Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities
Global Stewardship Initiative
Campus Activity Report (1995-1996)
MESSIAH COLLEGE
1995-1996
Development of Academic Program
Major in Environmental Science -- The new major in Environmental Science continues to grow in terms of both depth and breadth of the program. At the end of the 1995-1996 academic year, approximately 35 students had declared the major and our first students (four) graduated in May. Two of the four are or will soon enter graduate school, a third is in full-time campus ministry with a focus on environmental stewardship, and the last is looking for a job. The fall semester of 1996 has now begun with 44 students having declared their major in Environmental Science. Several others have a biology major with an environmental focus.
Because of the rapid growth of the program, we are in the process of adding additional courses and have hired another faculty member to join us in January 1997. David Foster (Ph.D. University of Wisconsin in plant ecology) will add significantly to the program in the area of quantitative skills and field botany. Immediate course additions will include Aquatic Biology, Mammalogy, and Environmental Ethics as well as one or two new courses to be developed by Dave Foster.
Messiah Students are also encouraged to participate in the Au Sable Institute program. In 1995-1996, there were 12 Messiah students at Au Sable during January and 12 during the summer program. Several other students were unable to attend because of large enrollments at Au Sable.
Minor in Environmental Science -- This minor was approved to permit students in other majors (both within and outside of the sciences) to obtain an area of concentration in environmental science.
Minor in Environmental Studies -- This interdisciplinary minor was approved to permit students in other majors (both within and outside of the sciences) to obtain a broad exposure to the interdisciplinary nature of the environmental field. Current courses available in the minor include Environmental Science, Environmental Economics, Literature and the Environment, Appropriate Technology, Environmental Ethics, and Public Policy.
Proposed Major in Environmental Studies -- an interdisciplinary major in Environmental Studies has been proposed and is now (fall 1996) being considered. The program would utilize Messiah's Philadelphia campus and its affiliation with Temple University. Students would reside at the Philadelphia Campus for one to two years where they would enroll in specified courses from a broad selection of majors. This would provide the possibility for advanced work in urban ecology, public policy, and other important areas.
Proposed Certification in Environmental Education -- It was proposed in the spring of 1996 that Messiah college seek certification in environmental education. During the fall of 1996 were are examining the feasibility and advisability of providing this option for our students. At present, only eight schools in Pennsylvania provide certification in this area. None are Christian.
Expansion of facilities
Addition to Kline Hall of Science -- expansion of Kline Hall of Science has been approved and ground-breaking will occur in 1997. The present Kline Hall facility is approximately 55,000 square feet. The new addition will add an additional 64,000 square feet at an estimated cost of $10 million. The four-floor addition will include a two-floor museum to house our collections. The large African mammal collection has been appraised in excess of $2 million. We also have a nice beginning for our North American collection. Most recently, we have acquired the largest private (25th in total size) egg collection in North America. It is a major research collection. These collections, when they are properly housed, will constitute an important regional museum which we will use as the focal point of a planned environmental education program for the community.
Stewardship of the land
Arboretum Proposal -- A proposal was made to the institutional planning committee in the spring of 1996 to dedicate, develop and manage the 300+ acre Messiah College campus as an arboretum (see appendix I). Discussion of the proposal will take place during the fall of 1996.
Land-use plan -- as part of the strategic planning for the campus, the Natural Science Department has been requested to provide for discussion a campus land-use plan involving the natural areas of the campus. We are in the process of identifying multiple use areas with no further development, important buffer zones, and core natural areas for research and teaching.
Creation of a new pond for teaching/research -- related to the expansion of a parking lot and the construction of a new dorm on campus it will be necessary to build a retention pond to control runoff. This has provided the opportunity to design the holding area as a permanent pond which will not only meet the state's retention requirements but will also provide the campus with a site for on-going aquatic research in addition to the high-quality stream that flows through the campus.
Enhancing an existing wetland -- in addition to the creation of the above pond, a proposal has been submitted as part of Pennsylvania's wetland enhancement/mitigation program to use an area of existing low quality wetland on Messiah's campus as a site for the creation of a high-quality wetland adjacent to the Yellow Breeches stream. The total area involved is approximately one acre.
Campus Stewardship Activities
Messiah College Ethics Conference: Environmental Stewardship -- an Ethical Perspective. The conference was planned during the academic year of 1995-96 and final planning will be completed this year for a conference date of Sept. 16 through 18, 1997. The conference will include a keynote address, roundtable discussions, and presentations which will focus on environmental stewardship. Program participants will include business leaders, academics, and ethicists. The audience will be the business and local communities, and colleges and universities of south-central Pennsylvania. Key organizational people are Roger Johnson and Yvonne Martin of Messiah College. See Appendix II.
