Governance
Governance is the part of management or leadership processes that makes decisions, defines expectations, grants power, sets a cultural tone, or verifies performance. Governance for sustainability at universities is typically not yet clearly defined, either in terms of institutional goals or leadership responsibilities.
At UC Santa Cruz, commitment to sustainability at the administrative level has recently begun to gain strength, in part as a result of the passage of the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices (UC Policy) and also due to the persistent dedication of many campus members who are committed to seeing UCSC become a leader in sustainability. The fall 2007 appointment of George Blumenthal as Chancellor of UCSC bodes well for sustainability. One of his first acts as Chancellor was to sign the Climate Compact on solutions to global warming, a collaborative agreement with the Santa Cruz city and county governments.
Most of the policy changes and other commitments UCSC has made are in their implementation infancy. This assessment has identified opportunities and limitations, an understanding of which can shape how decision making on sustainability is institutionalized at UCSC.
Summary of Activities and Performance
• UCSC created the Campus Sustainability Subcommittee (CSS), an official deliberative body for campus sustainability (reporting to the Advisory Committee for Facilities). This was a result of two years of efforts by an ad hoc group of students and staff. All other UC campuses have a comparable committee in place.
• At the request of the Chancellor, CSS drafted a campus definition, vision, and mission statements on sustainability for consideration by the Chancellor and the broader campus community and that guided development of this assessment.
• A two-year pilot program for a Sustainability Office was implemented in June 2007 with the hiring of a Sustainability Coordinator and several Sustainability Interns. Details of funding, reporting, and positions for the long term are yet to be determined.
• This assessment is the first attempt to compile and track sustainability performance information campuswide. It is not yet clear how or where the function of ongoing tracking will be served.
• The Student Union Assembly has a subcommittee, the Campus Sustainability Council, which allocates funds from an $18 per year student fee (approximately $240,000 in 2006) to student organizations to collaborate on the Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus. For more information, visit http://sua.ucsc.edu/CSC/.
System Wide Policies
- Policy on Sustainable Practices
- American Colleges and Universities President's Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)
Campus Specific Efforts
