Sustainability at Lake Superior College

Meeting Minutes 2/4/2011

February 4th, 2011
9:00 Student Life Conference Room

Faculty/Staff members present: Cliff Koski, Deanne Roquet, Dave Olson, Dick Haney, Glenn Merrick, Kevin Futhey, Kristi Heintz, Theresa Hornstein
Students present: Tom Deschenes, Amy Aldes, Jesse Larson
Guests present: Heather Grillo, Patty Dorn, Brandon Leno

Announcements
Earth Day Patty supplied an updated agenda for the 3-day workshop with Michael Monroe including Earth Day activities.
Agenda:
11:00-1:00-information tables in hallway from Student Life leading to the Atrium
12:00-Michael Monroe performance in Atrium
Lunch served, Heather has contacted Whole-Foods Co-Op about providing food
Heather will arrange sidewalk chalk, volleyball, campus & disc-golf course clean-up
Kristi will organize a rain garden/rock garden clean-up workshop and promotion of the clean-ups
1:00-7:00-5R Recycling contacted Heather about doing an electronic collection for the public.  Kristi will work to organize that.
7:00-Public performance by Michael Monroe with LSC Choir and North Shore Community School Choir
Patty mentioned a $2 requested donation be part of the performance as per the original grant.  Suggestions were made about whom the donation should go to, Theresa suggested Duluth Community Gardens.

Publicity: Brandon Leno discussed possibilities for the slideshow which will run during the evening performance.  Kristi will send to him the photos Tom took last summer along with other sustainability related photos.  Brandon will also incorporate candid photos from the workshops and will ask the Digital Photo Club to help with this.
It was also suggested we work with CSS, UMD, and UWS to get broader publicity in community media.

Kate Worley from MN Waste Wise would like to visit Wednesday, March 2nd at 10:00.  Kristi will follow-up with her about bringing the plastic bag recycler with her.  Kristi will also invite her to join anyone available for lunch following the meeting.

“New Food Regionalism” public lecture series @ UMD.  Kristi will post the sessions on the SharePoint Calendar.

Deanne has arranged an initial Living Green Community Partners Meeting for February 17th at 2:00 and has invited the individuals discussed at earlier meetings.  Kristi will arrange for us to use the Student Life Conference Room that day.

Sub-Committee Reports
None.

New Business
Kristi would like to work toward a Professional Certificate in Sustainability Leadership online through Ithaca College.  This Certificate requires six total sessions held between January and December 2011.  Payment for this Program needs to be done over two fiscal years and will include 3 sessions at $450 apiece per year.  Kristi has been approved to use $800 in Professional Development Funds and is asking the Environmental Council to cover the remaining $550 for the FY’s sessions.
Dick requested we discuss the importance of this Program with Pat Johns and make it apparent that since LSC made a commitment to sustainability by signing the PCC, the school should think about possibly funding opportunities like this one.  Kristi agreed, but added that because the timeline for getting started is tight, she’d like to use the first half of the Certification as a basis for justifying that request for funds for the 2nd half of the Certificate.  All agreed this is an acceptable approach.

Spring Sustainability Newsletter Kristi sent out the almost final draft of the Newsletter for everyone to review before the meeting.  All info was approved by Gary Adams before the draft was sent.  Cliff and Mat sent suggestions and Kristi presented the final draft at today’s meeting. Some discussion about the “legality” of having space heaters in offices was discussed.  Kristi was unable to find a specific state rule regarding this issue so didn’t include it.  Kristi will ask Paula Castleman if she is aware of any Fire Code issues that may be involved.  Besides this, all agreed it was good enough to send.  Kristi will email the Newsletter to all staff on Monday and get permission to email to all students as well.  She will also post it on the EC Blog and Mat may print articles in the Wave.

Old Business
Kent and the Assessment Committee have asked that we “shorten” our Definition of Sustainability as it is longer than most other definitions.  Dick and Theresa will work on the wording.

Kevin reported that the worm bins are very full.  Kevin and Theresa will look at them and discuss the need for purchasing one or two more bins.

Budget Report
EC balance YTD:
$ 4218.82

Motions
Cliff motioned to allocate $550 to cover the remaining portion of the Professional Certificate in Sustainability Leadership Program through Ithaca College.  Theresa seconded the motion.

Next meeting
Next EC meeting will be on February 18th at 9:00 in the Student Life Conference Room.

Submitted by Kristi Heintz