Student Wellness Center, Multipurpose Room #2
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Attendees: 

Lenny Triem, Paul Edlund, Garrett Wright, Kara Landolfi, Megan James, Dr. Tracy Dougher, Terry Leist, Dr. Rob Maher

  1. Approval of Minutes for February 26, 2026
    1. Minutes were approved unanimously.
  2. Welcome and Announcements 
    1. Ben Miele will begin as Director of Sustainability in June. Thank you to members of CSAC and the search committee for their participation in the hiring process.
  3. Public Comment 
    1. A student proposed expanding pollinator-supportive initiatives on campus, including beehives, educational signage, and use of regional seed mixes to enhance pollinator habitats.
    2. A student noted limitations of compostable materials on campus and raised concerns about institutional affiliations with businesses associated with the Innovation Campus.
    3. Gracie Caldwell highlighted the new Student Advisory Board that connects MSU students with the City of Bozeman. She suggested incorporating more students into the structure of the Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee.
    4. Paul Lachapelle emphasized the value of student leadership, recommended expanding committee student representation, and highlighted events from the upcoming Climate Week.
  4. Office of Sustainability Update: Introduction and proposed strategy for improving Montana State University’s next STARS submission under version 3.0
    1. The OS shared upcoming April events designed to connect students with sustainability-related academic and professional opportunities, including partnerships with the Center for Faculty Excellence, Sustainable Foods and Bioenergy Systems, and the Bracken Center.
    2. OS is preparing for the next STARS submission and transitioning from version 2.2 to 3.0.
    3. CSAC members discussed the role of STARS credits as a tool to assess progress toward the Sustainability Framework and the importance of coordinating reporting roles across campus partners.
    4. OS proposed a cyclical strategy to identify and improve selected STARS credits on a semester or annual basis, with progress and barriers reported back to CSAC.
  5. Office of Sustainability Report: Current status of sustainability-related courses at Montana State University
    1. Sustainability in the Curriculum at MSU is currently identified by using three unique definitions: AASHE’s suggested definition, CSAC’s definition from Fall 2022, and the description listed in Faculty Success.
  6. CSAC Working Session: Revisit the definition of sustainability in the curriculum and explore strategies to refine or update it
    1. Discussion highlighted the importance of improving clarity, accessibility, and consistency in how sustainability-related courses are identified and communicated.
    2. Members noted opportunities to strengthen incentives, assessment tools, and integration of sustainability concepts within existing courses.
  7. Working Group Updates
    1. No formal updates were shared; members were encouraged to follow up with the Office of Sustainability as needed.
  8. Adjournment