OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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Committees | Planning | Policies
The CPC reviews proposals for new construction, significant remodeling, and renovation projects that visually alter the exterior appearance of the campus. The CPC is comprised of members from OSU, the City of Corvallis and the Corvallis community.
Faculty Senate Carbon Commitment Committee
To help OSU reach its ambitious carbon neutrality goal, the Faculty Senate formed the Ad hoc Committee on the Carbon Commitment in 2018 as a network to promote carbon reducing actions within faculty and beyond. In 2021, Faculty Senate voted to convert the group to a standing committee, known as the Carbon Commitment Committee (C3). The Sustainability Office helps support this committee and its working groups.
Less recently, at its November 11, 2004 meeting, the OSU Faculty Senate adopted the following statement:
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Sustainability at Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) honors the commitments made by the Governor of the State of Oregon, state agencies, and many of Oregon’s companies and communities to develop sustainable solutions that balance economic, environmental, and community needs while building opportunities for future generations to meet their own needs. As the state’s land, sea, and space-grant university, OSU is ready to support and lead both public and private sector organizations to find sustainable approaches, educate future leaders and citizens who understand and practice sustainability, and demonstrate sustainable practices in the University’s day-to-day operations. OSU is committed to incorporating sustainability in its education, research, outreach, and operations as a critical component to its goal of becoming a top-ten land grant university. |
The OSU Transportation Committee was formed to assist the Vice President of Finance and Administration in the formulation of policies and procedures that guide all modes of transportation and parking programs and facilities on the OSU Corvallis campus. The group also provides a communication link between the users and providers of transportation programs.
Alternative Transportation Advisory Committee
ATAC was founded in 1993 as the Bicycle Advisory Committee. Around 2010, the focus of ATAC expanded to include promoting all alternative modes of transportation for the OSU community. ATAC advised Oregon State University on funding alternative transportation programs, safety education, and other alternative transportation issues. The goals of the committee included promoting biking, walking, carpooling and public transit as means to get to and from campus. In 2016, ATAC and the OSU Parking Committee merged to form the OSU Transportation Committee, which continues to focus on alternatives to the snigle occupancy vehicle. See the former ATAC committee page for more info.
Provost's Sustainability Council
OSU Provost Sabah Randhawa has formed a group of faculty, staff and students to recommend what action the university needs to take to become a leader in sustainability teaching and research. The group meets periodically and represents most academic areas of campus. Members of the Council: Gail, Achterman, Carol Caughey, Robert Collier, Jesse Ford, Denise Lach, Bill Lunch, Mark Pagell, Steve Radosevich, John Selker, Brandon Trelstad, Anthony Veltri, and Ken Williamson. View the 2005 Report.
Sustainability Advisory Council
First formed in fall 2011, the Sustainability Advisory Council advised the Vice President for Finance and Administration and the OSU Sustainability Office on strategic sustainability issues. Committee members represented the major divisions of the institution including academics, student engagement, operations and outreach/engagement. In 2018, the Council is being reconfigured to primarily include sustainability practitioners who do the day to day sustainability related work on campus, augmented by advisory members.
Sustainable Facilities Committee
Formed in November, 2004 and comprised of operations employees, this task force created a strategic direction to operational sustainability for the OSU campus. The committee developed a sustainability strategic plan for operations. After completion of the plan, the SFC was absorbed into two other existing campus committees because of significant membership and mission overlap, and the potential to expand the sustainability conversation beyond the usual interested parties.
OSU's mission is to promote “economic, social, cultural and environmental progress for people across Oregon, the nation and the world." As such, the OSU Strategic Plan has recently been updated to emphasize OSU's strengths and services areas around sustainability outlines the following Signature Areas of Distinction:
• Advancing the Science of Sustainable Earth Ecosystems
• Improving Human Health and Wellness
• Promoting Economic Growth and Social Progress.
The Strategic Plan also commits OSU to substantially reducing OSU's carbon footprint.
OSU's 2004 Master Plan, prepared by Facilities Services Campus Planning, guides physical development of the 570 acre Corvallis campus. Specifically, it identifies guiding principles and policies for long-range planning that will direct development over the approximate 10- to 12-year planning horizon. It also establishes a conceptual framework for the campus through program development, land use determinations, intensity of development, and parking and circulation initiatives and enhances the relationship and connectivity with the surrounding community.
The Master Plan addresses sprawl through a sector-based approach to growth. Standards for green and open space vary from sector to sector, emphasizing appropriate density levels and growth boundaries. Walking is emphasized as a primary mode of transportation via a "10 minute walk principle" and a campus shuttle is provided for more distant areas of campus.
OSU is a charter signatory of the Carbon Commitment, formerly the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. The commitment requires outlining within two years a path toward climate neutrality.
In addition to planning for carbon neutrality, the Commitment requires greenhouse gas inventories and interim measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Read more on climate planning.
OSU's Sustainable Facilities Committee (SFC) was established in November, 2004 by the Facilities Services Department to develop guiding principles, policies and procedures that move campus infrastructure and operations toward sustainability. Additionally, the group served as a discussion forum for the various operations groups on the OSU campus. In February, 2006, the group was absorbed into two other existing campus groups.
The SFC's task was to collaboratively create the strategic and goal setting first part of a two part plan. Development of the second part has begun, and is comprised of more detailed implementation and guidance documents, including a campus-wide Environmental Management System.
The SFC has developed Part I of the plan in accordance with its vision to ultimately transform OSU into a sustainable institute of higher education. This includes becoming more environmentally responsible and economically stable as it strives to become one of America's top 10 land grant universities. At the heart of this movement is a transformation of OSU into an institution guided by sustainable practices.
Read the Sustainability Strategic Plan for operations (Word document).