Minutes of the UMM Consultative Committee

May 2, 2006

Present:  Nancy Carpenter (ex officio), Ranae Faaborg, Pam Gades, Roland
Guyotte (chair), Judy Korn, Margaret Kuchenreuther, Maggie Larson,Gretchen
Murphy, Michelle Page, Geoff Sheagley, Rebecca Webb

Guest:  Lowell Rasmussen

Chair Guyotte convened the meeting at 9:00 a. m. in the Prairie
Lounge. Lowell Rasmussen presented the Committee with a draft proposal for
a 50% FTE Campus Sustainability Coordinator.  This proposal is enabled by
a portion of the estimated $240,000 indirect cost recovery funds from the
three-year USDA/DOE biomass grant.  UMM administrators have studied
sustainability coordinators at various colleges and universities.  He
outlined administrative and curricular tasks for the coordinator,
emphasizing the centrality of an academic component:  coordinating UROP
projects related to the grant, serving as a resource for faculty wishing
to include environmental components in their courses, helping develop
potential concentrations in

Environmental science/studies, promote "sustainability" literacy in
general education, etc.

Committee members responded favorably to the proposal but expressed
several concerns:  1. what happens to the position after the three-year
grant runs out?  2. can the technical and academic/public relations
components be merged so that one person can do the job? 3. to whom should
the coordinator report?  Others remarked that similar structural issues
need to be addressed whenever UMM embarks on interdisciplinary ventures,
such as women studies and service learning.  Perhaps, if the coordinator
proposal moves forward, the Campus Resources and Planning Committee ought
to think now about ways of institutionalizing the position when the grant
runs out.

On another matter, members urged the chair to invite the Constitutional
Revision Committee to a meeting in early fall.  The Committee passed a
motion to this effect.

A member expressed concern about the implications of the China exchange
program and suggested that Vice Chancellor Olson-Loy discuss this matter
with the Committee.

The Committee adjourned at 10:00 a. m.