USD climate action

Future climate plans from Harris 

Mikaela Foehr / Asst. News Editor / The USD Vista

USD has long touted its commitment to sustainability, but it can be hard to see how exactly the school is keeping these promises. The goal of the Climate Walkout on Sept. 20 was to encourage more action and transparency from USD’s administrative leaders, and that may already be happening. 
On Sept. 18, two days before the walkout, USD President James T. Harris III, D.Ed. sent an email to the USD student body outlining the university’s old and new commitments to aiding in the fight against climate change. Harris provided some concrete achievements based on the 2016 Climate Action Plan, but promised to push the school to do better by committing to more comprehensive climate goals. 
In the email, Harris pledged to co-sign, along with students, the President’s Climate Leadership Commitment. It sets out timelines and deadlines for schools across the country to create plans to achieve the goals outlined in the contract. The headlining goal is to achieve carbon neutrality, which Harris pledged to do by 2035 in his email. 
Junior Sneha Thomas wanted to be convinced of this plan. 
“You can say a lot of things, but I actually want to know how he is going to do it,” Thomas said.
Another part of Harris’ plan going forward is to develop classes across all majors that address the problem of climate change. Thomas is excited for the new opportunities and discussions that this change could bring to campus. 
“I just don’t know enough about climate change or the environment to be able to assess policies through that lens,” Thomas said. 
President Harris will officially sign the President’s Climate Leadership Commitment during Global Climate Change Week, Oct. 14-20.