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198 P P a r t I V : a r t I V : C a s e S t u d i e sa s e S t u d i e s

University Center
Throughout this book we’ve pressed the notion that it’s really up to the CEO to drive
ecologically responsible change. Although that’s true the vast majority of the time, in some
cases change can come from deep in the heart of an organization. Take UWRF, for instance.
In January 2008, the school opened its US$35 million University Center (UC). The center
was the brainchild of two university students, and then backed by the student body. The center,
shown in Figure 10-1, incorporates green and sustainable design principles.
The facility represents an enormous commitment by the students. All told, US$32.9 million
of the project came from student fees—in essence, the students voted to tax themselves for
the project.
“Thanks to the vision and determination of university leaders, and particularly our
students, the UC will serve as a model for bringing people together to learn, collaborate,
create, and enjoy,” said UWRF Chancellor Don Betz. “It will also be a tangible example of
UWRF’s commitment to sustainability and to being good stewards of our resources. This is
a defining moment in the 133-year history of this distinguished institution.”
The 140,000-square-foot building signifies the nascent UW System sustainability
initiative, announced in 2007 by Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle. The governor announced
that four UW System campuses, including UWRF, UW–Stevens Point, UW–Green Bay, and
UW–Oshkosh, will take the lead toward going “off the grid” in the next 5 years.
Practicing What They Preach
Kelly Cain, professor of environmental science and management, said that the facility also
grew out of the need to put into practice what students were learning. Although the
students were learning important lessons about environmental responsibility, the college
wasn’t doing what it was teaching.
“We are not walking the talk, in terms of what we were teaching in the classroom,”
said Cain.
A number of years ago, Earth Consciousness Organization (ECO) club members and
2001 graduates Rusty Callier and Phyllis Jaworski tracked energy use, water consumption,
and waste generation in campus buildings for an academic project. Their project culminated

FIGURE 10-1
The University of
Wisconsin–River
Falls’ University
Center is a
sustainable
building,
paid for by
students.