The Colorado College mission commits us to providing the finest liberal arts education in the country by embodying our core values. Among our core values are to live with integrity; serve as stewards of the traditions and resources of Colorado College; nurture a sense of place and an ethic of environmental sustainability; encourage engagement and social responsibility at local, national and global levels; and seek excellence, constantly assessing our policies and programs. Sustainability isn't optional for the Colorado College community; it's who we are and how we have defined ourselves. We aspire to make Colorado College a model for campus and community sustainability.

Colorado College students are concerned about social justice, ecological resilience and economic responsibility. This strengthens our desire to promote those values that allow our students to assume leadership roles that are fostered by a Colorado College education.

Beginning in 2012, Colorado College will embark upon a strategic planning process to examine and affirm aspiration goals for the future of the College. Sustainability features prominently in this effort. From President Jill Tiefenthaler's Year of Listening Final Report:

In 2007, our students rallied to pursue a more sustainable campus. As a direct result of their efforts and the thoughtful leadership of the board and the administration, the college developed a sustainability plan. This “living document” continues to guide our goal to reduce our carbon footprint and, of ultimately, becoming carbon-regenerative and a net energy producer. Through initiatives such as the organic garden, EcoFund campus grants, LEED-certified buildings, The Preserve natural café, and the living/learning Synergy House, our community is continuing to nurture the core value of creating a sense of place and an ethic of environmental sustainability.

Some of the questions we'll be exploring in 2012-2013 include:

As we become even more aware of the need to sustain the health of our physical environment, how can we use the undergraduate experience to instill life-long habits of environmental conservation and stewardship? How can we do even more to protect the physical resources that will sustain the college in the future? What other practices and programs can contribute to a sustainable community and promote healthy living among all the residents of the campus?