“Our University has performed remarkably well given this economic downturn.”

That was the message from University President Mary Sue Coleman during her State of the University address yesterday.

Speaking before a crowd of approximately 100 people in the Ross School of Business’s Blau Auditorium and with a live stream of the speech on the University’s website, Coleman discussed a wide range of University affairs, outlined new programs and initiatives and laid out her vision for the future of the University.

Coleman outlined two main initiatives in her speech. The first was a major push to strengthen the University’s efforts toward environmental sustainability, and the second was an investment in infrastructure to better connect Central and North Campus.

Outlining the University’s new sustainability initiative, Coleman said she will chair a board of University leaders and executives who will oversee the endeavor by setting University-wide goals and reviewing proposals for central funding.

As part of the effort, Donald Scavia, director of the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute, has been appointed to the position of special counsel to the president for sustainability. In addition to serving in this new role, Scavia will maintain his current duties with the GESI.

As special counsel to the president for sustainability, Scavia will be responsible for advising Coleman and the University’s team of executive officers on sustainability efforts, working on student-driven sustainability efforts and also planning and coordinating a plethora of sustainability programs and activities on campus.

In her speech, Coleman also announced the creation of the Office of Campus Sustainability. Terry Alexander, who currently serves as the executive director of the Department of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health at the University, will lead the new office, which was created by restructuring the OSEH department.

In his role as OCS Director, Alexander will be responsible for coordinating sustainability efforts with existing groups on campus — like Planet Blue and Climate Savers.

In an interview after her speech, Coleman said that though the sustainability initiative will help the University become more environmentally focused, she has no plans to sign the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

The agreement, which has been signed by the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, The University of Illinois and Ohio State University, as well as many other colleges, is a commitment by the signatories to reduce green house gases and develop a "comprehensive plan" to achieve climate neutrality.

“We are absolutely committed to doing something positive about climate change, but I do not believe the approach that they suggest is realistic,” Coleman said. “I’ve never agreed with it, and I don’t think our experts here have agreed with it. I just think it’s unrealistic.”

The second major initiative unveiled in Coleman’s address was the formation of a committee to explore how to improve transportation between North Campus and Central Campus.