About Us

The purpose of the Sustainability Strategic Plan Leadership Group is to help advise the Uplift Valpo Strategic Plan and the Office of Sustainability. The leadership group makes recommendations on the development and implementation of sustainability initiatives, policies, practices, research, and curricula across Valparaiso University.  The committee will help with decisions in long term sustainability goals and identify ways to achieve these goals.

The most common definition of sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Responsibilities

In charge of advising the Office of Sustainability on matters pertaining to the campus environment and sustainability as it directly relates to Valparaiso University Uplift Strategic Plan.

• Promote the Office of Sustainability’s mission statement and vision and its successes throughout the university.
• Foster linkages among and within campus departments.
• Develop comprehensive ways to help adopt sustainability matters on campus.
• Recommend, develop and maintain adopted sustainability goals.

Membership

The members shall consist of a diverse perspective of the University’s faculty, staff, and students. The committee is expected to arrive at its recommendations by sense of body rather than consensus or vote. Members shall choose a theme to work closely in.

• Energy – This group will work to reduce the carbon footprint of campus operations through reductions in energy use, implementation of low-carbon, on-campus energy production, and/or support of low-carbon activities such as EV use.              
• Waste – This group will serve and lead the education and implementation for best waste reduction practices, in order to ensure safe and healthy community for future generations.
• Water and Ecosystems – This group will focus on analyzing and improving water use and also on the protection of water/ecosystems on and near campus.          
• Food – The food group addresses food waste and how it intersects with environmental justice issues such as hunger, food packaging, and the stewardship of environmental, animal, and human ecosystems.
• Justice – This group will determine ways to educate on environmental justice and develop actions to address environmental justice, especially in the local region.        
• Communication – The communication team will share information with the campus community and beyond about the ways in which Valparaiso University is creating a more sustainable campus and world.
• Fundraising – The fundraising team strives to identify and pursue funding opportunities for sustainability efforts on campus

Strategic Plan Leadership Team

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