Energy Upgrades
The Board of Trustees approved APU’s Climate Action Plan at their Board meeting on October 26. At their summer meeting they authorized Phase One ($1.6 million) of a two-phased $6.2 million Performance Contract with Johnson Controls, Inc. to install energy efficient measures throughout campus with the goal of decreasing energy consumption and utility bills by one-third. To date, Johnson Controls Inc. has replaced the two ancient submarine-size Atwood boilers, installed the new boiler and boiler controls as well as the front–end controls for the entire campus, upgraded Atwood dishwasher to a natural gas booster, and upgraded Atwood/Segelhorst/U-Village lighting. This Phase One initiative is focused on our residential facilities. However, it sets the foundation for expanded scope in Phase Two to include the campus-wide facility improvement measures. As a signatory of the ACUPCC, APU is honoring its Climate Action Plan by reducing Scope 1 direct emissions (combustion from boilers/heating for residential spaces) and Scope 2 indirect emissions (electricity/gas purchased from our provider reduced by the dishwasher booster, boiler controls, front end controls and lighting retrofits). It is important to realize that these steps compliment the stated goal of becoming climate neutral by 2023. We must continue to regard every activity as an opportunity for learning and infuse sustainable measures into every aspect of our time spent working, living and learning here. It is the responsibility of every community member to be engaged in this process.
Atwood Boilers: Before
Atwood Boilers: After
Gould Hall Renovation
APU is currently soliciting $2 million in private funds to renovate the ground floor and half of the second floor of Gould Hall to accommodate significant growth of student and faculty research and field projects in environmental science, marine biology, and outdoor studies. APU puts greater emphasis on student-faculty research in senior projects and graduate theses, as well as in courses that emphasize project-based learning. The Gould Hall renovation will provide this space. The Applied Fisheries Research Lab has already moved into the Gould Hall basement and is fully operational. Lab space in the Gould Hall basement will eventually include:
- Physical Science teaching lab (earth science, physics)
- Marine biology teaching and research lab
- Dive locker and rinse room
- Small projects lab with storage
- Fisheries Science lab (image analysis, spatial ecology)
- Field expedition staging area
- Student computer lab/lounge space (8-10 work stations)
- Graduate student, adjunct and visiting faculty offices
- OS gear locker and manager office
- IT upgrades (including PCs and peripherals)
- Safety and code upgrades, infrastructure
Gould Hall was temporary turned into Ghould Hall over Halloween. Tim Flynn, Director of Campus Safety brought his past experience and teamed with 40 APU student and staff actors to create a scary Haunted House adventure that ran for 4 nights, attracted 2600 visitors, extracted at least 10,000 screams, and collected three vanloads of food and clothing for Beans Café and Covenant House.
The APU Denali Society includes donors who give $1,000 or more annually to APU. On October 25th, we held a dinner, attended by 70 Denali Society members, to honor them. In 2012, they contributed nearly $3 million dollars to support the university, its programs and its student. We thanked the Denali Society Co-chairs for past two Years Dr. David and Patti McGuire (APU alumna and trustee) and welcomed new Denali Co-Chairs Bob and Mary Lou Gillam. We recognized new cumulative lifetime giving awards as follows:
- Magna Cum Laude Awards: $100,000 to $499,000 gifts made at one time or cumulatively
- Gary and Barbara Baugh
- Floyd and Mary Bettis
- Carlile Transportation Systems
- The Estate of Irene Copeland
- The Estate of Ramona Faye Sines
- Summa Cum Laude Awards: $500,000-$999,999 gifts made at one time or cumulatively. Members all belong to the At-Sea Processors Association:
- American Seafoods
- Glacier Fish Company
- Trident Seafoods Corporation
- Laureates: Contributing over $1,000,000
- Northrim Bank
Alyeska U at APU
On November 9th and 10th, twenty employees of Alyeska Pipeline Corporation returned to college to attend the first of six MBA 1 credit modules at APU. This program, designed specifically for Alyeska by the APU business faculty, involves a tailor-made curriculum oriented to oil and gas issues within the umbrella of traditional MBA course topics. Alyeska employees may apply these 6 credits towards the completion of the MBA degree if they so choose. President Thomas Barrett and his entire Alyeska Management team attended the morning kick-off event, provided breakfast, and expressed their enthusiasm and full support to their employees.
