Whereas The University of Alabama is endowed with one of the most beautiful, natural-environment campuses in the nation, and

Whereas this aesthetic quality is an intangible factor that attracts parents, students, and faculty to The University of Alabama, and

Whereas when certain aspects of the natural environment, such as the oak and other hardwood trees and natural undeveloped areas, are destroyed, that natural beauty is lost and even a partial replacement can require many years or be impossible, and

Whereas the development and construction of new buildings and infrastructure over time can result in the destruction of much or most of the natural beauty of the campus, giving an overwhelming sense of brick and mortar equivalent to urban universities and losing the distinctive heritage of natural beauty, and

Whereas The University of Alabama is in the midst of a period of heavy development and construction, such as the construction of several new residence halls, extending over the next few years, and

Whereas no individual or committee, including the Master Plan Committee, is charged with the specific mission or responsibility of preserving the beauty and integrity of the natural environment of The University of Alabama

Be it hereby resolved that a new university committee, the Natural Environment Preservation Committee, which will report to the President, be established and charged with the specific missions of preserving the beauty and integrity of the natural environment of The University of Alabama and its environs and with monitoring the environmental impact of construction and development, and

Be it also resolved that the Natural Environment Preservation Committee be composed of faculty, staff, and students (including the Landscape Architect for the University and a representative of Environmental Health and Safety as non-voting members) recommended by the Committee on University Committees and appointed by the President, with the majority of the committee being represented by faculty, and

Be it further resolved that the chair of the Natural Environment Preservation Committee have voting privileges on the Master Plan Committee.

Adopted by Faculty Senate

September 21, 2004