SARAH SCHULTE/THE ITHACAN PRESIDENT PEGGY R. WILLIAMS announced the college’s adoption of a comprehensive environmental plan Monday as part of its Earth Week celebration.

As part of the Ithaca College Environmental Society’s Earth Week celebration this week, President Peggy R. Williams announced the College’s adoption of a comprehensive environmental plan, Monday.

The purpose of the environmental plan is to outline goals that show the college’s commitment to environmental responsibility. It is composed of six goals the college community will work toward fulfilling.

The goals include almost all aspects of the college’s daily life, from responsible purchasing to using energy and resources responsibly.

Williams applauded the new plan. She encouraged every member of the college community to do their part in making sure the plan’s goals are carried out effectively.

“We will always have a challenge in educating people,” Williams said. “Every year, we have to educate new students, faculty and staff on issues that may seem second nature to us.”

Senior Sean Vormwald, co-president of ICES, said he is excited that the plan has finally been approved. He said Williams’ announcement is a great way to end the Earth Week celebration.

An environmental study group drafted the original eight goal policy in February 2000, which, if approved, would have forced the college to adhere to each goal. The first draft was submitted to administrators for approval in March 2000.

ICES and the Resource and Environmental Management Program worked with Thomas Salm, vice president of business affairs, to revise the policy into an approved plan.

As a plan instead of a policy, the six goals serve as reccomendations instead of absolutes, Vormwald said. The revised approved plan, with six goals, went through several changes before being approved.

The first two goals are the same in both documents, and goals three and four were combined to create a single one.

The fifth goal in the submitted policy was revised and became the sixth goal of the new plan.

Goals six, seven and eight of the original draft were removed. Two different goals to minimize solid and hazardous waste were added to the new plan as goals four and five, respectively.

Although the policy has been revised, the concepts behind the wording have remained the same, Vormwald said. He added that the language was changed to give the college room to make environmentally aware decisions.

“It’s not as absolute as the first draft,” Vormwald said. “Now the effectiveness of the proposal will be determined by future actions. It is still up to each of us in the community to make sure this plan is implemented.”

Senior Chad Brotherton said the new plan doesn’t force the college community to make any kind of commitment.

Over time, the administration should work to change students’ attitudes toward the environment, Brotherton said.

“The student attitudes are a reflection of administration and faculty attitudes,” he said.