The mere fact that the plan exists is an undoubtedly positive move. It is a clear-eyed admission of a brute fact: Wash. U. is a growing university heavily invested in energy-costly research and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

The plan delineates new policies that will make it hard for students not to be more ‘green.’ Recycling on campus is now single-streamed, so everything except food, liquid and Styrofoam can be recycled in any campus recycling bin. Trashcans are emblazoned with the term “landfill,” reminding people of the impact that their trash will have on the environment. We applaud this use of metrics against which progress can be measured.

Still, even amid these laudable initiatives, there was one blaring omission: renewable energy. The plan devotes just a few short lines to how the University hopes to use renewable energy in the future and mostly mentions the financial challenges that they pose.

It is undeniable that coal is the most cost-effective energy source for the University. In fact, electricity is cheaper in Missouri than anywhere else in America. The University’s electricity provider, Ameren, provides electricity at a rate of 4 cents per kilowatt-hour. As such, it makes sense from an economic view that the University is committing so many of its resources to researching how best to utilize it.

It’s ludicrous to think that any other energy option can beat this price in the short term, but we echo the statement Murrey made after council chairman Henry Webber discussed the plan at a meeting of the Student Union: “I think we are bounded by how cheap our electricity here is and we need to ask ourselves, ‘Are we taking into account the true costs of the energy we are being provided?’ because most of this energy is from coal.”

At the meeting Webber said, “We will make investments that reduce greenhouse gases and are economically sustainable for the University, resulting in no additional financial burdens over time.”

Based on this statement and the precedent set by previous University action, it does not seem that the University will make the worthy investment into renewable energy sources beyond the mentioned solar power for electricity and hot water in off-campus residential properties. But the plan is a work in progress, a living document that will be revisited in later years. Even if the University deems it unfeasible to place more of an emphasis on renewable energy now, we have a responsibility to keep alternative energy sources in the foreground so they can be pursued when economically feasible.

The University has set forth many new means through which we can be more ‘green.’ As a campus community, we need to hold up our end of the bargain and be informed, responsible and conscientious. The current plan does guide the University toward environmental sustainability, but for the next plan, we ask that the University reconsider the use of alternatives to fossil fuel.

Those who wish to offer input on the plan should attend one of the forums that are taking place through next week or e-mail sustainability@wustl.edu.

Chancellor Mark Wrighton speaks on the issues and challenges currently facing Washington University and those the school will face in the short-term future. The University’s endowment is estimated to have fallen 25 percent since the end of fiscal 2008 and is expected to continue declining. (Matt Mitgang | Student Life)

More than 100 Washington University students, faculty and staff gathered in Edison Theatre yesterday morning to hear Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton’s “State of the University Address” on the fiscal circumstance of the University.

Wrighton covered topics such as construction and budget breakdowns and offered cost-saving initiatives that will be implemented to help cushion the University from the economic crisis.

Wrighton announced the place and time of the address at the end of his e-mail to the University community two weeks ago acknowledging the University’s ongoing difficulties in the midst of the national economic crisis.

In addition, he outlined the financial challenges that the University now faces, including the decline in the endowment value, a lower increase in tuition this year, greater student financial aid needs, a poor fundraising environment, risky clinical revenue and the brevity of the stimulus package.

Wrighton chose to focus mainly on the loss of endowment revenue, which has been a highly debated topic in current weeks. At present, the University’s endowment has declined by more than 25 percent, producing a fiscal situation that the Chancellor acknowledged is “very fragile.” The total endowment loss by the 2010 fiscal year will be approximately $20 million.

Wrighton remarked that the University’s current financial state is also unprecedented.

“When I think back to my entire academic career, which began in 1972, this is the first time that there has been such a decline,” he said.

The administration, however, has plans to implement cost-reducing initiatives to alleviate the institution’s financial pressures. These measures will include energy conservation, improvements in efficiency level and a reduction in printed materials and labeling.

Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration Henry Webber will head a new organization called the “Tiger Team,” which will assist with improving the University’s efficiency and reducing its operating expenses.

The administration also proposed the expansion of summer school programs to help bring in greater revenue and the expansion of the University’s fundraising staff.

