Santa Fe Community College (NM) (SFCC) was one of the first community colleges in the country to develop an explicit institutional “green” vision and mission, in this case tied to the deep-rooted environmentally conscious beliefs of the greater community. Sustainability and ecological awareness have now become guiding principles for all institutional practices from facilities planning to workforce development to academic programming. By incorporating these standards into campus policies, master plans, and mission statements, SFCC’s green activities are aligned together as part of a broader institutional mandate and likely to endure. The new Trades and Advanced Technology Center (opened in May 2011), which houses the campus’s Sustainable Technology Center (STC), is the culmination of this commitment to train the next generation’s green workforce.
SFCC’s—and the region’s—crowning achievement is the cutting-edge Sustainable Technologies Center (STC) which now enrolls more than 300 students. This Center was strongly endorsed by local legislators and community and business leaders. These developments represent the fulfillment of a long-time dream of President Sheila Ortego who said when the Center opened: "SFCC is now poised for world-class leadership to improve the environment.”
Beyond training for the future green trades, the college has also become one of the earliest two-year schools to infuse sustainability principles into its entire curriculum. This effort, still underway, will be a model for community colleges across the country.
Following the guidance of SFCC’s Campus Sustainability Plan, the college has tied curriculum changes to a wealth of other green campus improvements. These include the allocation of $7 million from a recently passed bond to campus greening projects, the promotion and use of alternative transportation methods that reduce SFCC’s carbon footprint, the integration of LEED building design in new public facilities that meet Silver standard or higher, and many other campus-wide initiatives:
Santa Fe Community College, historically a liberal arts transfer college, has transformed itself into a leading clean technology school that embodies the tenets of sustainable development, community engagement, industry partnership, and student success. If you are interested in learning more about this vibrant college and community alliance, please follow the links and contacts below for more information: Sustainable Technologies Center (STC) STC - Environmental Technologies Program STC - Biofuels Program STC - Green Building Construction Systems/Skills Program SFCC Green by Degrees Student Video Message From President Ortego
CONTACT: Randy Grissom Director, Sustainable Technologies Center randy.grissom@sfcc.edu