University of Kentucky Sustainability Committee Charge

Type: Policy

Status: Adopted in March 2008

Source File: http://www.uky.edu/sustainability/about.html

Description:

After considering recommendations by members of the former Sustainability Task Force and nominations from campus leaders, University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. recently appointed the members of a new Sustainability Advisory Committee.

The newly elected committee co-chairs are Carol Hanley, director of education and communications for the UK Tracy Farmer Center for the Environment and chair of the Bluegrass Partnership for a Green Community, and Mark Williams, associate professor of horticulture in the College of Agriculture.

Charge to the Committee
The charge, function, membership, appointment procedure and requirements for meetings and reports of the Sustainability Advisory Committee shall be as follows:

I. Charge and Functions
The Sustainability Advisory Committee shall:

A. Define, develop and recommend for adoption a university "Statement on Sustainability Policy and Principles".

B. Develop an annual set of committee goals and planned actions designed to further promote and advance an institutional culture of sustainability.

C. Publicize and communicate current university sustainability initiatives to the university community.

D. Assess the completeness and progress of university sustainability efforts as compared to national benchmark institutions. Conduct an annual review of University of Kentucky operations in terms of sustainability; develop indicators to measure progress and make suggestions and recommendations for improvements.

E. Produce an annual report of active university sustainability efforts and activities in the areas of business operations, education, research and community engagement.

F. Conduct and promote campus events, workshops, showcases, exhibits and symposia focused on enhancing sustainability efforts and practices so as to more fully engage students, faculty and staff in this topic.

G. Promote and encourage sustainable best practices in university facility planning, design, and construction.

H. Prepare a guidance plan (including goals and action items) on how the university can achieve a reduction in campus greenhouse gas emissions and seek to become more climate neutral.

I. Create and appoint such technical advisory task forces and committees as may be appropriate to advise the committee and to foster increased opportunities for campus community involvement and input.

II. Composition
The committee shall be appointed by the President and shall be composed as follows:

A. Two members from university business operations. (Wiseman '10; Harris '09)

B. Two faculty members (Yanarella '10; Levine '09)

C. Two student members. (Athar '10; Harmin '09)

D. One member from the College of Agriculture (Williams '10)

E. One member from Student Affairs (Crouch '09)

F. One member representing the university research mission (Rathbone '10)

G. One member from the Lexington Community (Non UK) (Taylor '09)

H. Two at Large (Tedder '10; Hanley '09)

I. Sustainability Coordinator (Ex Officio) (Future)

Members shall be appointed for staggered two year terms. Initially one half of the committee shall be named to a one year term. Two Co Chairs will be named by the Committee. One of the Co Chairs shall be a faculty member with the second co chair representing university business operations.

III. Meetings
The members of the committee shall meet at least monthly during the school year. The agenda of regular meetings shall be distributed in advance to the members. The agenda shall be publicized on campus to encourage students, faculty and staff to attend and to present information and suggestions. Any interested person in the university community may attend regularly scheduled meetings.

IV. Reporting
The committee shall report regularly to the President. Copies of such reports, as well as copies of the minutes, shall be submitted to all regular members of the committee. The committee shall publish and present an annual report each April on university sustainability activities and progress in meeting goals in campus business operations, education, research and community engagement. The annual report shall also detail committee goals and action items to be pursued in the following year.