The Sustainability Task Force
In the spring of 2008, Marquette assembled an eight-member task force to help encourage the implementation of more sustainable practices on campus. The Sustainability Task Force members include the vice president of administration, the budget director, the vice president of student affairs, the MUSG president, a faculty member, the director of auxiliary services, the sustainability officer, and a dean. This group was created to help generate new initiatives and drive Marquette in a more sustainable direction. First on the agenda was creating four separate working groups to address four key areas on campus, including recycling, natural resources and utilities, new buildings, and suppliers.
Working groups
Each sustainability working group was given a charge:
Natural Resources & Utilities: The Natural Resources & Utilities working group will review the current usage of energy resources on campus. They will research and recommend ways to improve monitoring, reduce overall energy consumption, as well as look at possible alternative energy sources.
New Buildings: The New Buildings working group will review the current sustainability efforts being proposed for buildings scheduled to be built, as well as research and recommend sustainable ideas for any future building projects.
Recycling: The Recycling working group will review the recycling programs currently in place on campus. They will research and recommend ways to improve the program, education and communication in the area of sustainability on campus.
Suppliers: The Supplier working group will review sustainability policies and performance of the University suppliers. They will research and recommend updates to the current policies that will help to improve our overall sustainability efforts.
The sustainability working groups meet on a monthly basis during the fall and spring semesters to discuss new ideas and eventually present them to the Sustainability Task Force. The groups consist of three faculty members, a student, an administrative co-chair, a representative from Committee on Administrators, a representative from Committee on Staff and the sustainability officer. You can learn more about the working groups and what they're discussing in the Working Group Minutes.
