Establish an On-Campus Cooling Center

This initiative proposes to officially designate one or more spaces on the University of Arizona main campus as cooling centers for public use during excessive heat periods from May to September. These cooling centers will provide essential access to air conditioning and water, supporting vulnerable populations and aligning with the university's equity and community engagement goals. Collaboration with Pima County and the City of Tucson will enhance extreme heat resiliency planning and ensure comprehensive community support during extreme heat events. Actionable items include:

• Designate appropriate on-campus spaces as official cooling centers.
• Ensure these cooling centers provide access to water and extended operating hours during peak temperature periods.
• Establish a tracking system to monitor the number of visitors using the cooling centers and understand community needs.
• Engage with Pima County to list University cooling centers on their Cooling Centers webpage and promote this information on multiple university websites.
• Collaborate with Pima County and the City of Tucson on extreme heat resiliency planning and adapt university policies to facilitate effective cooling centers for unhoused populations.