Vassar’s New Director of Sustainability—Charting a Path to Our “Renewable” Future
As he assumes his new role as Vassar’s Director of Sustainability, Ken Foster brings an action-oriented approach to sustainability, focusing on creative collaboration and continual learning. “The exceptionally diverse talents and strengths I have found in the Vassar community will enable the College to make significant progress in responding both to the climate crisis and to the decline in the health of our ecosystems,” Foster said.
Foster’s work involves responsibilities ranging from facilitating the adoption of renewable energy systems, to promoting the connection between nature and wellness, to supervising student interns. “I love the fact that I get to work in so many different areas, with so many interesting people from across the College,” he said.
A major task on Foster’s agenda is the development of a new Climate Action Plan for the College. “Our challenge will be to have big goals while also being very pragmatic about concrete steps we will take year-to-year, and we’ll need to take a holistic approach so that the entire community is involved,” he said.
Charting a path to geothermal heating systems for buildings on the campus is one major goal, but facilitating changes in behavior will also be important. “The health of people—and of all life on the planet—depends on our actions,” he said.
Foster’s background makes him eminently qualified to thrive in the director position. Prior to assuming his new job at Vassar in July, he was a Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies at Concordia College in Minnesota for 17 years. During this time, Foster chaired the College President’s Sustainability Council and for three years was Concordia’s Director of Community Engagement. He also served on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s Environmental Quality Board, and he is a member of the Board of Directors of the national organization Wild Ones, which promotes native plants and natural landscaping.
As he and others on campus work to make changes now while also developing the 2025 Climate Action Plan, Foster said he’ll focus on enabling people to connect with landscape and nature. “Vassar has a perfect setting in which to do this,” he said. “We’ll be celebrating the 100th anniversary of Vassar’s arboretum next year, and we’re developing a restorative nature walk that will be used in Residential Life’s HOME program next semester.”
Foster says he’s been energized by the enthusiasm he has witnessed as the College makes progress on sustainability issues. “Vassar has a strong history of being committed to environmental sustainability and has already done a great deal,” he said. “We are poised to take strong steps into the next stage of action.”