Kitchen Cabinet
February 11, 2019
Steve Kjellgren, Bri Jol, Jeri Miller, Evan Jakes, Jen Donkin, James Dontje, Mark Hansen, Chuck Niederriter, Danielle Burger
Debrief Senator Smith’s visit Saturday – Jim D
Senator Smith came to learn about the Johnson Center, sustainability on campus and meet students & faculty. There were student presentations, faculty were available & they made a good representation of the college. She has a great interest and knowledge in sustainability. Marketing put together a packet with sustainability resources on campus and list of alumni doing great things around sustainability.
EAC – Students – What are you working on?
Bri Jol – Relatively active over J-term – juggled the best they could. Got new signs made for the green discount. Also working on upcoming ground swell day (focused more on student body & faculty on campus increasing awareness and getting more involved) to promote sustainability on campus and putting together different budgets for spring – Every day is earth day, involvement fair trade & Caf takeover.
Evan Jakes – Rafael is gone for a sports competing show in Mexico during spring semester & Evan took over as President this semester. Has team of 10 students, resume meeting & will continue to get progress done spring semester
Spring class – menu and hospitality design for Nobel 55 – Climate impact – Lisa
Purpose to highlight impact positive or negative the food served and climate impact. Steve & Barb Larson Taylor will be meeting with the students to highlight things to consider when planning the menu.
Spring event in Arboretum – Chuck
Discover the Outdoors – Fly fishing club started it along with Big Partner Little Partner last spring – more publicly based rather than just for students on campus. The group has an organizational plan already & set for April 28th. Last year Chuck & students did solar smores & was popular with the kids in attendance. Once special event this year is David Montgomery and his band playing for the group.
There was suggestion not to do the May Day event with the Ground Swell and Discover Outdoors already in the works.
Also suggestion to do interviews with marketing along with the other promotion planned.
How can the KC amplify the work of the PESC? – Chuck & Jim
Planning events working with the people who work with the waste on campus. This is an opportunity to highlight our support staff and how they help with sustainability on campus.
Naming of the Nobel Café – Steve
Will be promoting this now that students are back on campus for Spring semester. Has preliminary menu sent off to the Health Department for approval to move forward. Plan is to have foods not offered elsewhere on campus – even pursuing more organic, fair trade and local. There is concern with spreading students out more on campus rather than all gathering in the dining room and the impact this may have.
The new kitchen will be helpful for Jim’s Local Foods Class and offering other food studies classes and will have a teaching kitchen. Any class can utilize the teaching kitchen.
Update on Physical Plant Director Search – Steve
Still working on this. Interviews continue.
New and upcoming business or announcements
Danielle from The Bookmark – Attended the employee enhancement sessions and suggested having the compost area & Big Hill Farm highlighted to tour for other/new employees and highlighting what employees should know about sustainability on campus.
Jim – How do we get support staff together to be a part of the ongoing learning at this institution? Suggested early & late sessions to include all shifts & get supervisors on board. Get the sustainability group with the EAC involved to help communicate and have the messaging consistent.
Campus clean up day – discussion to have a sustainability tour to help promote all going on on campus and involve members of EAC. Need to figure out a way to better get people to and from the Big Hill Farm (hay ride, golf carts, etc). Ideally would start the tour in the dining room & the dish room and then show where it goes and what happens to it.
Next Meeting – March 11, 2019