| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 55.95 |
| Liaison | Jonathan Lantz-Trissel |
| Submission Date | Jan. 22, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Eastern Mennonite University
PAE-1: Sustainability Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Jonathan
Lantz-Trissel Sustainability Coordinator Physical Plant |
Does the institution have a sustainability committee?:
The charter or mission statement of the committee or a brief description of the committee's purview and activities :
Creation Care Council Structure
Function:
The Council will coordinate with other groups to develop concrete steps and long-term plans for creation care on EMU’s campus. The Council will also serve as a visionary body directly involved in long-term sustainability planning for the University.
More specifically, the Council’s work is in three areas:
1) Education and Research: to work across the university to articulate our faith-based approach to sustainability.
2) Operations: to address usage of energy, promote sustainability building practices; increase sustainable food choices; give support to Sustainable Food Initiative’s gardens; promote sustainable institutional purchasing; address usage of natural resources; promote composting; advance bicycling; and encourage alternative transportation, education, and infrastructure.
3) Planning, Administration and Engagement: to serve as an incubator regarding creation care; engage in strategic planning, especially concerning climate change; advocate for diversity and affordability; build an understanding of the role EMU’s investments play in campus sustainability efforts and advocating for changes as needed; explore ways to build EMU’s community around sustainability themes; and make/strengthen ties to our local community.
Focus or ad hoc groups might be formed to better engage the wider campus community in these three areas, particularly when increased energy and attention arise in a particular area.
Input/decisions: Community input is provided: a) through membership on the committee b) sought from the wider community via the www.emu.edu/sustainability website and c) through open forums held when deemed necessary. Final approval for suggested actions will be sought from President’s Cabinet.
Chair: To be determined at first meeting and is elected by the committee
Reporting: Minutes of each meeting will be sent to a) Council members b) focus group members c) the President d) SGA e) the Director of Physical Plant and f) archives.
Meetings: once a month during the school year.
Revised Nov. 14, 2012
Members of the committee, including affiliations:
Nathan Musselman, (Chair), Co-Director Summer Peacebuilding Institute
Daryl Bert, VP Finance
Eldon Kurtz, Director of Physical Plant
Eric Trinka, Seminary student (graduate programs rep)
Everett Brubaker, Undergrad student rep
Catherine Rittenhouse, Professor of Nursing
Jim Yoder, Professor of Biology and Environmental Sustainability, project director for sustainability education initiative
Steven Johnson, Professor and chair of Visual & Communications Arts
Cheree Hammond, Professor of Counseling
Greg Sachs, Building Automation Coordinator
Paulette Moore, Undergraduate Professor of Visual & Communication Arts, Graduate
Professor of the Practice of Media Arts and Peacebuilding in the
University's Center for Justice and Peacebuilding
Jim Leaman, Undergraduate Professor of Business and Economics, Director of Masters in
Business Administration
Dorothy Jean Weaver, Professor of New Testament at the Seminary
Jonathan Lantz-Trisse, Sustainability Coordinator
Mike Zucconi, News Bureau Director in the Marketing and Communications office
The website URL where information about the sustainability committee is available:
Does the institution have a sustainability office?:
A brief description of the sustainability office:
The EMU office of sustainability was started in Fall 2013 as per the stated goal in the University's Strategic Plan. The office consists of the Sustainability Coordinator and one or two student workers/interns depending on the semester. The faculty coordinator of the sustainability education initiative that pre-dates the Office of Sustainability acts as a de facto member of the office with involvement in almost all the work of the Office of Sustainability. When the education initiative wraps up in 2014, hopefully his FTEs will move to the O of S to enable continued curriculum support for sustainability and give the Office a broader reach across campus.
The number of people employed in the sustainability office:
The website URL where information about the sustainability office is available:
Does the institution have a sustainability coordinator?:
Sustainability coordinator's name:
Sustainability coordinator's position title:
A brief description of the sustainability coordinator’s position:
The Sustainability Coordinator is an advocate for sustainable practices and environmental stewardship and advancing an awareness of creation care theologically, academically and practically in everyday life at EMU. The S.C. is the point person for events, projects and initiatives, and collaborates with various entities on and off campus around sustainability efforts that fit within a sustainability plan, also maintained by the S.C.:
• Coordinates development and implementation of university sustainability plan, goals and standards, including specific areas such as EMU’s Climate Commitment, building and renovation standards, transportation, purchasing and the like.
• Acts as a liaison Quality Enhancement Plan Implementation Team (QEPIT)
• Clearinghouse for projects, events, programs and grants related to sustainability.
• Serves as a consultant for recycling and composting operations.
The website URL where information about the sustainability coordinator is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.