idly by as our environment struggles to adapt to these unfortunate realities. We have made a decision as a University community to take short- and long-term actions about ways we can move forward as an institution and dramatically curtail our reliance on fossil fuels. The Climate Change Action Plan outlined in this piece offers a detailed look at how CWU plans to do our part to preserve the planet and its many precious resources for generations to come. One of the goals described in our Core Value of Stewardship states that CWU will “Promote sustainable practices and responsible stewardship of land and resources to support an ecologically healthy and socially just world, while respecting and honoring Indigenous peoples.” As we seek ways to ensure the long-term health of our communities — and, by extension, the planet — the CWU community has collectively decided to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by the year 2030, and 70% by 2040, when compared to 2005 levels. Our plan also includes: • The integration of geothermal energy modules to heat and cool University facilities; • Providing additional solar infrastructure; • The full electrification of the University’s fleet of vehicles by no later than 2040; and • Greatly expanding the number of electric vehicle charging stations. This is an important moment for the entire higher education sector, and CWU is rising to the challenge by taking bold action to significantly reduce our carbon emissions over the next 15 years. We are proud of the concrete steps we are taking to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and we will continue to bolster our commitment to this goal with our Climate Change Action Plan. Another key element of this enormous responsibility is to prepare current and future generations to do the same, and we are committed to doing whatever it takes. Our main objective is for every member of the CWU community to model these changes for the benefit of society as a whole. We look forward to working alongside each of you to make these goals a reality. The future of our communities, and our planet, will depend on us following through on these promises. Sincerely,
A. James Wohlpart President
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