U President Michael Young is expected to officially announce the creation of the new Office of Sustainability today at ASUU’s Environmental Impact Day event.
Young has charged this office with advocating and coordinating sustainability efforts on campus. They will also work to support initiatives implemented by work groups focused on sustainability and act as an information clearinghouse.
Associate Vice President for facilities management, Cory Higgins, lauded the office for what they’ve accomplished.
“The office is off to a great start…and it’s staffed by a group of energetic, inspired people,” he said.
The office staff consists of interim director Craig Forster, coordinator Jen Colby, service fellow Lindsay Clark and intern Elsa Gustavson.
Higgins noted the office has contributed to raising awareness in the campus community of sustainability efforts that are under way and are into the process of researching new ways to reduce the U’s environmental impact.
The office functions with the support of a steering committee, which represents a broad range of disciplines and campus groups. These include administration, facilities, faculty, dining services and student representatives.
The staff is awaiting the announcement of a President’s Sustainability Advisory Board, which will evaluate and aid in the implementation of new efforts.
Both Forster and Colby said that one of the highlights of their early work is discovering and bringing to light the myriad existing projects in place before the office was created. They note the new campus-wide recycling program, a student activist group, campus gardens, biodiesel powered shuttle buses and a soon-to-be-constructed steam power co-generator as a few of the efforts that preceded their office.
The office will be hosting an information table outlining their current and future plans as part of the Environmental Impact Day events. The office has a website with extensive links, details of campus programs and event listings at .A variety of local businesses and groups will also be participating today, said Jon Wilkey, assistant director of the Sustainability Board of the Associated Students of the University of Utah. They include Wasatch Community Gardens, Earth Goods General Store, Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective, HEAL Utah, Questar, Rocky Mountain Power and others.