Dean Tuttle's Trinitoninan Columns

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Feb. 1, 2008

Take on me

Question

What is your favorite event here in San Antonio to go to?
Answer

I don’t eat meet and don’t drink, so unfortunately, few of the Fiesta-type activities our city is famous for appeal to me. That’s fine because I am a home-body and am not really into fun anymore anyway. The truth is, my favorite things to events happen right here on campus. I hate to miss football games. I love the Christmas Concert in Laurie. I try to never miss Trinity Idol and I attend all of the plays. Give me the Trinitones over a marijuana-infested concert any day. I am a total Trinity nerd. I’m not even making this up. Combine these events with my high-def TV, my Netflix account, and my perfect family – all in our on-campus residence – and I barely ever have to leave here. (Except to buy gas.)

Question

Dear Dean Tuttle,
Trinity is accused of having one of the highest energy costs per student in the nation.  Are we doing anything to help cut such high energy costs?  I can't believe that we are, when I walk into Northrup, Maybe, or Chapman and feel like I've entered the arctic circle, or when I see the lights on in the Northrup walkway during the daytime. We as students need to do our part, but the university should also practice electricity conservation where possible.  Why isn't Trinity doing its part?
Sincerely,
An Electrified Freshman

Answer

My Physical Plant colleagues say they don’t have complaints or work orders on any of these things. Mabee people have given up. Don’t. Director of Physical Plant, John Greene (appropriately named) is a huge proponent of sustainability and energy conservation. Even his fancy home has been built in a green-eco-friendly area and fashion. Report problems as you see them. Program 999-8413 into your cell phone to call in a work order.

There has not been a great campus culture of sustainability and concern for the environment here. Certain professors and students have tried to do their part, but there hasn’t been a mass movement. Some things are changing though. President Brazil has signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, which is a huge pledge of our own resources toward becoming sustainable. He has also appointed a Sustainability Task Force made up of a lot of really bright people from the University community… and me. Under the leadership of Dr. Richard Reed, this group has met weekly for some time and will be presenting a brief report to the President soon and will have a full report for the community by next September. The energy and commitment of the people on this Task Force is exceptional. Though it hasn’t reached the tipping point, the stewardship of the planet is catching on at Trinity.

As far as the poor grade we received. There are lots of questions about the viability of that report. If the University only had some way to teach our students about information literacy, we could help them determine credible information from that which is less reliable…

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