Letter: Concordia’s climate commitment can't end here

In a time when justice delayed is justice denied, it’s disheartening to see Concordia College dissolve its Office of Sustainability.

Environmental justice is social justice. It’s racial justice. And for a campus that prides itself on carbon neutrality, equity, and preparing students to be responsibly engaged in the world, this decision feels like a step backward.

From what I understand, the Office of Sustainability was quietly dissolved in late April due to budget cuts. But this office never carried a heavy financial burden. The single full-time staff member earned around $40,000 a year. Student interns—brilliant and dedicated—were paid about $11/hour for part-time work. The cost was minimal. The value was immense.

As a Concordia alum who studied sustainability and later served as an AmeriCorps member on campus, I had the privilege of working alongside this office. I saw firsthand how it empowered students, advanced Concordia’s climate goals, and served as a model for what faith-rooted, justice-driven education could look like.

What makes this loss even harder is that student passion for sustainability is growing. Across the country and right here at home, students are demanding climate action. Concordia had a chance to lead and instead chose to quietly step away.

For many students, the Office of Sustainability was a beacon. To see it go dark—without transparency or community input—is more than disappointing. It undermines the values Concordia claims to uphold and sends the wrong message about the future we’re preparing for.

Sydney Stock lives in Fargo.