By Taye Johnson
In January, Adelphi University was ranked in The Princeton Review as a "Green College" for its 2023 edition—making the list of environmentally responsible colleges and universities across the country. Among the initiatives are the 20-plus year status as an organic campus and registered arboretum; the renovation of the Ruth S. Harley University Center for which environmentally friendly methods were used whenever possible, including the use of reclaimed or biomass materials and energy-efficient lighting; and sustainable dining practices, including suppliers that are local or regional, and water bottle filling stations across campus.
Further, as the university continues to increase its sustainability efforts throughout campus, the electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for electric and hybrid vehicles are a clear example of the steps taken toward a greener campus. There are 18 free EV stations, six installed in the Nexus Building garage in 2017 and 12 in the Motamed Field garage (four installed in 2010 and the rest in 2018). According to Robert J. Shipley '05, assistant vice president for the Facilities Management Department, although the stations are available for students and staff, the wider community can also use them. The stations can be accessed by the public using the intercoms at the main gates to call Public Safety to let them in.
“We have two systems on campus. The Motamed stations are on the Chargepoint network, and the Nexus are EV Connect. EV users can register through the company's websites,” Shipley said.
Both companies have an extensive network of over 1,000 stations across the US. Each EV user can manage everything they need through the company’s apps. The apps are available for iOS and Android and allow students to stay aware of their vehicle’s charging status. The “held for” feature can be helpful. ChargePoint has a feature that holds the station for users after they unplug it, just in case they aren’t done charging. This feature protects users from accidentally unplugging someone else’s car if they’re still using the EV station. ChargePoint highlights how to switch off the “held for feature.” To inform ChargePoint that you’re done charging and that it’s really you unplugging yourself, tap your card at the station before you unplug. That way, the station will simply end your session without holding the station for you, and the next driver in line will receive a notification so they can plug in and start charging. EV Connect allows users to keep track of their favorite locations. This feature is an easy way to store your frequently used charging stations.
The Delphian reached out to current Adelphi EV users to see how they feel about the experience. Cindy Maguire, professor of communications for the College of Arts and Sciences, said, “My partner and I have two cars and one is a Tesla 3. I've used the EV stations off and on for three years. I like the ones under the sports field. They are easy to get to and park with enough space that the car doesn't get unintended dents from people opening their car doors!”
Maguire said that she appreciates that the university has added more chargers over the years, but said that more are needed. “Sometimes the chargers are not working. That said, I've had success contacting the charger help phone number and getting the issue resolved. The stalls near the Nexus center are too small and a bit awkward to park and charge in so I usually do not use them.”
The push to invest in EV stations on campus is part of Adelphi’s new five-year strategic plan, Momentum 2. Goal 3, Smart Growth and Infrastructure, further commits the university to sustainability goals by dedicating efforts that support an environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient environment. Shipley said, “EV charging further Adelphi’s commitment to sustainability and promoting a clean environment.”
Shipley said that he would like to add more stations in the future but nothing has been planned as of now.
Regarding public use of the stations, which could lead to someone using a station for an entire day, making that one less EV station for students and staff, Shipley said, “That’s part of the policy updates that we are working on. We are almost at 100 percent capacity as of now so we may consider making them private and restricting use to AU staff and students only.”
To learn more about this program, students can contact Facilities Management at 516-877-3970.