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Environmental Studies Department |
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Campus Environmental Issues CommitteeMeeting with Dan Horbach and David Wheaton December 3, 2002
The committee members provided background on the Talloires, emphasizing this initiative had a full review and commitment by all major college entities involved with governance, prior to the Spring 2000 signing commitment by Macalester. The fact that the Talloires is a world-wide initiative that has involved a number of colleges and universities, including a number of our peer institutions, was also discussed. Several members focused on the Implementation Plan for the college's Talloires' commitment; this includes a provision stating that the college will provide staffing for a Director of Environmental Affairs (DEA). This aspect has yet to be addressed by the college, and is a concern to many committee members. The plan also includes provisions for developing a procurement plan, providing for annual audits and reporting--- all with involvement and oversight from the committee and the DEA. As acknowledged by David Wheaton, these are important components, needed to provide continuity to the process over time. A brief discussion followed--- some steps that have been taken focused on good efforts by Physical Plant in meeting "best environmental practices," e.g., installing double glazed windows, carrying out renovations such that Excel energy rebates would be applicable, etc. As an example of possible future actions, paper use on campus was also discussed. The apparent lack of recycled paper, and challenges with quantifying tangible changes in paper use were noted concerns. David asked if there was a stated vision for the future--- "a stake in ground" that would guide the college's efforts in greening the campus? While many components of the Implementation Plan address this issue, the committee members present granted that such a vision statement, with commitment from the highest levels of the college, would be very useful. This was agreed to be an item that the CEIC could address in the near term, drafting a vision statement that could be given consideration by the college. With regard to the college's commitment to the DEA staff position, Dan Hornbach next reviewed the current financial realities, and the college's perceived inability to increase staffing at this time. Dan explained his views regarding incorporation of the DEA responsibilities into existing staff positions, perhaps .5 FTE within Purchasing, and .5 FTE within Physical Plant. He also felt that involving the ES students in environmental audits was essential; this could reduce DEA staffing needs, and would represent a lost educational opportunity if handled otherwise. There was brief discussion on past and possible future external grant opportunities; Dan had another appointment, and had to leave the meeting at this point. Several CEIC members brought forward issues related to professional staffing for a Director, hired to implement the Talloires commitment. One central issue relates to the fact that substantial cost savings associated with a DEA position were expected, and that this cost recovery could easily be expected to justify the need for staffing. David asked for additional information in terms of how this position was envisioned--- e.g., was it full-time, and what level of training and expertise were anticipated. The committee has information that relates to this issue, both from institutions that have implemented the Talloires, and other sources. It was agreed useful for the CEIC to provide this information to college administration, to help in sharing knowledge on this issue. David acknowledged and agreed with concerns regarding overburdening existing staff with these responsibilities. Macalester is well below the median for peer institutions in terms of staffing; in addition, current staff do not have the professional qualifications required. The possibility for external grant funding was then further discussed. The CEIC submitted a grant to the Luce Foundation in spring 2001, hoping to fund a DEA position, and begin with initial steps in meeting the Talloires Declaration commitment. This grant went without funding, but comments by the Luce Foundation were not received by the committee, and could be use in better crafting such a proposal for the future. David discussed prioritization within Development for grant related efforts. This specific issue is likely not on the table with Development, but could be moved forward. A commitment from the CEIC in terms of assistance with grant-writing could help in getting this need addressed. This matter needs follow-through in the short term. The final discussion centered on the strong suitability of a "greening the campus" initiative for Macalester. It was agreed that this concept, and ecological literacy overall, fits well with the college's identity, given the focus on internationalism and multiculturalism. While it was noted this was a concept that could be fully integrated, there is still much work to be done, especially with consciousness-raising within the institutional culture. It was agreed that implementation was the most important step, and that these initiatives must come from the top levels of the college. As follow-up, several members of the CEIC agreed to look into a template for institutional procurement policies. There are many sources for such information, and a number of major facilities have made this transition. While the CEIC is only a committee of interested students, staff and faculty, it was felt that an example of this sort could provide some insight in terms of the challenges in moving ahead with the Talloires issues. Minutes taken by Janet Ebaugh. |
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