Sustainability Policy adopted

OCTOBER 3, 2006: Physical plant, student groups, faculty, and administration shared concerns over environmental issues such as waste reduction and energy efficiency on campus for many years before drafting any official policy.  Putting it on paper, however, began in 2004 when a group of students presented a proposal for a sustainability strategy to University administration; and furthered when a faculty member delivered a paper along the same lines the following year.  A Campus Sustainability Coordinator and Task Force were appointed, and a fully articulated policy was presented to and passed by the Board of Regents.

The policy has come to influence a huge range of University activities.  Some day-to-day consequences include the banning of bottled water sales on campus and the collection of compost along with recycling and landfill waste.  On a larger scale, all new University constructions since have aimed at Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, and University administration has been part of campus discussions on the topic of divesting investments in fossil fuel production.