President s Committee for Sustainability FY14 Climate Action Plan Progress and FY15 Goals May 19, 2014

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1 President s Committee for Sustainability FY14 Climate Action Plan and FY15 Goals May 19, 2014 Seattle University s Climate Action Plan has broad goals in four areas: academics, co-curricular education, operations and sharing our knowledge with others. The Plan defines strategies to achieve each goal. The President s Committee for Sustainability is charged with defining, and in many cases implementing, tactics to achieve the strategies. What follows is a progress report on what was accomplished in 2014 and goals for Legend Done/Ongoing In progress Not started or evaluated and on permanent hold Goal: Reduce emissions from buildings, campus vehicles, air travel, commuting and waste combined 12% by 2020 and 51% by 2035 as compared to 2009 Buildings Goal: Reduce 2009 building-related emissions 15% by 2020 and 28% by Reduce 2009 building energy use 18% by Strategy Improve Energy Efficiency of Buildings Retro-commission building systems and replace old equipment and fixtures with newer energy efficient ones. Strategy Develop carbon neutral design strategies for a major building project Evaluate the latest energy and water carbon neutral design strategies, practices and technologies for use in the new science building. FY14 : Connolly pool heat recovery system cuts annual CO2 emissions by 1.8 million pounds, which is equivalent to removing more than 155 cars from roadways. Estimated annual energy cost savings are $82,000. FY15 Goal: Money has been set aside to upgrade a boiler. FY14 : Project design phase has not started. FY15 Goal: Begin evaluating design strategies. 1

2 Campus Vehicles & Equipment Goal: 3% per year reduction to 2020, or a total of 30% Strategy Maintain or Increase Efficiency of Existing Vehicles and Equipment Replace gas powered vehicles and equipment with electric powered. Strategy 3.2.2: Develop university-wide vehicle and equipment policy Create a university-wide policy regarding vehicle use, efficiency and emissions, cost, maintenance; and fleet, asset, operations, and risk management. FY14 : The Department of Public Safety evaluated replacing some gas-powered vehicles with electric. FY15 Goal: In Fall 2014, replace the 2 Nighthawk Ford Escape hybrids and the Toyota Truck with 6 Nissan Leafs. FY14 : Policy has been drafted. FY15 Goal: Policy is approved. Air Travel Goal: Reduce business air travel miles 10% by 2025 and 20% by Strategy Reduce air miles traveled for business and athletics purposes Accurately track business air miles. Strategy Evaluate high-quality certified carbon offsets Partner with a high-quality certified carbon offsets provider and encourage departments to voluntarily buy offsets for employee air travel. FY14 : Collaborated with Accounts Payable to track employee air miles. Evaluated Egencia as a potential campus-wide corporate air travel provider. FY15 Goal: Refine the tracking process with Accounts Payable. FY14 : Proposed idea to Connie Kanter and Tim Leary FY15 Goal: Continue to evaluate 2

3 Commuting Goal: 35% of the daytime campus population drives alone to campus in 2020 and 29% in Strategy Support and advocate for development of new and existing public transit Engage with local, regional, and state agencies and community partners to support FY14 : The First Hill Streetcar opens in late Marcom s more public transportation options to our neighborhood. Director of External Affairs engages with community partners. FY15 Goal: Marcom s Director of External Affairs engages with community partners. Strategy Increase awareness, outreach and support of all alternative transportation modes Electric vehicle charging stations for students and employees FY14 : A consultant created a report specific to SU s needs and parking infrastructure that showed where to install electric vehicle charging stations and what it would cost. Implement a Parking & Transportation Advisory board composed of interested students, staff and faculty Create a new FTE Transportation Coordinator position in Transportation Services. Online ride matching service for SU members wanting to carpool Assess if the 6, 12-passenger vans leased by DPS from Enterprise Rental is the right mix of rental vehicles needed by the campus community. For example, how often would an 8 passenger mini-van or a 5 passenger sedan have been preferred? 3 FY15 Goal: Install a charging station. FY14 : None FY15 Goal: Implement Fall FY14 : Student temporary position was hired and trained in all areas of transportation services. FY15 Goal: A permanent Transportation Coordinator position was approved starting July 1, FY14 : A temporary Transportation Coordinator was hired and trained on the ride matching functionality and capability of An announcement of effort to enhance the usage of this site should be delivered by the end of June. FY15 Goal: Web site is up and publicized to SU community. FY14 : Nephtalin added a place on the online sign up and the New Van Rental Contract for the estimated number of passengers to be entered. FY15 Goal: This assessment is ongoing.

