Mission

The mission of the Council for a Livable Campus is to involve all stakeholders in setting goals for improving Occidental's environmental sustainability. Specifically, this Council shall identify problem areas, educate the community, develop policies to improve, and enact those policies to make Occidental a model for other campuses in sustainability and greening.

Structure

The Council shall be comprised of 40 Occidental students, faculty, staff (including administrators), alumni, and Eagle Rock community members. It shall be divided into one Executive Committee and six subcommittees and shall be led by an elected chair. It shall meet thrice yearly: once at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters to introduce new members and establish goals for the semester, and once at the end of the spring semester to review and celebrate the accomplishments of the year. The Executive Committee shall set long-term goals and policies for the Council and review applications to the Council. It shall be composed of the chair of the Council, a secretary, a treasurer, and the chairs of the subcommittees. It shall meet monthly to establish goals for the Council and vote on policies proposed by the subcommittees. The chair shall preside over all meetings. The secretary shall prepare and distribute packets of policies to be addressed for the members of the Executive Committee one week prior to each meeting. The secretary shall also take minutes for the meetings of both the Executive Committee and the two meetings of the full Council and establish a method of disseminating the minutes to all members of the Council. The treasurer shall control all funds for Council projects and prepare annual reports to the Council on the status of funding and its distribution. All members of the Executive Committee shall have an equal vote in deciding policies and goals for the Council. Each subcommittee shall elect a chair and secretary. The subcommittees shall meet biweekly to develop policy proposals for the executive committee. Between meetings, subcommittee members shall perform research necessary to develop proposals and work to enact policies approved by the Executive Committee. The subcommittee chair shall lead meetings, and the secretary shall take minutes, which the secretary shall then forward to the secretary of the Executive Committee for dissemination. The secretary shall also forward policy proposals for Executive Committee review to the secretary of the Executive Committee at least 10 days prior to the Executive Committee meeting. The subcommittees shall be divided as follows:

  1. Education/Curriculum Committee - Addresses issues of incorporating environmental sustainability into the curriculum and student life of Occidental.
  2. Outreach Committee - Serves as liaison between Council and Occidental campus and surrounding community, taking on duties of advertising to and educating the community about Council projects and goals.
  3. Utilities Committee - Addresses issues surrounding water & energy use, storm runoff, landscaping, and green building. If necessary, a separate subcommittee can break off to address storm runoff and landscaping.
  4. Purchasing Committee - Addresses purchasing by Occidental's various departments and administrative offices, as well as food items served by Campus Dining.
  5. Waste Committee - Addresses issues of solid, chemical, and food waste, composting, and chemical use.
  6. Transportation Committee - Addresses issues surrounding Occidental's motor vehicles and alternative transport (e.g. bicycles). Each subcommittee must be composed of members from at least three of the stakeholder groups represented on the Council.

Participation

Selection to the Council shall be accomplished through an application and interview process. For the first Council, applications shall be reviewed by representatives from the President's Office, the UEPI, and the Environmental Problem Solving Class. For all later Councils, applications shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee. The Council must always include: representatives from each class of students and at lease six from the Environmental Problem Solving class; faculty members from the Art Department, the Humanities division, the Science division, and the Social Science division; at least three staff members from Facilities, two from the Office of Residence and Greek Life, and two from Campus dining; and a representative from the President's Office. Once selected to the Council, all members except students shall serve 18 month terms. Students shall be required to serve 12 month terms with a strong recommendation to serve 18 months. Members of the Council shall be allowed to take a six month leave of absence provided the Council approves the leave; while on leave the members shall be allowed either to postpone their commitment until their return or to continue to work for the Council remotely. For all members except students, selection to the Council shall occur twice in every 18-month period. Half of the membership shall be selected at the beginning of the first six months; the other half of the membership shall be selected at the beginning of the second six months. No selection shall occur in the third six month period. Students may be selected to the Council in any six month period. All members are expected to attend all meetings of the full Council that occur during their time commitment; members of the Executive Committee shall be allowed only one absence from Executive Committee meetings; subcommittee members shall be allowed only two absences from subcommittee meetings. No member may hold two positions on the Council, but members may be representatives from multiple stakeholder groups (e.g. a student may represent the Junior class, the Environmental Problem Solving class, and the UEPI).


Environmental Stewards Recommendations The Environmental Stewards recommend the following membership for the subcommittees:

  1. The Education/Curriculum Committee should have six members: one staff member, two students (at least one from the Environmental Problem Solving class), two faculty members, and one alumna/us.
  2. The Outreach Committee should have six members: one staff member (preferably from the Office of Residence & Greek Life), two students (at least one from the Environmental Problem Solving class), one faculty member, one Eagle Rock community member, and one alumna/us.
  3. The Utilities Committee should have 8 members: 3 staff members (including 2 from the Facilities department), 2 students (at least one from the Environmental Problem Solving class), 2 faculty members, and one Eagle Rock community member.
  4. The Purchasing Committee should have 5 members: 3 staff members (one from an academic department, one from Facilities, and one from Campus Dining), one student (must be from the Environmental Problem Solving class) and one faculty member.
  5. The Waste Committee should have 7 members: 4 staff members (one from an academic department, one from Facilities, one from Campus Dining, and one from the Office of Residence and Greek Life), two students (at least one from the Environmental Problem Solving class), and one faculty member.
  6. The Transportation Committee should have 5 members: 2 staff members (one from [whoever is in charge of the Bengal Bus and/or the fleet]), one student (must be from the Environmental Problem Solving class), one faculty member, and one Eagle Rock community member.