Caught In The Act

These employees have recently been recognized for going above and beyond expectations in Customer Service, Teamwork, Innovation, Safety, or Excellence

Doug Brown, Mike McCloskey, Paul Petersen, Houston Rowe, Josh Singleton, Shireen Ghorbani, Missy Tyrrell, Liz Blackner, Craig Davis, Danyal Edgerly, Jon Dean

The Amazing Cardboard Chair

Our University ends up with a lot of cardboard to recycle, so Brady, a part-time custodial crew member, decided to take the cardboard and upcycle it into an armchair. Using mostly notches, and only a little bit of glue, he created a sturdy and surprisingly comfortable chair. Josh James (below), recycling coordinator for the University of Utah, tests out Brady’s creation.

Read more about it on the University of Utah's Sustainability article.

Sustainability Resource Center Moving to Academic Affairs

In July, the Sustainability Resource Center, formerly the Office of Sustainability, will move from Facilities Management to Academic Affairs as part of an overall University effort to reorganize and streamline campus sustainability efforts in research, academics, administration, and operations.

From left: Stephanie Dolmat-Connell, Jen Colby, Myron Willson, Rachel Sanders, and Ayrel Clark-Proffitt

The new name better reflects the Sustainability Resource Center’s role as a hub for campus-related sustainability initiatives and engagement programs. The Center will continue efforts to foster a living, learning laboratory where academics intersect with campus operations.

In addition, the University created a new Chief Sustainability Officer who reports directly to the Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs. The position is currently filled by Associate Vice President Amy Wildermuth, though a national search will begin soon. The new position will “take the conversation of long-term implications and sustainability to the highest level of administration,” says Myron Willson, director of the Sustainability Resource Center.

The Sustainability Resource Center will continue its current initiatives, including the Edible Campus Gardens, the Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund (SCIF), and sustainability internships. The Center will also continue to work closely on sustainability issues with Facilities Management, serving on steering committees and FMRC. Stephanie Dolmat-Connell, the senior research analyst for Facilities Management, will also continue to assist the Sustainability Resource Center with data collection and analysis.

FM Monthly Numbers

92

Number of projects funded by SCIF grants since Fall 2009

5,137

Sustainability's combined followers on Wordpress, Facebook, & Twitter

1,200

Volunteer hours worked in the Edible campus Gardens in 2012

In The Spotlight

Myron Wilson

Director, Sustainability Resource Center

The Cathedral in the Desert had a major impact on Myron Willson’s life. Myron visited Lake Powell in the early 1970s as it was filling up after the completion of Glen Canyon Dam. “If they fill this up, it will ruin this place,” he remembers thinking. Now, the Cathedral in the Desert is inundated, except in severe drought.

This vivid memory instilled a love of nature and wild places in Myron, leading him to study urban planning  at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and later architecture at the University of Utah and pursue a career in designing green buildings and healthy communities.

Myron joined the U in 2009 as the director of the Sustainability Resource Center (then the Office of Sustainability). In this role, he helps design, plan, and coordinate campus sustainability initiatives and assists FM with efficiency standards and making campus buildings more sustainable.

In his spare time, Myron enjoys hiking, camping, and sculpting clay (including the photo included here!). He rides his bike to campus most days (except when it is icy).

Janus Awards

The Janus Award is a monthly custodial award for excellent performance based on the SMARTInspect System scores.

Congratulations to the Theater/Law Building Crew led by Shawn Lindsey.

Recycle Mania

It’s Recycle Mania, so it’s time for Spring Cleaning

 

The University of Utah participates in Recycle Mania, a promotion during the months of February and March to stress the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Last year, the program helped reduce 121,436 metric tons of CO2 equivalents, which is the same as the annual emissions from 25,299 cars.
How can you help? Clean out your desk next week to recycle your office pack and mixed papers to boost the U’s contribution.

Check out University of Utah's Sustainability for helpful tips and facts through out the month.