University Environment Committee

8/28/08

Presiding: J. Twark

Regular members in attendance: D. Lawrence, C. Hodson, M. Montgomery, J. Twark, T. Kelley, A. Gross-McMillan

Ex officio members in attendance: B. Koch, E. Gardner, J. Gill, C. Rigsby

Guests in attendance: Jan Tovey

The meeting was called to order at 3:30 pm.

Actions of Meeting

1. Elections

Actions taken:

Jill Twark was elected chair of the committee.

David Lawrence was elected vice-chair.

Marianne Montgomery was elected secretary.

2. Student representative

Lawrence asked if the student government had appointed a student representative to the UEC. Since they have not, he suggested Hilda Bryan, a graduate student in geography, who is working with students on sustainability in the Honors/EC Scholars Office under Sally Lawrence. Bryan is interested in recycling, composting, and edible schoolyard.

Twark will call Andrew Griffin, SGA president, to suggest Bryan for SGA rep, since position is currently open.

3. Open discussion: Environment Committee Suggestions for ECU Campus Sustainability (Faculty Senate Resolution 08-35)

Tovey reported that Chancellor Ballard rejected the faculty senate resolution on Campus Sustainability brought forward from the UEC last year, deferring the resolution to Vice-Chancellor Seitz. Tovey suggested that these ideas might be revisited as part of a multi-year plan.

Koch noted that this isn’t an outright rejection from the chancellor, but there are budgetary constraints. A lot can be done internally, even in the current climate of budget cuts. Facilities Services is still replacing windows and roofs and finding ways to invest in conservation.

Montgomery suggested inviting Pat Long from the Center for Sustainable Tourism to a future meeting; Twark will contact him.

There was discussion of some of the issues from the resolution:

Sustainability Office/Coordinator

Kelley reported that he came to ECU from Illinois State University, where he served on an Environmental Task Force that led to the formation of Green Team from vice-presidential areas of the university. His task force produced a document very much like the sustainability resolution, and the Illinois State administration agreed to almost everything except the sustainability office/coordinator. However, since the vice-presidents had to do the sustainability work themselves, after 8-10 years Illinois State hired a sustainability coordinator and established a sustainability office.

Koch noted that sustainability office would be nice, but that ECU Facilities Services can keep working on issues even without it. He encouraged the committee to look at the new sustainability website (http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/oehs/envmgmnt/Sustainability.cfm), which is based on a report put together by Campus Operations for the ECU Tomorrow group. A lot has been done for sustainability, but these efforts are not well-coordinated.

Twark suggested that hiring a sustainability BA from new programs. Tovey said that a degree program on sustainability might come to ECU.

Homepage/Visibility for Sustainability

Twark asked how sustainability could be featured more prominently on the ECU home page. Hodson agreed that some universities, like UNC-Chapel Hill, have more prominent sustainability reports.

Rigsby pointed out that there is an approval process for homepage features. She suggested that linking sustainability with the work of the EC Scholars might help to put sustainability on the front page. Lawrence agreed that one way to raise awareness is through student projects, since Sheerer wants EC Scholars involved in sustainability. Rigsby suggested inviting Sally Lawrence to next meeting to talk about the EC Scholars and sustainability. Kelley announced that he is the faculty advisor to Eco Pirates, a student group. Lawrence raised the possibility of a student fee for student sustainability office; Twark will mention this to Andrew Griffin of SGA.

Lawrence noted that the Princeton Review is ranking campuses based on sustainability, so this may become an admissions concern.

Tovey suggested that an article on sustainability in East magazine could help to move the issue onto the homepage. Montgomery agreed that the homepage seems to feature recent news and press releases rather than static content.

Gardner mentioned that Brian Paris makes the Pirate Profiles and noted that perhaps a student interested in sustainability could be featured. Twark will contact Paris to learn more about this process.

Buildings

Koch reported efforts towards sustainability in contracting. ECU received a grant for retrocommissioning the central chiller system, although utility savings revert back to the state. The Dental School will be silver LEED certified. The new family medical building, which was designed earlier, will not be LEED certified, but will still feature some sustainable elements. Gill pointed out that LEED certification is expensive, but even in the absence of the certification process, ECU is trying to incorporate sustainable building practices where feasible.

Survey

Last year, Robert Chin in computer science was working on a sustainability survey, but the status of this is unknown. Twark will contact Chin.

Hodson said that Chin needs to articulate a rationale for a survey and that last year Sheerer was concerned about distributing a survey to students.

Tovey asked for more information about the kinds of questions in the survey.

Sustainability committee

Rigsby argued that there is no need for another committee; instead, the UEC should establish an ad hoc committee to gather information on sustainability.

Vehicles

Koch reported that the EH&S electric car has been piloted in Facilities Services. Electric vehicles are being identified for purchase by Grounds, Facilities Services, and Parking & Transportation.

Energy

Koch reported that solar lighting is used throughout campus on bus shelters and will continue to be assessed for expanded use. Alternative energy will be assessed as part of the upcoming master plan study starting in Fall 2008.

Hodson asked why the lights in the football stadium are on at random times. Twark will e-mail Nick Floyd (Associate Athletic Director) about this. Rigsby suggested contacting the faculty representative on the University Athletics Committee, which is chaired by Mike Felts.

Trees

A subcommittee to work on identifying heritage trees will be made up of Hodson, Lawrence, Kelley, and Gill.

There was discussion of a news report on a new sports complex/dormitory to be located in the green space at the corner Charles and Greenville Blvd, where the Frisbee golf course is currently located.

Koch replied that this construction is planned to address Title IX issues, that no plan has been finalized, and that Athletics will present their plan to the UEC. It may include facilities for soccer and softball and an upgraded track.

Twark expressed opposition to putting any structure in this area. Hodson replied that the university does not acquire land to preserve it as parkland.

Koch agreed to talk to Nick Floyd to get more information about the project.

Gill noted that there are some heritage trees on the site.

Koch noted that Athletics wants to build near their current fields to keep their footprint small.

Koch suggested that after the subcommittee’s work is done, a heritage trees and green space policy should be taken to Seitz.

Dining Halls

Twark reported that McKinnon wants to continue work of Terry Atkinson, who last year was working with Aramark on sourcing local produce for the dining halls.

Hodson noted that a database of local farmers can be acquired from the county agricultural extension service.

4. Standing subcommittees

There was discussion of forming two standing subcommittees of the UEC, a sustainability subcommittee and a master planning subcommittee.

Rigsby noted that Twark needs to ask the Committee on Committees to modify the UEC charge beyond green space and master planning, so that the committee is not working on issues that are not covered in its charge.

Twark will write up language making revisions to the UEC charge to be presented to the Committee on Committees for its approval.

The issue of subcommittees was tabled until the next meeting, pending revision of the UEC charge.

There was a motion to adjourn and the meeting was adjourned at 4:55 pm.

Next meeting: 9/25/08, 3:30 pm

Items to be discussed:

EC Scholars

Subcommittees