Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 54.63
Liaison Kelly Wellman
Submission Date Jan. 23, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Texas A&M University
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Kelly Wellman
Sustainability Director
Office of Sustainability & Campus Enrichment
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee, office, and/or officer that focuses on sustainability broadly and covers the entire institution?:
Yes

A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the committee(s), office(s), and/or officer(s) during the previous three years:

The previous three years for the Office of Sustainability at Texas A&M University has been productive on multiple fronts. The Office provides oversight for the Aggie Green Fund (AGF) which awards grants for on campus environmental improvements. From 2012-2014, the AGF has awarded $836,300 for a variety of projects such as solar-powered trash compactors, water bottle filling stations (now over 100 on campus), and funding for the student-led Howdy! Farm which provides local, organic produce for sale within the community.

The Office of Sustainability provides 6-10 internship positions for Outreach Specialists during Fall and Spring semesters. Outreach Specialists are responsible for participating in New Student Conferences, tabling events, canvassing campus and initiating dialogue about sustainability, and hosting formal educational presentations.
The Office of Sustainability has also become engaged in the academic institutional assessment via Weave Online. Specifically, we measure our education and outreach targets, survey analysis of events our office hosts, and increasing participation in the Sustainable Office Certification (SOC) Program. To learn more about the SOC visit, http://sustainability.tamu.edu/sustainable-office-certification.aspx.

In October 2014, the Office released its second Biennial Report which provides an update to the Campus Sustainability Master Plan. The 2014 Biennial Report may be reviewed at http://sustainability.tamu.edu/Data/Sites/1/downloads/2014SMPBiennialReport.pdf.

During the past three years, the Sustainability Environmental Management Committee (SEMC) has set goals for both campus recycling and energy. In Fall 2013, a Recycling Working Group was formed to evaluate campus recycling. The recommendation from the Working Group was to develop campus-wide signage that would provide continuity to recycling options regardless of the type of recycling container. In November 2014, the SEMC directed the Working Group to proceed with developing signs to be used across campus. With respect to energy goals, the SEMC has endorsed the Energy Action Plan (EAP) 2015 which includes 12 initiatives that can be found at https://utilities.tamu.edu/energy-action-plan-2015/. The SEMC anticipates that the goals of the EAP 2015 will be achieved.


Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
Yes

The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:

The Sustainability Environmental Management Committee (SEMC) serves as an advisory committee to the Executive Vice President and Provost (the President’s designee) and Environmental Health & Safety. The SEMC reviews environmental policy and programs and recommends methods of improving compliance, pollution prevention, and education.


Members of each committee, including affiliations and role (e.g. staff, student, or faculty):

David Breeding - Texas Engineering Experiment Station
Howard Meek - Texas Engineering Experiment Station
Brad Urbanczyk - Agri-Life Research & Extension
Pam Burn - Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Stuart Denner - Texas Transportation Institute
Clay Hanks - Health Science Center
Gordon Evans - Texas A&M System
Ron Steedly - Transportation Services
Nathan Jones - Utilities & Energy Management
David Wagner - SSC Service Solutions

Sarel Lavy - Faculty
Andreas Holzenberg - Faculty
Julie Singleton - Faculty
Len Bierman - Faculty
Steve Miller - Athletics
Carol Binzer - Residence Life
Paul Barzak - Procurement Services
Monica Hartman - Environmental Health & Safety
Kelly Wellman - Office of Sustainability
Ben Kalscheur - Office of Sustainability Staff
Homer Bruner - Utilities & Energy Management
Vacant - Graduate Student Council Rep
Tassie Hermann - Environmental Health & Safety Staff
Jeff Truss - Environmental Health & Safety Staff


The website URL where information about the sustainability committee(s) is available:
Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee?:
Yes

A brief description of each sustainability office:

From its inception as a land-grant institution in 1876 to the additional sea-grant and space-grant designations, Texas A&M University has been a leader in research and education for how we interact with - and impact - our environment. In March 2008, The Office of Sustainability was founded to enhance these efforts by creating a culture of sustainability in Aggieland.

We work to respect, protect, and preserve the financial, environmental, and people resources that make Texas A&M and our community so great, not only for today, but also for future generations of Aggies. When Aggies commit to a sustainable lifestyle, we bring Texas A&M's core values to life.

Our mission is to educate the campus and local community about the importance of sustainability. We will accomplish this by promoting sustainable practices both on and off campus in academic and non-academic settings, providing resources and support for people who wish to incorporate sustainable practices into their work and life, and advocating for sustainable programs and initiatives.


Full-time equivalent (FTE) of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
4

The website URL where information about the sustainability office(s) is available:
Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Yes

Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Kelly Wellman

A brief description of each sustainability officer position:

Develop, plan, coordinate and administer programs and advise policies within the area of sustainability at Texas A&M University. Serve as the Advisor to the Aggie Green Fund Advisory Board. The sustainability officer does not have authority over any existing university department, but serves as a resource for all departments on sustainability initiatives. Acts as a liaison among stakeholder groups such as faculty, students, staff and local community members and facilitates discussion/programs to address environmental issues. Helps to coordinate and promote outreach/education with respect to the three aspects of sustainability: economic vitality, environmental quality, and social equity.


The website URL where information about the sustainability officer(s) is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The website with information about the Sustainability Committee (SEMC) is currently under construction, but will be housed on the web address provided above once complete.


The website with information about the Sustainability Committee (SEMC) is currently under construction, but will be housed on the web address provided above once complete.

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.