Sustainability

Sustainability Council Charter

Background

The Bellisario College of Communications Sustainability Council’s approach to sustainability aligns with the University’s focus on the United Nations’ Sustainability Development Goals and the University’s definition of sustainability:

Sustainability is the simultaneous pursuit of human health and happiness, environmental quality, and economic well-being for current and future generations.

Mission & Vision

The Bellisario College Sustainability Council is committed to creating a culture of sustainability by promoting awareness of sustainability challenges, working collaboratively to discover knowledge to facilitate solutions, and advocating for best practices through teaching, research, operations and community partnerships.

The Council advocates for development of a Bellisario College-wide sustainability vision that has measurable impact through teaching, research, service and community engagement, and one that leverages Bellisario College strengths to advance University priorities.

Through our teaching, we will:

  • Provide curricular and co-curricular opportunities for our students to learn about sustainability in interdisciplinary contexts

Through our research and creative activities, we will:

  • Publish research related to media, communication, and sustainability in leading communication journals as well discipline-adjacent journals
  • Screen creative work related to sustainability and science communication
  • Collaborate with researchers outside the College in key STEM areas
  • Present and communicate our research and creative work to key stakeholders in academic and non-academic spaces
  • Seek and secure internal and external funding for projects related to media, communication, and sustainability
  • Engage with the community by collaborating with community members and leaders on matters related to science communication

Through our service and outreach, we will:

  • Seek opportunities for our faculty, students, and staff to engage and serve constituencies such as alumni, media professionals, K-12 students and educators, sustainability-related NGOs and non-profits, and policymakers.
  • Educate our faculty, staff and students in ways they can be active participants in sustainability efforts on a daily basis.

Purpose/Objectives

The Sustainability Council:

  • Advocates for sustainability best practices and philosophy to be integrated into the Bellisario College’s Strategic Plan
  • Provides strategic guidance to effectively and successfully infuse sustainability into teaching, research, service, operations, and engagement
  • Seeks to enhance interdisciplinary collaborations that leverage Bellisario College expertise and promote Bellisario College objectives.

Membership

  1. The Sustainability Council is composed of a chair and a faculty representative from each academic department, the Innovator in Residence, and at least one member from: the Science Communication program, graduate and/or undergraduate student body, and staff.
  2. The chair is appointed by the dean
  3. One faculty representative is solicited by either the dean or the chair from the department chairs
  4. Terms are for two academic years and may be renewable for a maximum of two times. A partial year counts as a full year unless otherwise specified.
  5. Any vacancies in the Council must be filled as soon as possible.

Chair Responsibilities

  1. Represent the Council and the Bellisario College to the Sustainability Institute and otherwise at the University level.
  2. Schedule meetings with Sustainability Council members at the beginning of each semester.
  3. Conduct meetings, and plan and distribute meeting agendas and minutes.
  4. Record minutes and share them with the Sustainability Council and dean’s office, as requested.
  5. Report Sustainability Council activities and recommendations to the dean at least once a semester, or more frequently as requested.
  6. Work with department chairs to appoint new faculty members as needed
  7. Work with the dean’s office to appoint new staff members as needed
  8. Work with the Sustainability Council to appoint new student members as needed

Member Responsibilities

  1. Attend all Bellisario College of Communications Sustainability Council meetings.
  2. Be representatives of the Sustainability Council in home departments or units in teaching, research, service and outreach.
  3. Provide a report to supervisors of Sustainability Council activities at least once a year.
  4. Provide information to the Sustainability Council regarding department or unit activities related to sustainability and Sustainability Council-related work.
  5. Connect the Sustainability Council to University and community activities and programming.

Council Operations

  1. The Bellisario College of Communications Sustainability Council is an administrative council reporting to the Dean’s Office.
  2. The Sustainability Council meets at least four times during the academic year.
  3. The Sustainability Council may establish sub-groups such as working groups to provide feedback, or assist with specific activities, programs or tasks
  4. The Sustainability Council seeks to make recommendations by consensus. When consensus is not reached, the chair will make the recommendation in the best interest of the Bellisario College.
  5. The chair determines the appropriate method of voting.
  6. A majority vote is required for resolutions to pass.
  7. Lack of good faith effort by members to serve on the Sustainability Council, including but not limited to missing without reasonable cause two or more meetings, may constitute removal from the Sustainability Council. The chair will recommend removal with approval from the dean.

Charter Review, Amendments and Changes

  1. The Sustainability Council’s charter is reviewed annually. Typically, this would occur in the first meeting of the academic year.
  2. Any active member of the Sustainability Council may propose an amendment or change to the charter.
  3. Amendments or changes must be ratified by a majority vote of Sustainability Council members.

Budget

  1. Proposals for funded work will be communicated to the dean’s office.
  2. Initiatives that would require departmental resources will be developed in consultation with department heads and the dean’s office.