Today — possibly as you read this article — the Visions and Governance Committee for the newly formed College of the Environment is meeting for the first time to discuss the future of the college.

A year from now is the ambitious goal set for the college’s grand opening.

The college’s journey gained steam in June when the UW Board of Regents approved its creation. Provost Phyllis Wise played an important role in the initial stages, voicing support for the college at the regent meetings. During the summer, she passed the torch to Dennis Hartmann, professor of atmospheric sciences and now acting interim dean.

“It is obvious that the environment is a big problem,” said Hartmann of the origins of the college. “The UW has lots of resources. Internal faculty and external people are saying ‘Why aren’t we doing anything?’ What we need is a substantial institution to bring existing units together and develop new ways of doing things.”

The Visions and Governance Committee will discuss the logistics of creating the college and how to bring more than 400 faculty members on three campuses in seven areas of study, ranging from forest resources to oceanography, into the college.

If all the proposed units join, the college would be one of the nation’s largest, eclipsing Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environmental and Earth Sciences or University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment, according to UWNews.

“We will try to come up with a plan that addresses the concerns of the faculty and the needs of the college,” said Paul Quay, co-chair of the committee and professor of oceanography.

Concerns have been raised since the idea of the college was first floated last spring. Hartmann said alumni from the College of Forest Resources were worried about the future of the undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree. The issue of remaining autonomous amid a larger institution has been on the minds of those who would become a part of the new college.

“As a faculty, you have to think of joining the college like a student who is thinking about switching majors,” said Quay. “You look into every aspect of your new major. What courses are offered? Which faculty teach? What are the benefits and costs?”

These issues are similar to what will be discussed at today’s meeting. To alleviate these concerns, the proposed model to be discussed at today’s meeting is a hybrid one and will maintain its core units, creating a best-of-both-worlds scenario, Hartmann said.

“The environment touches all parts of the human condition,” said Hartmann. “We need an interdisciplinary approach to solve such a permeating problem. But at the same time we need to maintain the research that our faculty is currently doing.”

Rick Gustafson, a professor of forest resources and another co-chair of the Visions and Governance Committee, said that the college will present the unique opportunity for him to collaborate with faculty in atmospheric sciences to extend current research he is doing concerning biofuels derived from forest biomass.

Quay said coastal regions are one area of study in which he will likely collaborate with other faculty. It is imaginable that his line of work — carbon sequestration in oceans — will bring him in contact with atmospheric scientists as well.

“What I would really like is for students to learn about environmental issues,” said Quay.

The proposed college, if it is done right, has the potential to make the UW the center of environmental studies, Quay said. What emerges from today’s Visions and Governance Committee and what happens over the course of the quarter, will decide the makeup of the college and the excellence of UW’s environmental program.

Students interested can give input at a town meeting in Haggett Hall South Dining on Nov. 18.

Reach columnist Nikolaj Lasbo at news@dailyuw.com.