North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) President A. Hope Williams has signed a landmark agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of Elon University and 27 other private colleges and universities in the state as a part of the EPA Region 4 College and University Compliance Audit Agreement.
By participating in the program, the 28 institutions in North Carolina join 73 other colleges and universities from across the southeast which agree to audit their campuses for environmental compliance. The agreement was finalized Monday, June 25, 2007, during a signing ceremony in Atlanta, which was attended by EPA Regional Administrator Jimmy Palmer.
The goal of the program is to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations and to train faculty and staff members on each campus to recognize, disclose and correct violations. Participation in the auditing process also may result in elimination of financial penalties for any violations discovered through the audit.
Faculty and staff members from the participating independent colleges and universities in North Carolina have received training that will allow them to audit their individual campuses as well as to perform peer audits of other participating North Carolina independent colleges and universities. The goal of the peer audits is to encourage colleges and universities to refine campus environmental management systems, an approach to managing environmental responsibilities that help to identify ways to reduce and prevent pollution, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, save money while improving productivity and ensure a safe environment for all persons on the college and university campuses.
“Independent colleges and universities are now in a position to perform peer audits in conjunction with the EPA at all 28 participating campuses,” said Dr. Williams, NCICU President. “This is an excellent partnership that provides both the EPA and North Carolina’s private colleges and universities a sensible approach to self-regulation, compliance and environmental management.”
“Colleges and universities are part of EPA’s regulated community, and often share the same regulatory responsibilities and experience similar environmental challenges as private industry and other government facilities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Jimmy Palmer. “Through this compliance initiative, the voluntary self audits will help identify opportunities to solve many of their environmental challenges and save money over the long term.”
Currently 28 of NCICU’s 36 member colleges and universities are participating in the program. Participating institutions include:
Barton College in Wilson
Bennett College for Women in Greensboro
Brevard College in Brevard
Campbell University in Buies Creek
Catawba College in Salisbury
Chowan University in Murfreesboro
Duke University in Durham
Elon University in Elon
Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs
Greensboro College in Greensboro
Guilford College in Greensboro
High Point University in High Point
Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte
Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk
Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory
Mars Hill College in Mars Hill
Meredith College in Raleigh
Methodist University in Fayetteville
Montreat College in Montreat
Mount Olive College in Mount Olive
NC Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount
Peace College in Raleigh
Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer
Queens University of Charlotte in Charlotte
Saint Augustine’s College in Raleigh
Salem College in Winston-Salem
Shaw University in Raleigh
Warren Wilson College in Asheville