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Sustainability Governance

Climate change is one of the most challenging and wide-ranging issues confronting humankind today.  Its effects on the environment and human health have been soundly acknowledged by the scientific and academic communities.  In December 2007, the Academic Senate Sustainability Task Force was created to identify faculty recommendations on how to improve sustainability at UCSF. In 2008, Chancellor J. Michael Bishop, recognizing the importance of climate change and sustainability, created the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS), then co-chaired by UCSF Senior Vice Chancellor Steve Barclay and Tomi Ryba, medical center chief operating officer.  Chancellor Bishop, and more recently Chancellor Desmond-Hellman charged the committee to:

• Examine UCSF’s effect on the environment from a comprehensive perspective;
• Evaluate existing UCSF policies, procedures and/or programs that affect the environment;
• Serve as a coordinating body for groups or individuals concerned with sustainability issues at UCSF; and
• Recommend changes that will increase sustainability at UCSF.

David Odato, UCSF Medical Center Chief Administrative and Human Resources Officer is co-chair representing the medical center, and John Plotts, senior vice chancellor of Finance and Administration is the co-chair representing the campus. Gail Lee, UCSF’s sustainability manager, provides the CACS staff support.

The CACS is supported by 10 work groups:

• Carbon Neutral
• Culture Shift
• Grants
• Green Building
• Procurement
• Sustainable Food
• Sustainable Operations
• Toxics Reduction
• Water Conservation
• Zero Waste

Each work group is co-chaired by a team, one representative from the medical center and one from the campus. The work group co-chairs comprise the Sustainability Steering Committee (SSC), which supports the CACS. The work groups include representatives from the faculty, staff, students.  Click 2011-12_Org_Structure.pdf for the current organizational structure.

For FY 2009-2010, the SSC put forth budget requests from each of the work groups to address priority areas totaling $485,000.  The CACS approved these recommendations and provided strong justification to the Chancellor for funding.  The entire amount was approved and funded by the Chancellor, showing strong support of UCSF’s commitment to sustainability.

Contact Us

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Call (415-502-6315) or Email the Sustainability Manager, Gail Lee

Thank you!