Master’s programs also will be reevaluated and expanded. The Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts will soon be introducing a new master’s degree in landscape architecture, which will be the first of its kind in the region.

After his address, Wrighton responded to questions from the audience and those submitted online.

One major concern put forward by the audience was the possibility of buying out employees close to retirement. Vice Chancellor for Finance Barbara Feiner explained that compensation benefits comprise 62 percent of total operating expenses throughout the University.

Although Feiner acknowledged that the idea would be up for consideration, she said, “Many of the decisions we’re making now are directed at reducing the risk of loss of employment.”

Wrighton stressed that the administration is open to suggestions from the community, which can be submitted at the Web site http://suggestion.wustl.edu.

“We pledge to consider every suggestion seriously and try to take advantage of the creativity and dedication of those in our community,” he said.

Of the 100 or so present at the address, the majority were faculty members. Only a few were students.

“What I don’t really understand is the timing [of the address] at 8:30 a.m. in the morning,” said junior Lauren Weiss, who attended the address. “I thought it was a little bit disingenuous on his part. It’s silly to say that you value your students’ input when you put it at a time when you know most students would not come.”

Although Weiss believes that Wrighton gave the audience a good sense of the University’s financial state, she thinks he deflected some questions posed by the audience in his responses.

Weiss asked a specific question about the chancellor’s goal to enhance diversity on campus in the economic downturn—a point discussed in his e-mail earlier this month.

“I asked him, ‘What do you mean by diversity? How exactly do you plan to implement the policies on campus?’ He answered the first part well, but he just didn’t really answer the second part,” Weiss said. “I am thrilled that the chancellor thinks diversity is important. I just think there should be a greater focus on honesty.”

This story has been updated to reflect the following correction:
An earlier version of this story misquoted junior Lauren Weiss as stating that the Chancellor’s decision to schedule the forum early in the morning was an intentional choice to exclude students. In fact, Weiss stated that the choice was unintentional; the rest of the quote was accurate.

Vice Chancellor for Administration Henry Webber
Just less than one full year into Webber’s tenure, the little-known administrator has already made a clear impact on campus by working together with Assistant Vice Chancellor Matt Malten and a team of committees to bring the University’s sustainability plans from theory into practice. As the University’s chief administrative officer, in the year ahead, Webber will be called upon to spearhead the administration’s adaptation to the tightening economy—a process which will require a frank assessment of where the University’s priorities lie. Although ensuring that research programs remain competitive should be a top priority, we hope to see Webber place continued emphasis on tangible steps toward addressing the climate crisis—most pressingly, reducing the University’s carbon footprint.

Dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences Salvatore Sutera
Sutera faces the daunting task of revamping the image of the School of Engineering & Applied Science after frequent clashes between alumni, faculty and students during the tenure of former Dean Mary Sansalone. To keep the school among the most prestigious engineering programs in the country, Sutera must once again instill confidence in donors in the wake of these conflicts and the current economic crisis in order to fund the programs currently planned for the school. Since his appointment in April, Sutera has supervised the excision of the aerospace and civil engineering majors from the curriculum in an effort to focus on biotechnology, energy and materials engineering. With the engineering school at a pivotal crossroads right now, we hope that Sutera remains a valuable part of Washington University.

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Students Justin Carroll
In his capacity as de facto leader of Washington University Residential Life, Carroll will play perhaps the most major role in Wash. U. students’ lives during the year.  As we approach the depths of the recession, ResLife will need to find a way to cut spending while keeping costs down, and preserve the right aspects of student living while keeping the student experience intact. The school’s administration will also be making key decisions regarding the construction on the South 40, which may depart significantly from the school’s original plan. It is largely the job of Carroll and his close colleagues within ResLife to preserve and work to improve the student experience in light of the variability of massive construction projects on the 40 and the economic status of its students.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Management Art Ackermann
A name not nearly enough mentioned in the last few years is that of Art Ackermann. As the key construction contact internally at Washington University—and thus the crucial liaison between Clayco and the school at large—Ackermann bears the crucial responsibility of maintaining student welfare in the face of loud, large, disruptive construction projects around campus.  When will students who live in Rubelmann Hall learn about giant holes in front of their dorm before they are dug rather than after? When will the students as a whole have a chance to weigh in on how efficient and convenient the DUC construction process was for them? At the core, Ackermann is responsible this year for the quality of life of hundreds of students, especially on the South 40. Their daily lives rely heavily on Ackermann’s ability to communicate effectively between construction companies and Wash. U. students.

