Students can expect to see a larger emphasis being placed on going green and sustainability during this school year.

Entitled “Sustainability: Environmental, Economical, Physical, and Spiritual,” Tuesday’s opening convocation ceremony brought up discussions of what Baker University administration hopes to do with plans for the future.

“The sustainability committee has done a great job with creating a plan to increase recycling, reusing and regenerating,” University President Pat Long said.

The provost has been working closely with faculty and students to create a convocation theme that will begin now and eventually work to improve the future.

A student welcome was done by senior Patti Greenbaum, who discussed the efforts done by the student group Earth We Are to gradually transition to a completely trayless cafeteria.

Also, students living in the apartments have taken the initiative to set up a recycling system. In addition, the 2009-2010 planners have fewer pages because of the decision to make the student handbook available online.

Greenbaum reiiteratedthe fact that even the smallest changes can make a great impact.

There were four keynote speakers who presented different aspects of what going green will entail, and what plans are being made to further improve Baker’s current recycling program.

Baker also will start making an effort to try and reduce the amount of carbon it releases into the atmosphere.

“It was pretty interesting actually, with all the different speakers and the idea of becoming an entirely green campus,” sophomore Rebecca Nolte said. “I think everyone should recycle and become green.”

Tony Brown, adjunct instructor of liberal arts, talked about Kansas’s Alternative Energy Initiative.

This will be used for targeting different ways to use energy. Brown is also the State Representative of the 10th District of Kansas House of Representatives.

With Baker’s new green ideas and plans in place for the current academic school year, senior Saunder James views the message as a step in the right direction.

“I think it was a very good program,” James said. “The messages they are trying to convey are important. It is critical to think of us and the Earth as more of partners.”

During convocation it also was announced that Lee Mann, professor of art and chair of art department, and Bruce Woodruff, professor of theater and program director, will be retiring.