Sustainability Goals & History
UC Sustainability BrochureInspired by students' calls for action, the University's institutional commitment to campus sustainability began in June 2003, when the Board of Regents adopted green building and clean energy policy principles. In June 2004, President Dynes issued detailed guidelines for the Policy on Green Building Design and Clean Energy Standards. This comprehensive policy established the university as a leader in promoting environmental stewardship among institutions of higher education.
In January 2006, the policy was expanded to include sustainable transportation practices and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. In March 2007, the policy was further extended to cover the areas of climate protection practices, green building renovations, sustainable operations and maintenance, waste reduction and environmentally preferable purchasing. With the most recent expansion, the policy's name was revised to Policy on Sustainable Practices.
Sustainability Program Organizational Structure
Sustainability Steering Committee
Recognizing the need to involve decision makers from all 10 UC campuses in developing systemwide sustainability policy and assuring its successful implementation, the Senior Vice President for Business and Finance first formed the Sustainability Steering Committee in 2003. The Sustainability Steering Committee was reconvened in 2006 to provide updates on progress toward meeting sustainability goals and guidance on future implementation. The Sustainability Steering Committee makes recommendations to the Executive Vice President for Business Operations.
The Sustainability Steering Committee is chaired by Michael Bocchicchio, Associate Vice President, Facilities Administration and is composed of a campus representative at the Vice Chancellor or Associate Vice Chancellor level, faculty representatives, a state representative, the Student Regent, and undergraduate and graduate student representatives.
The Sustainability Steering Committee meets twice per year.
Working Groups
There are six Policy Working Groups that report to the Sustainability Steering Committee:
- Green Building
- Sustainable Transportation
- Sustainable Operations
- Sustainable Purchasing
- Sustainable Foodservice
- Climate Change
Working Groups propose amendments and additions to existing policy to the Steering Committee, coordinate the implementation of their respective policy sections by sharing best practices and creating economies of scale, and provide the Steering Committee with updates on implementation progress and challenges.
Working Group members are appointed by the campus Sustainability Steering Committee member or the respective Working Group Chair. All campuses are represented on each of the working groups. In addition, the Waste Reduction and Recycling Professionals from each campus function as a working group, but the members of that group are not appointed by the Steering Committee or by a Working Group Chair.
Working Groups meet several times each year by conference call. Working Group Chairs attend Sustainability Steering Committee meetings.
UC Sustainability Contacts (pdf)