Is the ACUPCC strong enough? Are there any consequences if ACUPCC institutions don’t fulfill the terms of Commitment?
The ACUPCC is a pledge to create a plan to incorporate climate and sustainability into the educational experience of all students, and to pursue climate neutrality in campus operations. While there are no legal or financial repercussions for non-fulfillment, the accountability for meeting the terms of the Commitment comes through the public reporting. If an ACUPCC institution is “not in good standing” because they miss a reporting deadline this will be highlighted in the ACUPCC Reporting System, and that institution’s stakeholders – the students, faculty, staff, alumni, administrators, trustees, etc. – will take the necessary steps to get the institution back on track and in good standing. Institutions of higher education take commitments – even voluntary ones – very seriously, and because so their credibility and reputation rely on their integrity on following through on such promises, this mechanism of accountability through public reporting is more powerful than the self-imposed thr
