Dear Clemson:
 
I am extremely thankful that the tornado which touched down on our campus this week did minimal damage and left no injuries.
 
Our emergency alert system apparently worked well, and most people responded superbly. Please don’t ignore these warnings. If you hear the warning sirens or receive a CU Safe tornado alert, either by e-mail or text message, it means a storm is very close by. Pay attention to the warnings and seek shelter immediately in an interior room, away from windows, on the lowest floor of the building you are in.
 
We hated to get a tornado, but we were very glad for the rain that came with it. Ironically, it came as I was finalizing this message to you about the University’s drought response. An Inside Clemson was issued last week about water usage and the drought; a second Inside will go out soon about a newly adopted Sustainable Energy Policy.
 
Our rainfall last year was just over one-third of a normal year. The water level in Hartwell Lake has fallen to 646 feet above sea level, which is 14 feet below full pool. We hope it will not fall further, but we must be prepared. Even with this week’s rain, it will take many days and weeks of normal rainfall to recover. This is a very serious crisis for the lake we love, which is also the source of drinking water for Clemson and many other communities.  
 
Under our University Drought Management Plan, this low lake level also triggers a change in our drought response. Many conservation practices have been in effect for months, but they must be strengthened and extended. Our goal is to reduce water consumption by 20 to 25 percent. We need the help of every individual to do that. Please pay close attention to information on how to save water.
 
Also, on August 11, the Administrative Council approved a new Sustainable Energy Policy for Clemson. It outlines some ambitious energy reduction goals and details the steps we must take to meet them. For many, our habits will have to change and personal comfort levels will be affected.  
 
These two topics are related because we all care about being good stewards of our energy and water resources, along with our financial resources. Environmental sustainability is one of Clemson’s eight emphasis areas, as well as a value we all share. I was one of the charter signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. As a nation, as a people, and as an institution, we cannot afford to be wasteful. The cost is just too heavy, both for our budgets and for our planet.
 
Please join me in studying the information you will receive this semester. Make sure others in your departments or residence halls do the same. Then plan to change your own behavior with a willing heart.
 
We need your cooperation and your suggestions to make this work. Continue to share your thoughts with me and remember: As our recent rise in the rankings has proved, when Clemson people work together for the common good, we can achieve anything.  
 
Thank you, and best wishes for a great semester and a great year. Go Tigers!
 
James F. Barker, FAIA
President