Award for Progressive Sustainability
Leous/Parry Award for Progressive Sustainability

Columbia University's tradition of leadership is apparent in many sectors including law, business and medicine. Additionally, the University community is establishing itself as an environmental leader through groundbreaking scientific research and innovative public policy approaches. Through initiatives supported by the Earth Institute and the School of International and Public Affairs, President Lee Bollinger and Senior Executive Vice President Robert Kasdin's vision of Columbia as a champion for environmental sustainability is taking additional steps forward.

The School of International and Public Affairs' Dean Lisa Anderson is similarly facilitating a more environmentally conscious mindset.  Recent 'green' renovations of SIPA's Career Services and Financial Aid offices that include energy efficient and environmentally sustainable materials demonstrate that SIPA practices the sustainability it teaches in the classroom.  Dean Anderson similarly changed SIPA's procurement policy in 2006, mandating the purchase of environmentally friendly floor covering when replacement is necessary.

Green policies within the International Affairs Building are matched by a new academic initiative as well: the first graduation award dedicated to promoting cross-disciplinary solutions to environmental concerns.

After winning the 2005 Andrew Wellington Cordier Essay Contest, SIPA students J.P. Leous and Neal Parry used the prize money to begin the Leous/Parry Award for Progressive Sustainability.  With additional funding donated by the MPA ESP class of 2006, the award supports interdisciplinary approaches to protecting the environment and promotes collaboration from across the University to address policy issues.  Presented at SIPA graduation beginning in 2007, the award will recognize the best student paper or project that identifies a social or political problem, highlights the environmental issues at stake, and presents a thorough cross-disciplinary solution.

This award "comes at a good time for SIPA," says ESP MPA Director and Earth Institute Executive Director, Steve Cohen. Citing the sixth class of SIPA's innovative one-year MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program, increasing numbers of environmental concentrators within the two-year MPA/ MIA tracks, as well as the establishment of a Sustainable Development doctoral program, Prof. Cohen sees the Leous/Parry Award for Progressive Sustainability as providing a "vehicle through which students and faculty from SIPA's environmental programs can be recognized for innovative and practical policy solutions."

Submissions for the first annual Leous/Parry Award for Progressive Sustainability must be emailed to jpl2122@columbia.edu & nbp2102@columbia.edu by midnight 15 April 2007, and will be reviewed by a five-person committee comprised of SIPA graduates, faculty and administrators.

Award recipients will receive a $500 cash prize at SIPA's Commencement Ceremony, and the project will be showcased and archived on the SIPA and Earth Institute websites.  Additionally, a copy of the winning essay will be housed in Lehman Library.

"This Award is well suited to accommodate papers written for class, workshop projects, internships, or outside projects," says Award co-founder JP Leous.  Neal Parry agrees, adding: "Ideally, this Award will draw students from different backgrounds together, so we will have teams of students and faculty from across the University working to address the environmental core issues of so many social, economic and political concerns."