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We are now the College of the Environment
The College of the Environment is entering its next 50 years with a new name, following a vote of the Board of Trustees on December 9, 2021 to remove “Huxley” from the College name. Read the legacy review statement from Board Chair John Meyer and President Sabah Randhawa.
Our mission remains the same: to address today's environmental issues and prepare tomorrow's interdisciplinary problem solvers. The support of our community of alumni and friends is at the heart of our success, as we also strive to increase the diversity of the faculty and students whose perspectives are so essential to solving today’s complex environmental problems. Stay tuned for information on upcoming visioning sessions in 2022 for internal and external stakeholders!
Our Difference
Since 1969, WWU’s College of the Environment has enjoyed a reputation as a premier institution for the education of future environmental experts and leaders. Our distinctive, interdisciplinary curriculum grants degrees from the Department of Environmental Sciences (B.S., M.S.), Department of Environmental Studies (B.A., B.A.E., M.A., M.Ed.) and the Department of Urban and Environmental Planning & Policy (B.A.). Each department offers multiple majors; from urban planning and environmental policy to estuarine science and terrestrial ecology.
We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and will continue to support the worldwide movements for civil rights and social justice, to end structural racism and to empower People of Color, Women, Immigrants, Indigenous, Disabled, and LGBTQI people as fully equal and fully safe members of our society. Read Our College Solidarity Statement.
College News
WWU’s Alia Khan Receives $1.2 million CAREER Grant from the NSF to Continue Research in the Antarctic and the Cascades
Western Washington University Assistant Professor of Environmental Science Alia Khan has been awarded a five-year, $1.2 million CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation to continue…
Western’s Fall Enrollment Sets New Records for Diversity and Graduate Programs
Despite the significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Western Washington University’s fall enrollment numbers held steady with the previous year, while posting record gains for diversity, its…
Research Recap for Oct. 1: WWU gets a new Germanium detector, and inside the life of the pinto abalone
Western’s faculty and students are engaged in exciting research and scholarship across a variety of fields. Each week, Western Today will share short summaries of the latest developments in…
Student Stories
I chose Western because I wanted to learn about sustainability and the environment, and I knew Huxley was the best place to do this.
Courtney Walker
The Planet Magazine
The Planet is a publication class offered through the Environmental Studies department. It combines the environmental focus of the college with the writing and reporting skills taught in the journalism department. Students publish a quarterly environmental magazine in print version as well as online. The Planet class is advised by Warren Cornwall.
Up Next
Upcoming Events
The College acknowledges with respect...
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish peoples on whose traditional territory the college stands, and to the Lummi and Nooksack peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
DefaultVeg
The College of the Environment’s mission is to address today's environmental issues and continue to support the worldwide movements for social justice. In order to align our food choices with these essential values, we adopt DefaultVeg as our food practice for all meetings and events hosted by the College, to shift our purchasing practices away from factory farming — a root cause of social injustice for humans, animals, and the environment.