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Environmental Studies Department
Olin Rice 249
1600 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
651-696-6274
Comments & questions to:
esson@macalester.edu

Campus Environmental Issues Committee

December 2, 2003
Campus Center 214, 4:30 p.m.

Agenda

1. Attendance
2. Member Roster
3. Voting Format
4. Updates
5. Mission/Goals

1.  Attendance

Christina Jones (E-Funk Official Rep)
Ashley Ayres (MPIRG Official Rep)
Sally Weivoda (ES Dept)
Jesse Mortenson (Mac Greens/MCSG)
Richard Graves (Mac CARES)
Mike Ring
Danny Kaplan (Resource Planning Committee)
Julia Eagles (E-Funk)
Gretchen Solomon (E-Funk/MacCARES/MPIRG)
Renee LePreau (MacBike)
Trudi Rebert (Outing Club)
Danny Schwartzman (MacDems)
Laura Kerr (E-Funk)
Brett Smith (Co-Chair)
Jim Davidson (MACRO/Physical Plant)

Not Present:

Daniel Ungier (MULCH)
Mark Dickinson (Co-Chair)

2.  Member Roster

Student Orgs are still in process of deciding on official representatives.  Jesse will compile the list as it comes in.

3.  Voting Format

Jesse presented his consensus-seeking process:

1. Proposal presented
2. Clarifying questions
3. General discussion
4. Call for consensus, if not passed, process continues
5. Unresolved concerns voiced
6. Identify concerns
7. Resolve concerns and pass proposal, if not resolved, process continues
8. Unresolved concerns remain
9. Vote for majority, unresolved concerns noted in record

Gretchen brought up the idea of modifying proposals during discussion to gain a majority opinion.

Brett concluded that the CEIC should always seek consensus, and vote only when consensus can’t be reached after multiple attempts.

4.  IV Updates

The CEIC welcomed Danny Kaplan as the official rep of the Resource Planning Committee.

Earth Week updates:  Student Orgs will be in charge unless the ES Senior Seminar wants to take part as they did last year.  With budget proposals due this week, orgs were reminded to include resources for Earth Week events.

Brett mentioned that the ES Dept has money and student workers if further assistance is necessary.

5.  Mission/Goals

Brett S read from the email President Rosenberg sent him requesting a specific CEIC mission to be presented to him for review.

Brett explained the background of the CEIC, originally formed to carry out the Talloires Declaration, which can be read on the ES Dept website.

Brett presented the Implementation Plan agreed upon when the declaration was signed:

• Creation of an Implementation Organization for the Talloires (CEIC).
• An annual Environmental State of the College report by the CEIC, to begin one year after signing (ES Senior Seminar Environmental Audits).
• Creation of a Procurement Policy stressing the importance of taking environmentalism into consideration with purchasing, to be written one year after signing by the CEIC and anyone in charge of purchasing.
• A staff and financial commitment to the implementation plan, possibly a Director of Environmental Affairs and two or three work study students.

Danny S. voiced concern that the CEIC does not have the time to complete those tasks and a Director of Environmental Affairs is necessary for the other steps to be completed.

Danny K. pointed out that the CEIC cannot focus on getting a director as they have been for the past year and a half, with no results

A general discussion of possible goals for the CEIC came up with several possibilities:

• Provide support for student orgs
• Guide the implementation of goals through recommendations
• Provide support for the ES Department
• Research new environmental ideas; stay on the cutting edge of technology and practices
• Provide an Environmental Conscience for the campus
• Evaluate policies of other institutions to find ones that fit Macalester
• Increase institutional commitment to environmentalism
• Present specific projects to “green” the campus

Gretchen suggested the formation of a rough draft of the Mission before J-Term.

Gretchen mentioned having the CEIC’s first recommendation be obtaining a director in order to implement goals.

Mike pointed out that obtaining a director to implement goals is premature if the CEIC has not decided on its goals yet.

Danny K. mentioned that the description of the Director in the Implementation Plan is too vague to accomplish much.

Danny K. brought up the idea of having a professor serve as director by getting released from teaching one course.

Brett added that in forming the mission, the scope of responsibilities must be considered:

• Curriculum changes
• Campus education
• Outreach to community
• Campus practices

A subcommittee was formed to work on creating a mission statement.  They will meet Dec 9th, work over J-Term, and email their ideas to the full committee.

Subcommittee:

• Jesse Mortenson
• Richard Graves
• Christina Jones
• Ashley Ayres
• Brett Smith
• Jim Davidson

Minutes taken by Sally Weivoda.

Macalester College · 1600 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105  USA · 651-696-6000
Comments and questions to esson@macalester.edu