RIT School of Media Sciences Becomes SGP Resource Partner

SAYVILLE, NY – The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading comprehensive sustainability certifier of print facilities, is pleased to announce that Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), School of Media Sciences (SMS) has joined the SGP Community as a SGP Resource Partner.

SGP Resource Partners are sustainability subject matter experts who insure that the printing industry is empowered with on-target and current thinking. SGP Resource Partners include a diverse group of organizations, from industry trade associations to educational institutions and NGOs, all striving to provide information and resources to help create a more sustainable print industry.

RIT has on-going and comprehensive research and academic initiatives in sustainability and many tie into the printing industry. Sustainability is one of the four priorities of learning outcomes for the school’s undergraduate program. The topic of sustainability as it relates to print and new media is covered in multiple ways through the SMS undergraduate and graduate curricula.

This semester, a course entitled “Sustainability in the Graphic Arts” was developed and will be taught by former SGP Board Member Steve Whittaker. The objectives for this course are 1) To become familiar with current issues related to sustainability in the graphic arts; 2) To gain an in-depth understanding of the relationship between sustainability, safety, and operations; and 3) To develop strategies for implementing sustainability within graphic arts organizations. “This new class prompted RIT to develop a stronger alliance with SGP to share its commitment to our industry and its future leaders,” comments Whittaker.

“For the past five years, the SGP criteria have been part of a course in SMS,” adds Whittaker. “The criteria were divided among the students and each proceeded to develop a response to items in the criteria.The process was based upon an actual model from the former Monroe Litho, a SGP Certified Printer once located in Rochester, NY. Upon completion of that course, each student had a wire bound book to take to job interviews as evidence of their involvement in education in sustainability in the graphic communications industry.”

About RIT’s SMS

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)’s School of Media Sciences (SMS) offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn about the integration of print and new media, as it is reflected within our digital society. Graduates leave with an innovative, integrated skill set, a solid technical background of digital workflow processes, and a keen understanding of industry issues and trends. Learn more about RIT’s SMS at cias.rit.edu/schools/media-sciences and RIT’s sustainability initiatives at rit.edu/sustainability/about.

About SGP

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) is a non-profit organization that certifies printing facilities’ sustainability best practices, including and beyond regulatory compliance. SGP strives to assure a sustainability-driven supply chain to the print buying community through strategic partnerships with SGP Certified Printers and SGP Patrons. To learn more about SGP visit www.sgppartnership.org or [email protected].