Wells College
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

The campus sustainability committee was first convened in 2008 to support the College president's signing of the American College and University President's Climate Commitment and the development and implementation of its Climate Action Plan. Members of that committee also developed proposals for an academic program in Sustainability, including an Individualized Major and two minors: Sustainability and Sustainable Food Systems. Those academic programs came online in Fall 2014. Responding to the interim president's call for project proposals, members of the Sustainability Committee proposed the creation of the Center for Sustainability and the Environment. That proposal was accepted, a director hired, and the Center opened in June 2014 to begin to draw together the curricular, research, operational and outreach activities related to campus sustainability.

The charge of the Sustainability Advisory Committee, reconstituted and re-charged by President Jon Gibralter, is to advise the President of the College on the continuing efforts to integrate sustainability and practice and assure alignment between sustainability planning and institutional planning. The Sustainability Advisory Committee will develop recommendations to implement “best practices” to position Wells College to be a regional and national leader in sustainability. (This advisory committee will oversee progress on the Climate Action Plan, the development and implementation of the resiliency plan, and oversight of progress using AASHE STARS assessment measures and metrics). The mission of the original Sustainability Group, also known as the Wells College Presidents’ Climate Committee, was to ensure the fulfillment of the requirements of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment of which Wells became a signatory in the Fall of 2008. Additionally, the Presidents’ Climate Committee acted as the " repository for all campus sustainability initiatives for consideration and potential inclusion in the Wells College Climate Action Plan, the goal of which is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Sustainability Advisory Committee Reporting to: President Jonathan Gibralter Marian Brown, director, Center for Sustainability and the Environment Brian Brown, director, Facilities Operations and Services Kit Van Orman, manager, Human Resources and Business Services Laurie Turo, administrative assistant, Academic & Student Life David Foote, assistant director, Communications, alumnus Dan Wentworth, director, Information Technology Milene Morfei, professor, Psychology, alumnae Matt Hogan, visiting lecturer, Math Kurt Pipa, lecturer, Japanese Rich Kegler, director, Book Arts Center Kevin Sennett, general manager, Wells Dining Tom Vawter, professor emeritus, Biology and Environmental Science (also local community member) Stephen Armstrong ’16, student, Psychology, Collegiate Cabinet rep (Collegiate will appoint replacement reps) Nicole Loeven ’16, student, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (graduating in May) Ana Toumpas ‘17, Biology/Environmental Science, Wells Campus Greens (studying abroad) Ashley Gingeleski ’17, Environmental Science, Wells Campus Greens (graduating in May) Emily Mills ‘18, Individualized major in Sustainability Kaitlyn (Kate) Wells ‘18, student, Chemistry Eliza Schwab ‘18, student, Business, Athletics

The Center for Sustainability and the Environment has three distinct, yet highly-interconnected areas of focus: Academics: The Center supports faculty interested in incorporating sustainability content in courses across disciplines and assists students and their faculty mentors to undertake sustainability-related research projects. Operations: The Center works with operational units across campus to further develop the campus as a "living-learning" laboratory that reinforces and models the principles and practices of sustainability that students learn in their coursework. Outreach: The Center serves as the hub for programs that engage the college community in co-creating a more sustainable campus environment.

The director of the Center for Sustainability and the Environment provides support for and linkages among the three areas of campus sustainability: curricula and research, campus operations, and community outreach. The director functions as the chief sustainability officer for the college.