Future Dean of Arts & Sciences
Though Washington University has yet to name new a Dean for the School of Arts & Sciences, the person who fills this position will undeniably have a significant effect on a large portion of the student body. This year the Arts & Sciences undergraduate curriculum is up for review and will have the opportunity to face the challenges posed by critics of the cluster system. While some students have complained that the cluster system is too strict, others feel that Washington University should require its students to fulfill more distribution requirements. Additionally, many claim that it is unnecessarily difficult for individual students to propose a cluster and get it approved and that the process for professors to have their courses included in clusters also requires a significant amount of effort and paperwork. We expect the future Dean of Arts & Sciences to lay out the future curriculum plans of Arts & Sciences while responding to a variety of concerns over the cluster distribution system.

Dining Services Manager Nadeem Siddiqui
As the resident district manager of Washington University Dining Services, Siddiqui is the face of food improvement at the University. The successes and missteps of the new Danforth University Center eateries only raise expectations for future changes in the campus spread, and particularly for the upcoming Wohl Center’s dining options. Siddiqui has already presented ambitious initiatives to increase the sustainability of the food products served on campus, provide an online food ordering system for students, expand the hours for certain eateries and increase the variety of food options. Palpable stumbling blocks to these plans are increasing food prices on both ends of production and the pressing need to accommodate special dietary demands. In the arena of student stomachs, there is no such thing as universal success; Siddiqui, however, may yet manage to make useful improvements.

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The committees, which started meeting at the beginning of the semester, are Energy & Climate, Buildings & Grounds, Dining Services, Transportation and Purchasing & Materials Management.

Matt Malten, assistant vice chancellor for sustainability, said that this part of the initiative is comparable to projects at similar research universities with medical schools, and that it involves evaluation of practices such as turning off lights and raising the heat in classrooms.

“We’re doing a full parametric analysis trying to figure out if it’s achievable,” he said. “It’s not just how much energy we use. It’s also what fuel sources we use. [It] depends on how successful we are in educating individual energy consumption behavior on campus.”

Groups of two or three University administrators head each of the committees, which also include technical experts in each field and student representatives. Malten sits on every committee, as well as the Sustainability Operations Leadership Council (SOLC), which oversees the group.

The Energy & Climate committee, which focuses on the University’s power use, aims to reduce the University’s greenhouse gas emissions to 20 percent lower than the 1990 level by 2020.

In order to meet these aims, the University will switch from a high-energy pressurized steam distribution system to a low-energy depressurized system, along with swapping its fluorescent light bulbs for more efficient ones.

“It’s not just what we’re planning to do in the future, but we’re collecting data on what we’ve done in the past,” Malten said. “Our data shows that in all of our construction projects since the mid-1990s, we’ve had dramatic increases of energy efficiency.”

The University’s green student groups have demanded carbon neutrality from the administration for years. Junior Lee Cordova, former president of Green Action, said that although the University will not be eliminating its carbon footprint, he appreciates the administration’s commitment.

“[Reducing emissions is] not necessarily a daring goal, but it would be very exciting if that’s something we could do,” Cordova said. “The University has stayed relatively conservationist, considering the level of growth we’ve had.”

The Buildings & Grounds committee focuses on ensuring that every new building on campus will be LEED certified at the silver level. According to Malten, while the University may attempt to reach a higher LEED level on some buildings, silver makes the most sense for buildings on a college campus.

“Universities have achieved LEED Silver as a minimum, because we design our buildings to last 75 to 100 years,” he said. “We’re trying to look hard at ‘has there been anybody able to make the case that achieving LEED Gold is possible as well?’”

