Williams College
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

The Campus Environmental Advisory Committee is a group of faculty, staff, students, and administrators that serves as a forum for environmental policy at Williams. Advising the Vice President for Operations of the College, CEAC develops environmental resources and strategies regarding campus operations and planning. The goal is to improve Williams’ ecological impacts.

Nicolas Howe, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies (Chair) Hank Art, Director of CES and the Environmental Studies Program, Rosenburg Professor of Environmental Studies and Biology, Emeritus Rita L. Coppola-Wallace, Executive Director, Design and Construction Mike A. Evans, Assistant Director, Zilkha Center for Environmental Initiatives Sarah Gardner, Associate Director and Lecturer in Environmental Studies Amy Johns, Director of the Zilkha Center for Environmental Initiatives Rosa Kirk-Davidoff, ‘21 Barron Koralesky, Chief Information Officer Jenna MacIntire, Lecturer in Biology and Chemistry Jessica Munoz, ‘19 Christina Tanna, ‘19 Robert Volpi, Director of Dining Services Bud Wobus, Edna McConnell Clark Professor of Geology Bob Wright, Executive Director, Facilities Management

The Zilkha Center pursues sustainability at Williams in collaboration with many other departments and individuals on campus and further afield. They provide connections between those diverse groups; design and advocate for operational change; research, implement and share best practices. They incorporate education, knowledge sharing and opportunities for action in all that they do. They consider their work in the broader context – the world, our region, and our local communities. They actively seek out collaborations with peer institutions and partners to magnify their impact. And they continually review their efforts through internal reflection and collaborative partnerships, always seeking new methods and setting new goals that will keep them moving toward their vision.

Over the past few years, the Zilkha Center (ZC) has focused on a number of big projects in the built environment, energy, and engagement in particular. The Class of 1966 Environmental Center completed its performance year without fully meeting the requirements of the Living Building Challenge, however the building was Petal Certified and is undergoing further work to become fully certified - the Zilkha Center has overseen this process. The Zilkha Center is coordinating a partnership with four other liberal arts colleges to plan and purchase from a utility scale solar facility that will provide 80-90% of campus purchased electricity. Another main focus has been on reaching more of the community and at a deeper level of engagement. The ZC first year orientation program Root (focusing on sustainability, identity and social justice, started in 2015) has gained traction and enrolls more students each year - it has also aligned itself with further campus engagement opportunities through speakers and events and greater levels of coordination between the Zilkha Center and the Davis Center (the intercultural center, with whom the ZC plans and runs Root). This includes an installation of the Equity Drafting Table in order to get feedback and promote conversation about Equity in the Built Environment. The Zilkha Center is engaging a record number of students through internships on campus - this year we have hired 30 students for either a semester or for the full year, and an additional 8 in the summer. This year marks a new level of cross campus trainings on sustainability - the Zilkha Center staff have instituted trainings with Residential Advisors for first years and upperclassmen, Dining staff, Custodial staff, and new staff through Human Resources. To engage staff and faculty in a deeper and more meaningful way we have launched a Green Offices Program that encourages sustainability habits in the daily operations of staff offices and faculty departments. The Zilkha Center is continually sharing best practices and our work with the broader community through conference presentations, including conferences hosted by NESSBE, NESEA, AASHE, ILFI, NECSC, and more.