(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)October 22, 2007

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner,
The Honorable Lisa P. Jackson, among those participating

(Mahwah) – A groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction on a new Sustainability Education Center on the campus of Ramapo College of New Jersey took place Monday, October 22.   Joining Dr. Peter P. Mercer, president of the college, at the ceremony were The Honorable Lisa P. Jackson, commissioner, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Dr. Reverend Vernon C. Walton, chairman of the college’s Board of Trustees.

“Ramapo College’s academic programs will benefit from the addition of the Sustainability Center,” said Mercer.  “The Center will further incorporate environmental learning and understanding of sustainability into the Ramapo curriculum across disciplines.”

The Center will also compliment the college’s partnership with the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.  Ramapo College operates the commission’s Meadowlands Environment Center in Lyndhurst, NJ, which provides environmental education experiences to over 20,000 school children annually.

The Ramapo College Sustainability Education Center will be a 1,787 square foot building consisting of a multi-function classroom and demonstration space, a K-12 sustainable classroom, an environmental lecture classroom and an environmental science laboratory, display space and a functional greenhouse.

As a showcase for sustainable and green practices, the Sustainability Education Center will include key environmental systems, such as weather monitoring equipment, solar panels, wind generator, energy efficient appliances and lighting, waterless toilets, organic gardens, a solar hot water heater and native permaculture plantings.

With support from Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, and Congressman Scott Garrett, representing New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District, Ramapo College received a $320,000 federal allocation toward the Sustainability Education Center’s completion.

The Sustainability Education Center will be located on a 1.25 acre parcel of land just to the west of the former Alternative Energy Center and the Village residence housing.  Courses to fulfill the requirements of Ramapo College’s environmental studies and environmental science majors will be offered in the new building.

In addition, student clubs, most notably the Environmental Alliance, will have a gathering place and forum for their activities.  Courses, seminars, and labs will be based in the Center, making it a campus hub for advanced study on sustainability issues.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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