• Charles Sturt supports students and staff who choose to attend the School Strike for Climate protests across Australia
• Charles Sturt has a proud record of environmental programs, policies and initiatives
• Services for students not taking part in the protests will be uninterrupted during the climate change protest periods on Friday 20 September

As Australia’s first carbon neutral university, Charles Sturt is proud of its record as an industry-leading environmental and sustainability advocate, and will accommodate students and staff planning to attend ‘climate strikes’ this month.

School Strike for Climate (SSC) is planning a series of two-hour student-led protests across Australia on Friday 20 September.

Charles Sturt's Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor John Germov said the University supported the right of students and staff to take part in the protests.

“No Charles Sturt student or staff member will be penalised by the University for attending the SSC events, which are an admirably peaceful and powerful way of advocating for much-needed action to address climate change,” Professor Germov said.

“For students planning to attend the Strike, the University asks that they notify their lecturers should this impact assessment deadlines, and take measures to ensure they do not compromise their learning or that of fellow classmates, particularly if they are involved in group work.

“Charles Sturt staff planning to take part will work with their supervisors to ensure services for students not attending the strikes will be uninterrupted.”

Professor Germov said the University’s stance was consistent with its unwavering commitment to environmental causes, demonstrated by its celebrated CSU Green program, the roll-out of one of Australia’s largest roof-top solar systems, its ‘war on waste’ campaign that has eliminated plastic straws and halved the number of disposable coffee cups used on-campus, adoption of the sustainability-focused Learning in Future Environments framework, and being certified as the first carbon neutral university in Australia.

“Charles Sturt has a long and proud history of dedication to meaningful action on climate change and sustainability,” he said.

“As a University committed to the public good and creating a world worth living in, these values continue to inform our programs, policies and initiatives as we strive to make a positive impact on the environment.”