President in national sustainability Webcast

Grand Valley is increasingly known as a leader in the sustainability movement, and next week, President Thomas J. Haas will participate in a national Webcast to discuss how colleges and universities can approach sustainability from a policy perspective.

The Webcast is sponsored by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and the Society for College and University Planning. The program is designed to provide an understanding of sustainability issues in higher education and how governing boards can work together with administration and executive staff to be informed leaders about sustainability.

Participants will learn how trustees can engage effectively and appropriately on sustainability at a policy level, how sustainability can relate to institutional mission and strategic planning, can how it can become a regular part of a board's long-term agenda.

Other panelists include Tony Cortese, president of Second Nature; Leith Sharpe, visiting scientist in the Harvard School of Public Health and formerly the sustainability coordinator at Harvard University; California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, a trustee at the California State University and University of California Systems; and Kathleen McKinney, chair of the Board of Trustees at Furman University. The Webcast will be moderated by Rich Novak of the Association of Governing Boards.

The Webcast will be February 11 at noon. Two viewing locations are set at Grand Valley: Kirkhof Center, room 2236; DeVos Center, room 136E. For more  information, visit www.gvsu.edu/sustainability .