Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5332 USA
(269) 387-3310

Sustainability Subcommittee

Role Statement

In addition to annual charges it may receive from the Faculty Senate Campus Planning and Finance Council, the Sustainability Committee is to enhance the CPFC's capacity to address sustainability issues in campus planning and decision-making.

Charges 2025-26

  1. Identify and map sustainability stakeholders on campus; and establish communication networks for collaboration and information sharing to support campus projects.
  2. Develop sustainability metrics related to the objectives in the University Strategic Plan and Master Plan; review applicable policies and recommend sustainability guidelines.
  3. Provide a framework that campus agencies may use as benchmarks in making sustainable planning decision related to infrastructure, construction, transportation, and land and water management projects.
  4. Collaborate with project managers and clients to consider sustainability goals during planning for major capital projects, including renovations or new construction, transportation, an infrastructure. Area of input may include carbon emissions, biodiversity, land and water management, and aesthetics.
  5. Conduct special studies at the request of the Faculty Senate Executive Board and Campus Planning and Finance Council.
  6. At the annual March Sustainability Committee meeting, review and draft a year-end report to be submitted to the Campus Planning and Finance Council, by the committee chair no later than 30 April.

Approved by the Campus Planning and Finance Council on 21 October, 2025

Click here for a printable version of the Sustainability Committee 2025-26 Charges.

NOTE: The Sustainability Committee will seek information from related administrative offices to maintain communications with those offices on issues directly related to them. Committee recommendations are to be submitted to the CPFC in the form of memorandum of action (MOA) on which the recommendation(s) is/are stated. Any draft MOAs requested by the CPFC should be submitted using the MOA template.

The Sustainability Committee chairperson shall provide a written report of the committee’s accomplishments and progress for the year to the CPFC; list the above charges noting each item’s progress and current status; any other activities undertaken; and draft charges for the 2026-27 academic year, no later than May 30, 2026.