note: below is a general , non-empirical update on the status of these recommendations as of April 1998, provided by Steven Trombulak. The status is attached, in bold type, to the original Peak Committee document.
Specific recommendations that should be authorized or promoted by the President:
A regular procedure for the evaluation of the environmental curriculum, including internal and external reviews, and the development of an environmental retreat.
There is internal review, though there is not review external to the college.
Implement incentives for existing faculty to develop new courses or components of existing courses that will support the environmental curriculum.
There are not currently incentives.
Approve the hiring of an Associate Director in Environmental Studies.
A Director of Environmental Affairs and Planning has been hired.
Establish the Environmental Council as a standing College council.
It is a standing council.
Adopt the recommendations in the Environmental Council's 5 May 1995 report to the President.
Some of the recommendations of Pathways report have been adopted.
Develop a campus plan that relates to siting and architecture of buildings. Adopt a set of policies that relate to energy and materials efficiency in all future constructions.
There is the master plan, guiding such projects as the construction of Bicentennial Hall. There is nothing binding with regard to energy efficiency.
Continue to fund the operation of student organizations that work to promote environmental awareness.
These have been funded.
Approve a line item for Environmental Studies in the budget for journal subscriptions.
This sentiment has been insured.
Reinstate off-campus Winter Term courses.
They have been reinstated.
Create a lecture fund in environmental affairs, perhaps through the development of an endowment.
This lecture fund should be created through the Director of Environmental Affairs' Budget. There should be a weekly colloquium on the environment in the fall of 1998.
Develop mechanisms to ensure that the latest environmental technology is incorporated into the operations of the College.
This is being insured through the proposed upgrade in the Environmental Coordinator's position.
Require that an introduction to environmental facilities, initiatives, and policies be part of new student orientation.
This introduction occurs during orientation.
Move the offices of the Program in Environmental Studies so that they are more centrally located to other offices on the campus, including the new natural science facility.
Offices have not yet been moved, yet this recommendation will be open to discussion upon completion of Bicentennial Hall.
Appoint faculty to serve on the Environmental Studies Steering Committee.
These faculty have been appointed.
Maintain a commitment to have the Directorship of the ES Program rotate among the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, and to have no one person direct the program more than three consecutive years.
Rotation occurs, with the three year term limit.
Direct CC&P to expand initiatives with regard to environmental careers and internships.
Initiatives have been expanded through the work of the Director of Environmental Affairs and Planning.
Specific recommendations that should be acted on by the appropriate faculty committee in a manner that leads to their implementation
Ensure that there is no net loss in the number of faculty teaching in the environmental curriculum.
There has been no net loss.
Create new faculty positions to support the maintenance and development of the environmental curriculum, including positions in the fields of environmental ethics, environmental history, anthropology, sociology, international policy, art, geology, and environmental law. The Environmental Studies Program should play a role in developing the descriptions of the positions and conducting the searches.
There have been new positions created in environmental ethics, environmental history, anthropology/sociology, and geology, for this purpose. Positions in art have been altered so that environmental curriculum may here be developed. There is increased attention to the maintenance and development of environmental curriculum in international policy and environmental law, without the creation of new faculty positions.
Implement procedures that ensure that the Environmental Studies Program is involved in decisions regarding faculty positions that currently support the environmental curriculum, including leaves, review for reappointment, and retirement.
These procedures exist, but could be further developed so as to be more direct sooner.
Maintain the number of courses required for the Environmental Studies major at no less than 14, plus senior work.
This number has been maintained.
Approve a mechanism whereby students can receive credit for summer internships.
Students cannot receive credit for summer internships.
Maintain or expand the role of the adjunct position for an environmental practitioner.
This position has been maintained.
Approve a visiting environmental scholar program, modeled after the Twilight Scholars Program.
There is no such program.
Areas that require further discussion before making formal recommendations
The establishment of a summer program in environmental studies.
There has been discussion, but there is no program.
The establishment of an off-site, academic-year program that includes an environmental curriculum.
There has been discussion, but there is no program.
The establishment of an overseas program that includes an environmental curriculum.
There has been discussion, but there is no program.
The establishment of environmental outreach and educational programs for the community.
There has been discussion, but there is no program.
The establishment of an environmental distribution requirement.
There has been no discussion of an environmental distribution requirement.
Clarification of the relationship between the College and the Center for Northern Studies.
The college has clarified its relationship with the Center for Northern Studies.