Saint Mary's University
PAE-4: Sustainability Plan

The sustainability committee has developed the plan which is made up of students, faculty, and staff. Members are: Gabrielle Morrison - VP Administration (Chair) Dr. Tony Charles - Faculty Dr. Jason Clyburne - Faculty Dr. Cathy Conrad - Faculty Cait Dix - VP Academic Affairs, SMUSA Cathy McCarthy - Public Affairs Officer Michael Mercer - VP University Affairs, SMUSA Shelley Price-Finn - Manager, Custodial and Administration Stephanie Pronk - SMUES Gary Schmeisser - Director, Facilities Management Julie-Ann Vincent - Director, Writing Centre the plan has also been approved by the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors.

Increase faculty and academic departments’ engagement in sustainability initiatives. Increase the number of environmental and sustainability-oriented courses at SMU. Increase the environmental and sustainability content in existing SMU courses. Increase the number of students engaged in environmental and sustainability-oriented courses. Expand the sustainability content in SMU research through encouragement and support. Reduce energy and material usage in the conduct of courses at SMU. Establish an inter-faculty hub at SMU that would promote, develop and support new and innovative environmental programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Adopt a measurement/rating system for the University, to measure, monitor, and reduce the University’s carbon/ecological footprint. Reduce SMU’s energy consumption and material usage in departmental practices. Increase departments’ engagement in sustainability initiatives. Expand the waste-separation program. Increase the percentage of local food purchased. Decrease food and solid waste output. Engage partners such as ISI in the creation of sustainable policies. Build to leading green building construction standards. Foster student, faculty and staff sustainability initiatives. Create and maintain a Sustainability website. Increase the number of interested members and departments that contribute their ideas and plans for initiatives. Publish outcomes of the University’s sustainability measurement/rating system. Expand the educational and communication tools of sustainability available to the University community. Maintain or increase the number of events and venues for awareness of sustainability issues, such as Sustainability Week and the Sustainability Speaker Series. Publish an annual sustainability report. Grow a culture of sustainability.

Responsibility for development and implementation of the goals of the Academic Opportunities Theme rests with the Senate, Faculty, Deans, and Vice President, Academic and Research. The Board is requested to invite Senate to seek ways and means to develop a framework for advancing the Sustainability Strategy in academic programs and research. Responsibility for the development and implementation of the goals of the Learning and Working Environment Theme rests with task forces, administration, departments, faculty, staff, and students. Responsibility for the development and implementation of the goals of the Awareness and Communication Theme rests with the University Sustainability Committee. The Sustainability Task-force and a Sustainability Assistant keep track and report to the sustainability committee about the peogress and inplementation of sustainability programs