Earthkeepers. Earthkeepers is a student organization focusing on the stewardship of creation. Although their primary focus is the Messiah College campus, they also participate in the Adopt-A-Highway Program and maintain a section of Route 15 near Messiah. This past year there were several on-campus activities sponsored by Earthkeepers to raise awareness at Messiah. Two of Earthkeepers officers participated this summer in the Christian Environmental Association's young leaders training program at Hidden Lakes, California. This past year Earthkeepers established affiliations with the the Christian Environmental Association, Green Cross, and the National Wildlife Federation. In the spring of 1996, four members of Earthkeepers travelled to Washington, D.C. to participate in CEA's training the lobbying efforts on the Endangered Species Act.
Appendix I
An Arboretum at Messiah College
Narrowly conceived, an arboretum is a defined physical setting in which trees are grown for public display and for scientific and educational purposes. In this conception, grassy areas with solitary, labeled specimen trees come quickly to mind. An arboretum at Messiah College might include such areas but could be much broader in scope and concept. Messiah College's entire campus, in a sense, would be considered an arboretum - a place of outdoor education, scientific research, artistic expression, and natural beauty. Under this proposal, all of Messiah's landscapes, its woods, wetlands, lawns, athletic fields, ornamental trees and other plantings would be considered part of the educational mission of the college. Proposed in this manner, the arboretum would be integrated into the comprehensive master plan for the entire campus. All aspects of landscape utilization would be coordinated under a single management plan having campus wide approval and support.
A broadly conceived campus-as-arboretum would entail many possibilities, all of which would have educational value to the college community and to the wider community. Such an arboretum could include many of the following concepts:
Interpretive brochures, maps, and trails can be developed as needed. Specific plants would be permanently labeled with descriptive and unobtrusive nameplates. The planned expanded greenhouse would be used to propagate perennials and annuals for spring and summer planting.
To accomplish any of the above will require the formation of a committee, broadly representative of the campus community, to meet together for the purposes of planning and coordinating landscape management decisions. Appropriate governance procedures would need to be determined. In addition, some level of funding and personnel expertise would be necessary.
The benefits to Messiah College of a broadly defined campus-wide arboretum are multifaceted. The campus-as-arboretum would be a significant educational and public relations outreach to the surrounding community, an inviting and meaningful compliment to and extension of the planned museum. Seasonal and thematic walks or tours could be arranged for groups of school children or community groups. These could be led by students and/or faculty.
Students from many majors could be involved in aspects of a campus wide arboretum. Opportunities for research and learning in horticulture, biology and environmental education, elementary education, photography, drawing, sculpture, physical education, and students in non major biology courses come to mind.
Our students would benefit in other ways. Students in all majors could find the campus landscapes to be places of learning and reflection on the value and possibilities of Creation and not solely spaces to traverse as quickly as possible in as straight a line as possible to get to the next building. Landscapes that showcase viable alternatives to the all too common pesticide, fertilizer, and labor-intensive suburban landscaping ideals would be among the most valuable of the many lessons caught in college rather than taught. Landscaping that fosters working with Creation rather than against it may leave lasting and valuable impressions on the minds of students and other visitors on campus. Viewing the entire campus as an arboretum would serve as a statement of our stewardship responsibilities as we seek the Lord's direction in using the campus wisely.
A landscape marked by a diversity of native species in natural patterns may require less maintenance than some of our current landscaping.
Finally, a planned campus-wide arboretum would facilitate bringing together all parties on campus whose interests and responsibilities involve the campus environment. It would serve as an opportunity for campus wide discussion in order to build consensus and develop a shared sense of purpose for various parts of the campus landscape.
Appendix II
MESSIAH COLLEGE ETHICS CONFERENCE
Sponsored by
Conference Theme: Environmental Stewardship: an Ethical Perspective
Conference Dates: Tuesday evening, Sept. 16 through Thursday lunch, September 18, 1997
Conference Rationale: Until recently, it was an accepted norm that some "spoiling of the environment was one of the prices of development" (Melvin J. Loewen, 1994). We welcomed the products that made our lives easier and more pleasant. We rationalized that damages to the earth could be cleaned up, now or later, if necessary. We believed that new technology could fix what the old technology damaged. We sacrificed our own and others' health, and other created life and resources for our immediate gratification.
Today, many people in the world recognize that we have a serious problem. The Christian liberal arts and applied sciences college should be part of the dialogue about environmental stewardship.
Description: The conference will include a keynote address, roundtable discussions, and presentations which will focus on environmental stewardship.
Program Participants: business leaders, academics, and ethicists
Audience: business and local communities, Messiah College and other local colleges' students and faculty
Keynote Address: Should challenge the audience on the importance of responsible and ethical practices that are grounded in biblical truth.
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