Most people tend to equate sustainability to environmentalism. The new Sustainability Master Plan promotes the definition and concept of sustainability as being multi-faceted to include sustainability as it relates to economic vitality, ecological integrity and social welfare. Social equity as an element of sustainable development involves providing equal opportunities to individuals in a safe environment.
Providing an Inclusive Environment for Students on Campus
Kevin Helgren, UT student body president, and Binna Kim, UT student body vice president, are committed to promote social equity through the creation of a Campus Climate Advisory Board (CCAB). This group is composed of 20 students including student leaders from the Multicultural Engagement Center Leadership Council, Black Presidents Leadership Council, League of United Latin American Citizens, Texans for Israel, Palestinian Solidarity Committee, Indian Students Association, Muslim Students Association, Queer Student Alliance, University Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, Texas Asian Panhellenic Council, and Texas Roundtable. The remaining eight spots will be filled by students selected by Kevin and Binna.
The goal of the CCAB is to empower students from different communities on campus to engage in conversations with the student body president, student body vice president, and university administrators to ensure that diverse perspectives inform campus-wide decisions.
Opening the Door for Ongoing Discussions
Throughout the year, the board will advise student body officers on any pressing issues that arise. Helgren and Kim’s wish is for the board to give students the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogues. "The CCAB seeks to effectively bridge the gap between communities across campus that seldom interact with one another,” Helgren says. Meetings provide members with an opportunity to inform each other of community-specific initiatives or events, ask each other for help, and brainstorm new ways to work together in creating as inclusive of a campus as possible,” he continues. The CCAB aims to contribute toward the university's commitment to diversity and inclusion by lifting our differences up."
This article was authored by the Office of Sustainability newsletter editor, Shannon Geison.
