TRU Environmental Advisory Committee

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The TRU Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) is part of the People of the Knowledge Base

The EAC is the adminstrative body that works on sustainability.

Terms of Reference

TRU Environmental Advisory Committee

Mission

The Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) is dedicated to providing evidence based advice with regard to environmentally sensitive policies and practices that foster a sustainable future and lead to health and economic benefits for the University community. The EAC will act to promote dialogue and discussion on issues related to the environment and sustainability. The EAC is also committed to fostering environmental literacy, sustainable development, and environmental responsibility at Thompson Rivers University that can serve as a model for others.

Guiding Principles

• Responsible environmental practices promote a healthy workplace and are cost effective. • Environmental sustainability practices and environmental literacy are a significant focus of all the work we do at TRU. • Environmental best practices benefit not only the University, but also make a contribution to decreasing our ecological footprint locally, regionally and globally. • All members of the TRU community should be encouraged to develop and participate in evidence based environmentally sustainable policies and practices.

Goals

• To advise Administration, Board of Governors, and Senate regarding the development, operation, and continuous evaluation of environmental policy at TRU. • To investigate issues of environmental concern at TRU and make recommendations to Administration, Board of Governors and Senate within their respective areas of responsibility. • To serve a coordinating and communication role within the University community concerning environmental and sustainability issues. • To promote awareness, knowledge and critical thinking on issues related to environmental sustainability. • To encourage environmentally responsible citizenship in all members of the TRU community in a manner that will create an institutional culture of environmental sustainability by engaging in education, research, policy formation, and information exchange.

Objectives

• To provide a forum for assessing, developing, promoting, revising and evaluating environmental policies and practices and making recommendations to the appropriate body. • To stimulate faculty research and student projects on sustainable practices. • To encourage environmentally sustainable teaching, service, research and operational practices. • To investigate potential partnerships among members of the TRU community and external individuals and groups that foster environmentally sustainable practices. • To co‐ordinate environmental activity on campus by acting as a liaison among students, faculty, staff, and external partners, if any. • To work toward educating the university and surrounding community with regard to environmental issues on campus by providing information via the TRU website, print and news media.

Voting Members

• Three members‐at‐large appointed by the Board of Governors (who need not be Board members) • Five faculty* members, preferably including one Horticulture representative, and two staff** representatives appointed by Senate (who need not be Senate members) • Director of Facilities or designate • Ancillary Services Director or designate • One Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee representative appointed by the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee • Two students appointed by TRU Student Union • Associate Vice President Legal Affairs

• ”faculty” includes teaching staff from the Open Learning Division.
  • “staff” includes all employees of TRU other than faculty.

Terms of Office

• Appointed members other than students will serve a three year term, which can be renewed by the constituency that appointed them. Students are appointed for a 1 year term which can be renewed by the constituency that appointed them.

Officers

• The Committee shall have a Chair and Vice‐Chair. • These positions will be for a one year term, and will alternate between persons appointed by the Board of Governors and faculty appointed by Senate with the Page 3 EAC Terms of Reference

Page 3 of 3 expectation that the Vice‐Chair will assume the position of Chair at the end of their one‐year term. • The Vice‐Chair (and if necessary the Chair) will be elected at the first meeting of the academic year from among eligible members.

Meetings, Agendas, Records and Reporting

• Meetings will be held at a minimum frequency of twice per semester during an academic year, but preferably once a month from September to June. • Meeting dates and times will be agreed upon by the Committee. • The Chair will be responsible for ensuring that meeting agendas are sent out to all members at least one week prior to the meeting date. • Minutes will be recorded during all meetings and will be sent to all the committee members before the next meeting. • Meetings will be open to the public. • The Environmental Advisory Committee will report twice annually to the Board of Governors and Senate.

Administrative Support Office of the Associate Vice President Legal Affairs

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TRU Environmental Advisory Committee

Mission

The Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) is dedicated to providing evidence based advice with regard to environmentally sensitive policies and practices that foster a sustainable future and lead to health and economic benefits for the University community. The EAC will act to promote dialogue and discussion on issues related to the environment and sustainability. The EAC is also committed to fostering environmental literacy, sustainable development, and environmental responsibility at Thompson Rivers University that can serve as a model for others.

Guiding Principles

• Responsible environmental practices promote a healthy workplace and are cost effective. • Environmental sustainability practices and environmental literacy are a significant focus of all the work we do at TRU. • Environmental best practices benefit not only the University, but also make a contribution to decreasing our ecological footprint locally, regionally and globally. • All members of the TRU community should be encouraged to develop and participate in evidence based environmentally sustainable policies and practices.

Goals

• To advise Administration, Board of Governors, and Senate regarding the development, operation, and continuous evaluation of environmental policy at TRU. • To investigate issues of environmental concern at TRU and make recommendations to Administration, Board of Governors and Senate within their respective areas of responsibility. • To serve a coordinating and communication role within the University community concerning environmental and sustainability issues. • To promote awareness, knowledge and critical thinking on issues related to environmental sustainability. • To encourage environmentally responsible citizenship in all members of the TRU community in a manner that will create an institutional culture of environmental sustainability by engaging in education, research, policy formation, and information exchange.

Objectives

• To provide a forum for assessing, developing, promoting, revising and evaluating environmental policies and practices and making recommendations to the appropriate body. • To stimulate faculty research and student projects on sustainable practices. • To encourage environmentally sustainable teaching, service, research and operational practices. • To investigate potential partnerships among members of the TRU community and external individuals and groups that foster environmentally sustainable practices. • To co‐ordinate environmental activity on campus by acting as a liaison among students, faculty, staff, and external partners, if any. • To work toward educating the university and surrounding community with regard to environmental issues on campus by providing information via the TRU website, print and news media.

Voting Members

• Three members‐at‐large appointed by the Board of Governors (who need not be Board members) • Five faculty* members, preferably including one Horticulture representative, and two staff** representatives appointed by Senate (who need not be Senate members) • Director of Facilities or designate • Ancillary Services Director or designate • One Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee representative appointed by the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee • Two students appointed by TRU Student Union • Associate Vice President Legal Affairs

• ”faculty” includes teaching staff from the Open Learning Division.
  • “staff” includes all employees of TRU other than faculty.

Terms of Office

• Appointed members other than students will serve a three year term, which can be renewed by the constituency that appointed them. Students are appointed for a 1 year term which can be renewed by the constituency that appointed them.

Officers

• The Committee shall have a Chair and Vice‐Chair. • These positions will be for a one year term, and will alternate between persons appointed by the Board of Governors and faculty appointed by Senate with the

expectation that the Vice‐Chair will assume the position of Chair at the end of 

their one‐year term.

•  The Vice‐Chair (and if necessary the Chair) will be elected at the first meeting of 

the academic year from among eligible members.

Meetings, Agendas, Records and Reporting

• Meetings will be held at a minimum frequency of twice per semester during an academic year, but preferably once a month from September to June. • Meeting dates and times will be agreed upon by the Committee. • The Chair will be responsible for ensuring that meeting agendas are sent out to all members at least one week prior to the meeting date. • Minutes will be recorded during all meetings and will be sent to all the committee members before the next meeting. • Meetings will be open to the public. • The Environmental Advisory Committee will report twice annually to the Board of Governors and Senate.

Administrative Support Office of the Associate Vice President Legal Affairs