Cordova said that from Green Action’s perspective, having all buildings certified LEED Platinum would be ideal, but that he understands LEED certification is one of many factors considered when planning a building.

“LEED certification is important, but a building has a lot of needs,” he said. “The DUC would be more efficient without the huge windows in the atrium, but they kind of define the space.”

The third goal, as proposed by the Dining Services Committee, is to purchase all food from within 150 miles of campus by 2015. While Cordova said that this is not one of Green Action’s top priorities, monitoring food remains important since it plays a large part in students’ lives.

The Transportation committee aims to reduce by 10 percent the number of individuals commuting to campus solo by car by 2020. While this initiative faces a setback because of pending Metro cutbacks, Malten is confident that the administration can reach its goal through increasing bicycle use and walking.

“A significant part of the population lives a mile and a half from campus,” he said. “How do we get people to bike to campus and walk to campus more?”

Cordova said that relaying this message to students is difficult, because fliers will be less visible for students who move out of Residential Life.

“For a lot of students, there’s no excuse for driving,” he said.

The final goal, steered by the Purchasing & Materials Management committee, is to recycle 35 percent more by 2012 and 65 percent more by 2020. Recycling is perhaps the largest issue for student groups, which have hosted events like “Recyclemania,” slated to be held again next semester, to encourage more recycling.

“There’s a lot of different groups working on recycling. It’s so dependent on student behavior,” Cordova said, noting an impending University-wide project aimed at redesigning the school’s recycle bins to increase their accessibility.

While the University hopes to reach these goals, Vice Chancellor for Administration Henry Webber stressed that the administration wants to be cautious when moving forward in this project.

“It’s an important step, but it’s not a giant step,” Webber said. “The truth is that achieving success in sustainability is going to be built on lots of small and medium-sized steps.”

Webber added that while he cannot promise total transparency on the process, he wants to get students involved.

“There may be at some point things that are confidential to the groups, but I don’t think secrecy is the idea here,” he said.

Cordova, while he encourages students to stay informed of the issues and push the University toward greater sustainability, said that these matters involve high-level processes, which require knowledge of how the University operates.

“If the average student wants to get involved in it, it’s going to be a little harder than just joining Green Action,” he said.

This is the second article in a two-part series about Washington University’s sustainability efforts.

With additional reporting by Kat Zhao

According to Susan Lindsey, executive director of the sanctuary, while the center has acquired land around the La Barque stream in Jefferson County, Ark. that will be more suitable for the wolves, it still lacks the necessary funding to complete the move.

The center, an internationally-renowned facility for breeding endangered wolves and foxes, is a private, non-profit conservation organization that has been leasing land since 1971 at the Tyson Research Center—a 2,000-acre field station located 20 miles from the Danforth Campus that is used for environmental research and education.

“The primary function of the Wild Canid Center is to take small populations and rear them to populations of at least 100, so reintroduction [into the wild] can begin,” Lindsey said.

The center’s lease at Tyson has expired, and Tyson has created a long-term plan that involves the construction of two new buildings for a program in biological sustainability on the land currently occupied by the center.

“The building we are working toward now will be for high school kids getting involved in environmental research and sustainability,” John Chase, director of the Tyson Research Center, said. “The long-term vision is to develop an internationally-recognized program in environmental research and sustainability. We will be developing a number of large-scale research programs in these areas and taking St. Louis [outreach] initiatives.”

But Henry Webber, executive vice chancellor for administration, stressed that the University is trying to help the center, not hurt it.

“We’re all working together for a common goal, relocating them to a location that will be better for them and [will] allow the program in biological sustainability to flourish,” he said.

According to Lindsey, they expect to raise enough money for zoning and construction from donors, as well as from sale of some of their newly bought Ozark acres to the federal government for a state park.

One species they house is the maned wolf; these wolves are actually owned by Brazil, which asked the center to carry out a breeding program for them.

Another species is the Mexican gray wolf, which was near extinction when the center received five individuals in the late 1970s. Now, there are about 200 in captivity and 100 in the wild.

“There would be no Mexican gray wolf if it weren’t for the Wild Canid Center,” Lindsey said.