Sustainability Coalition : Year One

In Fall 2008, Webster President Richard Meyers requested the formation of a sustainability committee to help ensure that the University is environmentally sensitive in its approach to managing resources and to educating students. He appointed Vice-President for Enrollment Management Deborah Dey to chair a small group of faculty, students and staff, who became the Webster Sustainability Coalition.

First Year Accomplishments

1. Developed a mission statement: The mission of the Sustainability Coalition is to cultivate awareness, monitor practices, and encourage solutions that foster a dynamic and balanced relationship between the Webster University community and the environment (yet to be approved by AC).
2. Joined American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The group sponsors a biennial conference; provides professional development, free weekly e-bulletins, resources, and information; and collects research.
3. Meyers signed the President’s Climate Commitment, making us one of about 600 universities to do so. There are specific expectations of the signatories and the committee must see that we meet the requirements over the next few years.
4. Meyers signed The Talloires Declaration, a 10 point action plan signed by presidents of universities internationally, committing the institution to the spirit of environmental improvement.
5. Hired Energy Solutions, an environmental engineering firm, to conduct an energy audit of our buildings. The audit documents details of our current energy usage and provides recommendations for improvement.
6. Coordinated various existing recycling programs into one more efficient program. Encouraged the university to apply for a federal grant to help in our recycling efforts.
7. Observed nationwide Campus Sustainability Day by linking to a SCUP webcast on Building a Durable Future: Community, the Campus, and Deep Economy. Approximately 30 people attended.
8. Interviewed Sodexho Food Service and Sodexho Housekeeping directors to understand and document their approach to sustainability for purposes of further collaboration.
9. Created a campus smoking policy.
10. Developed list of recently achieved efforts at sustainability.