EPA Recognizes Green Leaders of Big Ten Conference; Shaw University Ends Semester Early After Storms

The Environmental Protection Agency has recognized several institutions from the Big Ten athletic conference in its College and University Green Power Challenge. While the University of Pennsylvania ranked first against 68 other universities by purchasing over 200 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of green power, Pennsylvania State University ranked first at the Big Ten conference. The Big Ten used over 256 million kWh of green power annually. [United States Environmental Protection Agency]

After severe storms Saturday, Shaw University announced that it is ending its semester immediately. Several campus buildings were damaged, and 150 students have been displaced. Students will be given semester grades based on whatever work they have completed for their classes so far. [Inside Higher Ed]

Students at Lehigh University spoke at length Friday with Libyan rebels over the online Skype telephone service. The translator for the rebel army said, “This is real-time information. Whatever is happening in the streets is actually conveyed to you.” The telephone conference was set up by a Libyan student at Lehigh, Issa Hakim, who returned home last spring and is now volunteering in the rebel army as it fights against the 42-year rule of Muammar el-Qaddafi. [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

College presidents and administrators have begun using Twitter as a strategic tool, but many have also become “more personable” because of it. With regard to the Twitter exchanges between University of New Hampshire President Mark Huddleston, @MarkHuddleston, and an impersonator, @PrezHuddleston, “the plausibility of a bona fide Twitter president has given rise to phony ones.” While some college administrators have poked jokes at these impersonators, others have actually submitted formal complaints to Twitter upon discovery of non-satirical impersonators on the site. [USA Today]

Aliya Karim is an online communications intern for Campus Progress.

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