KSU Climate Commitment Committee

KSU Climate Commitment Committee

Notes from a meeting – September 23, 2011

Members attending: Donald Robson, Barbara Salyer, Quienton Nichols, Nancy Hoalst-Pullen, Bill Rice, Vanessa Biggers, David Wright, Mike Hartzell, Neil Stein, Michael Sanseviro, Liza Davis, Ryan Keysar, RC Paul, Richard Vengroff

Guests: Beth Tindel

1.  Introductions, a reading of the committee’s purpose, & a review of a document outlining recent sustainability accomplishments & goals – a copy of this document will be attached when these meeting notes are circulated.

2.  Committee makeup: with committee approval, Vanessa Biggers has agreed to continue in her 2nd year as Committee Chair. She will ask Nicole Densmore if she will continue as Secretary. SGA student reps have not yet been appointed. A temporary committee roster has been posted on the KSU Sustainability web site:

www.kennesaw.edu/sustainability

3.  By consensus agreement, representatives of KSU’s Parking & Transportation and Athletics Departments will be asked to attend CCC meetings.

4.  Discussions of ways in which the committee can support sustainability efforts followed. The CCC will send “advocacy” letters requesting or suggesting action to deal with the following issues:

-  Procurement Dept.: develop contracts with vendors to include the availability of recycling & to provide recycled tableware options at KSU events;

-  a request for information from Procurement regarding the status of contract bids for trash removal & recycling;

-  KSU Foundation: develop policies and guidelines to synchronize with KSU’s obligations as a signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC);

-  KSU Foundation: seek LEED (or comparable) certification for building projects since seeking certification keeps planners and construction corporations on target with respect to sustainability goals.

Committee members will produce draft letters to a subgroup of the committee; a final version will be circulated to all prior to being sent out.

Beth Tindel volunteered to draft the “request for information” from Procurement;

Nancy Hoalst-Pullen volunteered to draft the request to the Foundation to develop ACUPCC-friendly policies;

RC Paul will draft the others (unless others would like to volunteer?).

Liza Davis, Quienton Nichols, RC Paul, Nancy Hoalst-Pullen, Bill Rice, and Beth Tindel (did I miss someone?) will look over the initial drafts before they are circulated to all.