President Coleman established the U-M Environmental Task Force with the following charge:
Environmental stewardship is a key responsibility of the University, the city of Ann Arbor, and, indeed, the nation. The importance of stewardship is reflected not only in its relevance to our students, faculty, staff, and alumni; but, also in response to growing environmental challenges such as global warming, urban sprawl, limited natural resources and the loss of biodiversity.
In its role as a world-class educational institution, the University of Michigan has historically led by example. With respect to environmental stewardship, the University should pursue leadership in its approach to environmental policies, practice, and education by setting a standard for other universities, for the state, and the local community.
To this effect, I am establishing a task force that will develop a plan for the University of Michigan to create a more sustainable future. It is the charge of this group to identify ten to twelve indicators that best measure the university’s progress with respect to environmental stewardship and to investigate how these indicators might best be measured and included in a periodic university report. I ask the task force to supply me with an advisory report, to be submitted early in the Winter 2004 semester, which will be shared with the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs as well as the University community.