University of South Florida (Tampa)
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

The Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee serves as both an advisory group and as an advocacy group that actively participates in sustainability initiatives with Patel College and the Office of Global Sustainability staff. Both groups share a common mission and vision: to “coordinate and build partnerships for university-wide initiatives that advance the University of South Florida’s strategic goal of creating a sustainable campus environment." To achieve this mission, we actively support faculty, staff, students, alumni, and neighborhood partners in their efforts to transform the University of South Florida into a "Green University," where decisions, structural and routine, consider both individual and collective impacts to our campus, community, economy, and environment. Both groups also share a common set of values and goals: “As citizen-scholar activists, we share a sustainability ethic that promotes conserving resources, reducing waste, recycling and reusing materials, finding new sources of clean energy, increasing energy efficiency, and diminishing life-cycle impacts and our consumption of greenhouse gas producing materials. We engage in this ethic of stewardship to guide the development and implementation of programs, policies, and other courses of action in the operation and management of the University of South Florida as well as its institutional teaching, research, and service commitments.” The history of activities of the Sustainability Initiative Steering committee is documented on the Provost’s Office website, and the evolving functions of the committee are reported on the Office of Sustainability website. USF also has a Campus Tree Care Plan Committee that steers the greening efforts of campus in partnership with different units on campus such as Facility Planning and Construction, Physical Plant, Botanical Gardens and many others. http://www.acad.usf.edu/Office/Strategic-Initiatives/Sustain-A-Bull-USF.htm

Members of Sustainability Initiatives Steering Committee include: Kebreab Ghebremichael, Faculty Patel College of Global Sustainability Sujit Chemburkar, Director: Marshall Student Center Walter Pestrak, Assistant Director, Housing & Residential Education George Cotter, Associate Director: Purchasing & Property Nainan Desai, Assistant Director: Physical Plant Auxiliary Svc Suchi Daniels, Facilities Planning Sara Hendricks, Faculty: Center for Urban Transportation Research Raymond Mensah, Director: Parking Services Christina Canty, Marketing Director, USF Dining/Aramark Eric Hunter, Director : Campus Recreation Scott Glaser, Sr. Associate Athletic Director, USF Athletics Beverly Douglas, Director, Environmental Health and Safety

The Office of Global Sustainability coordinates and builds partnerships for university-wide initiatives that advance the University of South Florida's strategic goal of creating a sustainable campus environment. To accomplish this mission, we actively support faculty, staff, students, alumni, and neighborhood partners in their efforts to transform the University of South Florida into a "Green University," where decisions—structural and routine—consider both individual and collective impacts to our campus, community, economy, and environment. As citizen-scholar activists, we share a sustainability ethic that promotes conserving resources, reducing waste, recycling and reusing materials, finding new sources of clean energy, increasing energy efficiency, and diminishing life-cycle impacts and our consumption of greenhouse gas producing materials. We engage in this ethic of stewardship to guide the development and implementation of programs, policies, and other courses of action in the operation and management of the University of South Florida system as well as its institutional teaching, research, and service commitments.

USF has an Office Global of Sustainability (OGS) that coordinates sustainability initiatives and programs across the institution. The OGS is the lead office that coordinates implementation of the Climate Action Plan of the university. Supported by the Sustainability Initiatives Steering committee, the OGS work closely with the various administrative and academic units on campus and student organizations to generate and implement sustainable practices. The OGS also supports the Student Green Energy Fund that generates about $1 million a year to support energy efficient and renewable energy projects at the university.