The New 65 Fifth Avenue.

> Op-ed piece for Inprint Newspaper <

In the announcement of the flashy new fifteen story tower soon to occupy 65 5th Ave, there was no talk of environmental accountability. There wasn't the slightest mention of it anywhere in James Murtha’s letter in the Annual Report, nor in the subsequent Inprint article. Admittedly, this says nothing about how ecologically conscience the current construction plans are; it may be the case that those involved in the planning effort are intending to utilize the greenest building practices currently possible. The fact remains that the student body must ask some important questions and it must ask them publicly.

The new building, in whatever shape it may eventually take, will be an indication of the New School’s character. Therefore it is crucial that our community - faculty and staff included - engage in an open discussion and come to some agreement on what values we want to make manifest in this highly visible form. This structure will be a statement that you and I have an obligation to help write because, once completed, it will speak for all of us.

Based on Murtha’s letter it is clear that progressive aesthetics, modernity, and high technology take precedence in this new building’s design. These are all important elements, but I believe they must be developed within a framework of environmental and civic awareness. Given the shoddy state of the ecosystem and the recent emergence of some very impelling ecological concerns, it is quite hypocritical for a university that openly champions social justice to so casually overlook stating it’s environmental policy. From my perspective, these two ideas are closely entwined and mutually interdependent.

For this reason, I suggest that we build according to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) specifications; a widely adopted measure of sustainable design and construction practices. A structure which fares well in this rating system tends to have more open space, more natural light, cleaner air, increased water conservation, efficient waste management, a well-developed recycling system and vastly increased energy conservation. For reasons that should be plainly obvious to most forward-thinking New Schoolers, achieving a high LEED certification would be a fantastically positive step in the right direction.

Advertising this accomplishment could then set a precedent for other institutions to follow in our footsteps - this is the definition of “progressive”. If we place an example of ecological responsibility square in the middle of downtown Manhattan, people will notice. Never underestimate the impact of a singular, highly visible statement.

The suggestion put forth above is but one of many in a discourse that must be contributed to by all. Remember: It’s not just the physical walls of the classroom that are at stake here, it’s the tenability of the values purported inside. Let’s come to a consensus on what “social responsibility” means to us as an institution, then let’s put into practice what we preach.

-Ryan