Sustainability

Sustainability Committee

Made up of faculty, staff, and students, the Sustainability Committee oversees Southwestern’s Tree Campus Higher Education recognition, Bee Campus USA affiliate certification, and the Sustainable Advancements Funding Endeavor.

The Sustainability Committee (SC) is charged with the promotion of practices and programs that support the principles of social, financial, and environmental sustainability of Southwestern University as outlined in the Talloires Declaration and the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.

In keeping with the principles of these agreements, this committee is tasked with: 

  1. promoting civic engagement and interdisciplinary learning to reduce climate change; 
  2. increasing awareness of and practices of sustainability within the campus and among community stakeholders; 
  3. reducing negative impacts on the global climate; 
  4. creating an institutional culture of sustainability; and 
  5. fostering environmental literacy.

The SC collaborates with groups devoted to curriculum, student life, and facilities and space utilization, among others. Issues on which the committee advises include, but are not limited to: energy use; recycling and composting; sustainability initiatives; building and landscape design; faculty and curriculum development; community partnerships; and civic engagement.

Sustainability Committee Members (2023-2024)

  • Laura Hobgood, Co-Chair, Faculty Representative
  • Jenny Terry Roberts ’95, Co-Chair, Staff Representative
  • Aaron Prevots, Faculty Representative
  • Christy Schaller, Staff Representative
  • Brandon Quintanilla, Facilities Representative
  • Layla Hoffen, Student Representative for Bee Campus USA
  • Kevin Love, Student Representative for Tree Campus
  • TBD, Student Representative
  • TBD, Student Representative
  • Jess Hower, Associate Dean of the Faculty, Ex Officio
  • Rowan Prothro ’15, Tree Campus/Bee Campus Community Liaison, Ex Officio
Sustainability Committee Monthly Meetings

The SC Meetings are open to anyone in the Southwestern community. We are determining the regular meeting time for Fall 2023.  In the Spring 2023 semester, we met from 12:30-1:30 pm on the first Friday of the month (February 3rd, March 3rd, April 7th, and May 5th).

Non-committee members who would like to attend a SC Meeting should email Laura Hobgood (hobgood@southwestern.edu) at least 48 hours in advance.

Sustainable Advancements Funding Endeavor (S.A.F.E.)

The Sustainability Committee encourages students, faculty, and staff to submit proposals for a S.A.F.E. grant to advance sustainability at Southwestern. More information is available here.

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