Campus Management: A University's Initiative towards Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

The basic role of a university is to equip students with knowledge and to mold them into a global minded citizen. As United Nation initiated a “Decade of Education for Sustainable Development”, higher education institution necessitates to integrate environmental sustainability practices in their teaching, research, and community services. This study aims to determine the level of awareness of university stakeholders in relation to teaching and curriculum, research and scholarship, campus operation and management, and community towards sustainability, what is the perception of the respondents towards implementation of sustainability efforts and practices and how they recognize the issues and concern toward sustainability programs in the university. Specifically, this study seeks to ascertain if there is a significant difference among the responses of the stakeholders about their level of awareness on environmental sustainability practice and to propose strategies that the campus may pursue to implement a comprehensive environmental sustainability programs. This study uses a Descriptive Method. A survey questionnaire is used to gather pertinent data. Statistical treatment is applied to analyze the data gathered and to validate precisely the answers. The data shows that there is no significant difference on the level of awareness of the stakeholders on the sustainability development practices. The result reveals that respondents find it evident that the university has implemented initial steps to achieve sustainability, but has not been in full swing. This is also manifested in the curriculum and instruction, where all respondents are aware of the sustainability practices being implemented. The result also discloses the answers of the respondents on the issues and concern towards environmental sustainability practices. Hence, the University of Batangas Lipa Campus has to keep on its mission of educating and engaging on environmental initiatives.