President’s Advisory Council on Sustainability

Membership

Administrators
Two Administrators: one from Facilities appointed by the President, plus the Safety and Sustainability Coordinator.

Faculty
Three faculty members elected at large. (Two year terms)

Staff
One staff member (elected or appointed) from each of the following offices: Academic Affairs, Advancement, and Student Educational Services.

Students
Two students, each nominated by the Sierra Student Coalition, the Sustainability Awareness Society, the Wildlife Society, Learning Green Living Green, the Geography Club, or the Student Government Association. 

Purpose

The President’s Advisory Council for Sustainability will be responsible for advising the President on setting and meeting sustainability goals including implementation of the Climate Action Plan and compliance with the Second Nature Climate Leadership Commitment and the American Campuses Act on Climate Pledge. The Council will also act in a general advisory capacity to the President, Executive Committee, Facilities and the Faculty Senate on matters of transforming FSU to sustainable operations, practices and culture. The Council will also promote social, recreational, and instructional activities related to sustainability. Its responsibilities include: 

1. Reviewing and revising the Climate Action Plan (CAP) and sharing the CAP with the university community.
   
   
2. Recommending policies, investments and actions to reduce energy use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, achieve climate neutrality by 2030 and enhance sustainability overall.
   
   
3. Tracking progress toward the goals of the Climate Action Plan and reporting on progress and challenges to the university community.
   
   
4. Promoting social, recreational, and instructional activities related to sustainability, including engaging in environmental action, Earth Day and Focus Frostburg, Arbor Day and similar events on campus and in the community.
   
   
5. Assisting with review of FSU performance in AASHE’s STARS (Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System), the Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges and Sierra Magazine’s Cool Schools ratings and recommending actions to increase the ratings.
6. Provide advice on, and oversight of, the Student Sustainability Fee program, including sharing information on the use of funds with the campus community and facilitating competitive grants to students, faculty and staff each semester.
   
   The Council will also carry out such duties as may be assigned to it by the Chair of the Sustainability Studies Steering Committee, the President, the Provost, the Faculty Senate, the Safety and Sustainability Coordinator, or the Director of Facilities. 

Officers

At the final meeting of each academic year, the Council shall nominate and select a Chair and a Secretary. The Chair sets the agenda, oversees meetings and speaks for the Council. The Secretary presides over meetings when the Chair is absent and appoints a Council member to be responsible for the minutes of that meeting. The Secretary is responsible for the minutes: one copy of which must be sent to the Library, one copy sent to the Chair of the Sustainability Studies Steering Committee, and posted on the LGLG and President’s Advisory Council for Sustainability websites. 

Amendments

Amendments to the Charter of the Council may be prepared at any meeting of the Council and will be valid if:

1. ratified by two-thirds of those present and voting at the next Council meeting (provided a quorum is present), and
2. approved by the Faculty Senate.

The above proposal was approved by the Faculty Senate as agenda item SSC 13-01 on March 6, 2013.  Revisions in italics were approved by PACS at their November 8, 2016 meeting.