Volume 4, Number 1 : October 2000

Spotlight: Pennsylvania Consortium for Interdisciplinary Environmental Policy

Seeing environmental challenges ahead, and mindful of the expertise and interest in environmental issues that exists in many Pennsylvania institutions of higher education, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) have worked with Pennsylvania colleges and universities to form the Pennsylvania Consortium for Interdisciplinary Environmental Policy. This new organization has been created in the belief that government decision-makers and academia must work together in a new partnership to enhance environmental protection efforts in Pennsylvania. The Consortium has been created because the environmental problems of the 21st Century will challenge both decision-makers and academic institutions in new ways. For this reason greater cooperation between government and higher education is needed to protect and restore the environment for present and future generations.

The first meeting of the Consortium was held on April 28, 2000. In addition to representatives of DEP and DCNR, representatives of the following institutions of higher education participated in the inaugural meeting: Bloomsburg University, Bucknell University, California University of PA, Carnegie Mellon University, Dickinson College, Duquesne University, Duquesne University School of Law, East Stroudsburg University of PA, Edinboro University of PA, Gannon University, Gettysburg College, Harrisburg Area Community College, Indiana University of PA, Juniata College, Kutztown University, Lock Haven University of PA, Millersville University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, RAND, Shippensburg University of PA, Slippery Rock University of PA, Temple University, Temple University School of Law, Villanova University, West Chester University of PA, Widener University School of Law and Wilson College.

Initially the goals of the Consortium are to:

1. Review the courses and environmental interests of participating colleges and universities;

2. Articulate major cutting-edge policy issues and needs of DEP and DCNR; and,

3. Begin a dialogue about how Pennsylvania environmental decision-makers and Pennsylvania colleges and universities might productively cooperate around specific issues.

Questions about the Consortium should be directed to Don Brown, acting director, at brown.donald@dep.state.pa.us or 717-783-8504. Also, see the Consortium website at www.pciep.org.

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