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Abstract:

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze those US campuses that became signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) during the charter membership period of December 2006 through September 15, 2007.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on literature in organizational change, organizational learning, and innovation diffusion to develop a tentative idea as to what types of campuses might be most likely to be climate change innovators. It then characterizes signatory campuses with respect to such variables as their size, location, and type.

Findings – The paper shows that there is no typical signatory among the 379 ACUPCC charter members. Many types of institutions, public and private, small and large, and located throughout the USA, have pledged to become climate neutral through this commitment.

Practical implications – Understanding more about how USA higher education is responding to global climate change is an important component of the larger discussions surrounding this critical issue.

Originality/value – Higher education has a vital role to play in global climate change mitigation and adaptation, but there has been little prior scholarly attention to this topic. This paper contributes to the understanding of this issue through its analysis of the most innovative and comprehensive climate initiative in US higher education.

Keywords:

Academic staff, Global warming, Higher education, United States of America, Universities

Article Type:

Research paper

Article URL:

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/14676370910972530

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