Mesa Legend - News - Environmental preservation highlights Red Mtn. strategy

Environmental preservation highlights Red Mtn. strategy
Cory Kincaid
Mesa Legend
Jo Wilson, director of the Red Mountain Campus, hosted a strategic conversation on the environment Sept. 15.

There were two primary reasons for the event.

“I recognized new hires were not aware of the focus of the Red Mountain campus, particularly the environment,” Wilson said, “and I wanted everyone to be on target.

“Although it was often said that we had this focus, no one ever defined what (it) exactly meant, and I wanted to do that,” Wilson continued.

The event, attended by nearly 60 faculty and staff, started with a lunch and quickly addressed the issues of answering two questions presented:

•What does it mean when said the Red Mountain campus has a focus on the environment? and

•What are the two or three most important actions to take in the next two to three years to make the focus on the environment a reality?

“What emerged,” Wilson said afterward, “was a strong desire to respect and preserve the environment around the campus.”

Red Mountain is the first Maricopa Community College District campus to be built in native Sonoran desert.

Visitors immediately notice untouched desert surroundings, native landscaping, and abundant wildlife.

Many suggestions centered on the upcoming construction at Red Mountain.
Andrew Holycross, a biology professor at the Red Mountain campus, said that the two or three actions to focus on the environment should be “new buildings, new buildings, new buildings.”

He stressed that the “window of opportunity” to design the buildings in an environmentally conscious manner will only happen once.

In addition to matters related to new construction, there were numerous other environmental strategies discussed.

Some topics reviewed included increased access to public transit, use of alternative energy sources, and diffusing environmental awareness throughout college curricula.

In coming months, the results of the conversation will be discussed in different committees and circles within the college, as well as with student advisory boards and community groups.

According to many Red Mountain students and employees, there is much that can, and should, be done at Red Mountain to increase environmental focus.
However, in the face of rising construction costs, budget constraints, and environmental apathy, any accomplishment demands not only sacrifice and commitment, but action.

The strategic conversation was the first of its kind at Red Mountain. Many Red Mountain students and staff noted that they will be closely watching to see what MCC will make of this opportunity to lead Maricopa in environmental consciousness.