Press Releases

RIT School of Media Sciences Becomes SGP Resource Partner

Published

8 years ago

January 28, 2016

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 http://cias.rit.edu/schools/media-sciences and RIT’s sustainability initiatives at www.rit.edu/sustainability/about.

Let’s Talk About It

Creating a More Diverse and Inclusive Screen Printing Industry

LET’S TALK About It: Part 3 discusses how four screen printers have employed people with disabilities, why you should consider doing the same, the resources that are available, and more. Watch the live webinar, held August 16, moderated by Adrienne Palmer, editor-in-chief, Screen Printing magazine, with panelists Ali Banholzer, Amber Massey, Ryan Moor, and Jed Seifert. The multi-part series is hosted exclusively by ROQ.US and U.N.I.T.E Together. Let’s Talk About It: Part 1 focused on Black, female screen printers and can be watched here; Part 2 focused on the LGBTQ+ community and can be watched here.