Environmental Council
Minutes of October 25, 2004
Old Chapel 401
Attending: Nan Jenks-Jay (Chair), Connie Leach Bisson (Vice Chair), Jeff Munroe, Steve Trombulak, Brenda Ellis, Diane Munroe, Charlotte Tate, Whitney Creed, Sharai Lewis-Gruss, Makely Lyon, Louis Paolella, David Wright, Kelly Blynn, Sara Dewey, John Reed, Clare O'Reilly
Missing: Anne Knowles, Lance Leduc, Dalal Al-Abdulrazzak, Olivia Katz
The meeting began at 4:35
I. Announcements
A concern was raised that some printers in BIH 116 & 117, and Voter 103 were not defaulting to double-sided printing. Brenda Ellis offered to send a request to TJ to verify that the default on these public lab printers was set for double-sided printing.
Brenda also mentioned that an e-mail had been circulated amongst LIS staff reporting that paper consumption in several printer in the new library has been significant since mid-September. [over 170,000 pages have been printed on the main floor of the new library. LIB242 had 93,548 pages printed between 9/17 & 10/20 and the LIBREF printer had over 80,000 during the same period] Students suggested that printer jams and slow printing resulted in print jobs being sent to multiple printers at once. Others suggested that there may be some confusion in where the document is being sent for printing. Brenda said that LIS is considering moving the main floor printers so that they will be located in the same place.
Connie provided an early announcement for National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology Fellowship program. Applications are due by December 15th but if submitted by December 1st, they will be eligible for an early review. Middlebury has had several successful applicants. The Fellowship includes a small stipend and training support for projects that focus on campus greening, civic engagement or research of key environmental issues.
Clare announced that she and Asher Burns-Burg have been asked to be student representatives on the Comprehensive Fee Committee, in part to explore how to incorporate the college's commitment to carbon reduction into decisions about the Comprehensive Fee. Having just received the invitation, Clare had limited details but thought the Committee would be making a recommendation to the Trustees in March.
Nan shared that a small group of students along with advisor Amy Seidl had received an EPA P3 award to undertake some biodiesel research. She also mentioned that there were several current announcements for a summer environmental internships and a fellowship through the Switzer Foundation that she would provide to Diane and Connie to announce at the Colloquium and in the BlueGreen.
II. Minutes
Nan asked for any comments about the draft minutes of October 11th, noting that Connie had included additional detail in brackets to enhance information discussed at the meeting. Clare clarified one section of the draft proposal attached to the minutes: buses will not be going to either Logan Airport or Albany Airport. A brief discussion followed that at least one Commons had discussed the possibility of organizing 15-passenger van to Boston. Nan encouraged students to continue to dialogue so that the best solutions for the long-term could be developed.
There was unanimous acceptance of the minutes of October 11, 2004.
III. Environmental Grants
Steve asked if there were an update on when the Environmental Grants would be offered this year. Nan asked members to share their thoughts on what would work best since those in the room had a good sense of academic and holiday schedules. What would make the most sense in structuring a timeline for proposal submittal and project start up? Diane asked if we would be seeking additional funds from other sources as that might factor in to when the grants could be announced. The general consensus was to seek support from the Commons to enlarge the available pool of funds but to not delay the announcement of the environmental grant program. Information about Commons support could be added later.
Connie suggested posting the grant program the first week in November with a return deadline of Tuesday, November 30th. Funding for successful applicants would be available at the beginning of J-Term. She asked that if this were an acceptable schedule would it be more preferable to have the grants due before Thanksgiving break or after. Students felt the Tuesday after break (November 30th) would be better. Steve asked if there were a way to provide the grant opportunity to those students away first semester. Ideas included getting a list of students abroad and requesting that they submit a statement of interest that would be followed by a grant proposal in January or 2nd term when they returned, or offering a 2nd round of grants targeted solely at those who had been abroad first semester.
Charlotte asked if we wanted to specify particular Environmental Council priority areas in the grant announcement information. This idea had come out of a grant debriefing process several years ago when the pool of funds was significantly larger than it is now. There was also a question as to whether or not it would be acceptable for a subcommittee to request a project based on data needs of that committee. All felt this would be acceptable. Can the money be used to pay students? Yes, salaries can be covered with grant funds. In the past, funds have been used for travel, speakers, events, equipment/supplies, advertising, consultants and student wages. Could the grant be to work with a community group? The intent of these grants is to focus on initiatives to further campus sustainability. Nan used Addison County Transit Resources as an example of a potential collaborative project that fits that goal since it would be advancing the pedestrian campus.
Connie circulated a list of those who had previously offered to participate on the Grants committee. It has been the practice that subcommittee members not submit grant proposals. Nan noted that the grants program will be announced in as many ways as possible including connecting with the Commons, Staff Council, article in MiddPoints and other traditional venues.
IV. Environmental Council subcommittees
Charlotte asked if there could be discussion about the subcommittees, articulating concern that 5 subcommittees might spread the EC too thin. Members discussed each of the proposed subcommittees and ultimately decided that Environmental Assessment did not need to be a subcommittee. Instead, with much of the data collected, a scoping meeting will be held to define the parameters on which the Environmental Assessment will be based and then Environmental Affairs staff will proceed in drafting the assessment for review by the Environmental Council. While any EC member is welcome to attend this meeting, Nan encouraged those who had been involved in the subcommittee last year to participate in this meeting. Connie will arrange for a meeting time and will announce the date to all.
Subcommittees are now:
Cornwall Path: Anne Knowles, Whitney Creed, Louis Paolella (combined with many others from outside the EC who worked on the environmental grant last year)
Lands: Nan Jenks-Jay, Andi Lloyd, Kelly Blynn, Sara Dewey, John Reed, David Wright, Lance Leduc
Pedestrian Campus: Steve Trombulak, Brenda Ellis, Clare O'Reilly, Diane Munroe, Jeff Munroe
Purchasing: Charlotte Tate, Dalal Al-Abdulrazzak, Olivia Katz, Sharai Lewis-Gruss, Makely Lyon
For the last five minutes of the EC meeting, subcommittees met to determine a time they could meet before the next EC meeting.
V. Environmental Fair
Connie provided a brief update that there was a need to reconsider plans for the Alternative Gifts Fair tentatively scheduled for Thursday, November 18th in conjunction with the college's Thanksgiving dinner for students since the student who had hoped to lead this initiative could no longer do so. Connie shared that she was still interested in assisting with this Fair but needed to know if there were others who wanted to coordinate the event. She circulated a sign up sheet and indicated she would set a planning meeting time in the coming week.
The meeting adjourned at5:45.