Governance


ADVISORY BOARD

The Advisory Board serves as the Sustainability Certificate program steering committee and meets at least once per semester to support and advise the Director of the program. Board members are invited from each participating college and supporting unit.

The Board provides program support and guidance and reviews courses for inclusion in the certificate. Responsibilities include meeting once a semester to provide input on program initiatives, selecting the program Director, advising the Director regarding development and visioning, overseeing disbursement and use of certificate program funds, and generally serving as ambassadors of the certificate, encouraging students, recruiting faculty participation, and periodically attending or presenting at the certificate seminar.

Name Department
Jesse Abrams Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
Tyra Byers Certificate Director, Office of Sustainability
Laura German Center for Integrative Conservation Research (Anthropology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences)
Gary Hawkins College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Andandam Kavoori Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications
Elizabeth Gallant King Odum School of Ecology, Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources
Kevin Kirsche Office of Sustainability
William Kisaalita School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering
Erin Lipp College of Public Health
Jane McPherson Social Work
Katalin Medvedev Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors, College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Gregory Thaler School of Public and International Affairs
Alfred Vick College of Environment and Design
Jim Berry Economics, Terry College of Business
Tish Yager Marine Science, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Meredith Welch-Devine Graduate School

BY-LAWS (last updated 09/29/2023)

  1. The Sustainability Certificate Program shall be supervised by the Director, including student instruction and mentorship, partner engagement, administration of the budget, and solicitation of funds to support the Program. The Director shall report directly to the Dean of the host college and shall carry out the work of the certificate in consultation with the Advisory Board.
  2. The Advisory Board shall oversee the program, approve new courses, oversee disbursement and use of program funds, and revise program requirements over time. The Advisory Board will be comprised of the Director, representatives from each participating college, and additional faculty or other unit representatives as needed to provide balanced representation from each area of sustainability (economic, social, and ecological). Advisory Board members will serve two-year renewable terms.
  3. Membership in the Affiliate Faculty of the program shall be determined by the Advisory Board, following these guidelines:
    1. a member of this Faculty shall be a regular teacher of an approved course in the Certificate Program, or
    2. shall have within the past two years directed a capstone project for the Certificate, or
    3. shall be engaged in research or publication in the area of the Certificate.
  4. New Affiliate Faculty and new courses may be added at any time during fall and spring semester pending review of the Advisory Board.
  5. Requirements for the Graduate or Undergraduate Certificates shall be modified as warranted by the Advisory Board and approved by the appropriate University committees and schools.
  6. These By-Laws shall be reviewed every three years and are subject to amendment by approval of two-thirds of the members of the Advisory Board present at a called meeting or by email vote.