Environmental Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes September 30, 2009
10:02 AM Ozawindib Room, Hobson Memorial Union
Attendance: Andrew Spaeth, Asher Kingery, Patrick Welle, Nancy Haugen, Erika
Bailey-Johnson, Mitch Davidson, Jon Utley, Ryan Hilmer, Dave Souba, Rich Marsolek,
David Bahr, Mark Lawrence, Derek Webb
Strategic Planning Update
Direction of EAC in the future in regards to the Sustainability Coordinator and the
University. What do we do next? Look at goals from 2006. There are 12 different
categories and goals. Should we continue moving toward these goals? What’s the
next step?
Discussion: The Sustainability Coordinator should do a sustainability master plan.
Collaboration between departments is needed. People and the Environment is a great
driver, but experiencing a situation due to FTE. A sustainability long-term plan should
include every office and every course. Not all departments have the physical resources.
Students For the Environment Update
Introductory meetings these first few times. Getting students excited about the
green fee and how to use it. Identified problem below Sattgast where rain gardens
are needed. Do It in the Dark will continue in November, planning a visit to REAL in
Pine River later this year, potentially do a Fall Lakeshore cleanup!
Discussion: Freshman mugs are in, please tell students.
Schools Cutting Carbon
BSU received a $500 grant and an environmental audit last year. We were one of a
hundred schools in MN. The Union, Rec, and Oak hall were chosen to be audited. We
have recommendations from the audit. The next stage is a $20,000 grant process
which 10 schools will receive. Erika is working on continuing to update the website ,
which is part of the grant process. Kraus-Anderson also wants to mentor us for this
project, which is a bonus as well.
Three phase plan: 1) Do It In the Dark – getting estimates on solar or wind
instillation somehow related to this project or the winner.
2) Laurel House – Dave Smith, Dr. Carla Norris-Raynbird, and Erika have been
working this project. 2 firms have done walk through and supplied a limited plan.
Minnesota Green Star certification is the goal after remodeling the home. What do
we envision this property to be?
Discussion: Do we have support from MnSCU to build a ‘green’ facility? Questions were
also brought up about the foundation currently owning the property. Erika will check
on the intentions of the foundation in purchasing this property. Can we spend the
grant money to upgrade something owned by the foundation? The high school
property is currently maintained by the University, but owned by the foundation. There
are many other questions surrounding the project. Where would other funding sources
come from? What would it be used for? We should identify a core need of the
University and figure out how this building fits into that need. Should this be part of
the sustainability plan? Environmental stewardship seems to be a signature theme
that is hollow. Are we simply making a statement or are we practicing sustainability
by updating this building? It would not be cost effective for residential life to update
the property. The sustainability office is also up in the air with uncertainty
surrounding the Signature Themes Center. Erika is going to ask the foundation what
their purpose is with the building and how would the demonstration project be
possible. Another idea is to award ‘green’ scholarship (unsure of source) where
students would live in the Laurel House. It was commented that it might be a good
idea. Some Universities also have dignitaries and other short-term guests to the
University live on or near campus. The Laurel house would supply a very central
location for guests. The University could own the property and the guest would pay a
fee to live in the property. Handy for that purpose. Maybe should be explored further.
There are a lot of schools getting positive PR because they are sustainable. Morris,
Carleton, and others were recently mentioned in a Star Tribune article. Any new
building projects will be an upgrade in efficiency. Linden is nearly LEED certifiable
according to Residential Life. The certification process is expensive and was not done
in the Linden Hall renovation. In a recent study 70% of incoming freshman looked at
campus sustainability tract record when making the decision about where to go to
school.
3) Tie the grant into ERM recommendations.
Discussion: University has ‘earmarked’ $400,000 to upgrade facilities to become more
efficient. VP Maki is working out details for campus efficiencies. Question arose about
future green design in the field house.
Presidents Climate Commitment
An update will be complete by the end of the year. Plan as to how we will become a
carbon neutral University. At the next meeting we will discuss about how to proceed
with the Presidents Climate Commitment.
Adjourn 10:59AM