The Environmental Justice Project at the University of Colorado at Boulder was created by the University of Colorado Student Union (UCSU) to address the fact that communities of color and underprivileged populations are often unjustly burdened by environmental degradation and pollution. The project was established in response to UCSU’s desire to help define more comprehensive and effective sustainability implementation plan, plans that can address the social and ecological issues faced by all CU students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Vision, Goal and Mission:

The vision of the EJ Project is the equitable distribution of fiscal, environmental and social assets among all peoples.

The goal of the EJ Project is to improve access to fiscal, environmental, and social assets for those peoples that are currently and historically disenfranchised from these assets.

The mission of the EJ Project is to coordinate EJ-related literature and information, partnerships, education, and outreach on and off campus with all interested individuals and organizations as appropriate, to advance the project’s vision and goals.

EJ Project Structure:

The EJ Project has a steering committee, with nine voting members, which forms strategic policy that advances the project’s vision, mission, and goals. Other students, faculty, staff and community members can join the committee with non-voting status. Coordination and support for the EJ Project is provided by the UCSU Environmental Center. In this capacity, the Environmental Center seeks to develop pathways to channel material, human and fiscal benefits derived from environmental conservation efforts into social equity and social justice programming.

Steering Committee Members With Voting Status, Total of Nine (9):

• A UCSU Tri-executive or his/her designee
• The UCSU Diversity Director
• A Legislative Council Representativ
• The Environmental Center’s UCSU executive staff liason
• The Environmental Center Director
• An Environmental Center Board co-chair
• A student-at-large co-chair
• Two (2) CU students at-large as approved by the Steering Committee