Teaching and learning environments need to have various characteristics, which ensure that students and teachers are comfortable, safe and promote the acquisition of information. In many colleges and universities, there are always limitations that hinder the achievement of these characteristics. For instance, environmental improvements require a financial investment. Due to budgetary constraints, environmental improvement is not achieved. Now that the university has received $250 million, it should take the opportunity to create a good plan that will ensure that the amount is used to improve the current and future environment on the campus. With a favorable campus environment, the academic and social needs of the present and future students will be met. Students’ perception of the learning environment directly affects their academic success (Lizzio, Wilson, & Simons, 2002). This paper presents a plan that can be applied to make the campus environment suitable and sustainable.
On-campus, several challenges need to be addressed. First, there are hygiene issues. Students play a crucial part in making their environment unhygienic. For instance, students prefer taking packaged foods and drinks. Once they are through with the foods, they carelessly dispose of the packaging plastics, which contribute to solid waste disposal in the university. The university cleaning department has been collecting the wastes and disposing of them. Plastic waste has raised a lot of environmental concerns. Cohen (2015) explains that plastic wastes on land end up in the oceans. However, with the right initiatives, the university can turn plastic wastes into economically important products. From the funds donated to the university, the administration can procure plastic recycling equipment, and build a small recycling plant within the university. The numbers of plastic containers that are disposed of by students on daily basis are sufficient to provide the plant with a continuous supply of raw materials.
In the university, water is essential. However, there are occasional cases where the water supply is unreliable. The donation can be used to increase the amount of water supply, and reduce unnecessary wastage of water. With additional water tanks, the university will be guaranteed sufficient water at all times. Once the water tanks are installed, the university should think about the source of water to fill the tanks. To ensure that the available water is economically used, the university should also install water recycling systems. The water used for washing and bathing should be drained into storage tanks where it should be purified, treated, and stored in tanks that serve washrooms and toilets with water. The recycled water will also help in cleaning the campus compounds. This will ensure that the environment is kept clean and less amount is spent on cleaning water. This can make better use of the water and ensure that the university does not pay high water bills.
In conclusion, many environmental needs can be addressed using the $250 million. If the priorities are made right, the funds will help make the campus environment better in the present and the future. For instance, if the plastic and water recycling plants are installed, they will provide a long-term solution to environmental challenges facing the university. If the proposed plans are implemented, the environmental condition will be improved, to the advantage of the students and campus administration.
References
Cohen, Julie (2015). An Ocean of Plastic. The Regents of the University of California. Web.
Lizzio, A., Wilson, K., & Simons, R. (2002). University students’ perceptions of the learning environment and academic outcomes: implications for theory and practice. Studies in Higher Education, 27(1), 27-52.