4 Increase the rental charge on the 6, 12-passenger vans, yet keep it lower than market price. Strategy Reduce the need for employees to commute to campus Establish University Flexible Work Schedule Policy and Procedures then provide education and information resources to staff and faculty to promote appropriate use of Flexible Work Schedule options Flexible schedule and telecommuting considered in job design and included in staff position descriptions. Strategy Increase percentage of students living on campus to 60% Implement Seattle U s 10 year capital plan. Strategy Increase use of bicycles as an alternative to vehicles Conduct a needs assessment of student, staff and faculty bike commuters Install 100 plus secured (locked enclosure accessible only to bike owners), covered bike racks Bike share program FY14 : The PCS Operations subcommittee made the recommendation to DPST that they look into increasing the van rental charge. FY15 Goal: DPST hopes to have a decision by Fall FY14 : None FY15 Goal: None FY14 : None FY15 Goal: None FY14 : Reviewed SU s overall housing strategy. FY15 Goal: It will become part of the 10 year facilities strategic plan. FY14 : A campus bike commuter forum was held. FY15 Goal: Project is complete. FY14 : Project manager assigned FY15 Goal: Install one secure, covered bike parking structure. FY14 : Discussed with Puget Sound Bike Share that SU would like to be considered as they look for locations to put their bike share stations. FY15 Goal: Evaluate subsidizing student and employee membership. 4

5 Waste Goal: Reduce carbon dioxide from waste sent to the landfill from 215 tons in FY09 to 34 tons in Strategy Increase outreach & education about recycling and composting Train residence hall student leaders how to prevent waste, recycle and compost. Strategy Prevent Waste Identify and implement new waste prevention strategies Strategy Increase Waste Diversion Rate Pilot a program to increase compost and recycling collection in offices by either replacing desk-side trash bins with a 5 inch tall mini trash can or removing desk-side trash bins and having one shared trash bin in office kitchens/common areas. FY14 : The new Residence Hall Council EcoReps were trained and given programming ideas. FY15 Goal: Train the new EcoReps each fall quarter. FY14 : CTO Chuck Porter evaluated a campus-wide print management system. FY15 Goal: Implement system. FY14 : CEJS interns evaluated the best practices of similar programs at other schools. FY15 Goal: Pilot, then implement program. Goal: Expand Sustainability in Academic Affairs Strategy 1.1 Assess and evaluate sustainability in the curriculum Identify courses with a focus on sustainability and those with related material, categorized by departments and programs, with learning outcomes on a central website as well as specific designation in the catalog and on school/departmental websites. Courses should be flagged as either focused or related, depending on the extent of their coverage of sustainability. FY14 : Spreadsheet template sent to PCS academic committee members. Met with College of Arts & Sciences for departmental inputs. FY15 Goal: Cleanup AY14 data to achieve STARS submission-level quality. 5

6 Annual assessment of undergraduate sustainability literacy that measures knowledge, attitudes, and behavior about sustainability across six dimensions of knowledge: climate change, energy, planetary assets, systems, environmental, and organizational influences. Students take the survey in their freshman and senior years. FY14 : Freshmen completed the on-line survey in August. FY15 Goal: Annual assessment becomes standard procedure for freshman welcome week activities. Strategy 1.2 Support implementation of Academic Strategic Action Plan which calls for developing knowledge of and a commitment to sustainability in both the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. Create incentives for faculty scholarship. FY14 : The CEJS s fellowship program supported 7 faculty scholarships in environmental justice and sustainability. Create faculty workshops on how to develop sustainability components and pedagogies for their courses. Integrate sustainability into the core curriculum. Create incentives for faculty to develop courses with sustainability-related or focused content. FY15 Goal: 8 faculty scholarships FY14 : CEJS funded Associate Professor Trileigh Tucker s research to create a workshop. FY15 Goal: CEJS is sponsoring a faculty workshop fall quarter by Tucker highlighting best practices for how environmental justice is taught at the college level. Explore AASHE resources to bring a faculty workshop to campus on how to integrate climate change into a course. FY14 : There were about 18 courses in the new core that integrate sustainability. FY15 Goal: maintain or increase number of undergraduate core courses. Publicize course inventory results to university faculty/community. Identify courses with climate change content. FY14 : Faculty could apply for a CEJS fellowship to develop a course; this is not explicitly stated in Request for Proposals. FY15 Goal: Explore the idea of channeling incentives to climate-change education because that is part of the ACUPCC and SU s CAP. Strategy 1.3 Increase student engagement with faculty research on sustainability Stipends or awards for faculty to involve students in their sustainability research. Promote faculty scholarship to students and opportunities for 6 FY14 : The CEJS s fellowship program supported 5 student scholarships in environmental justice and sustainability.

7 participation. FY15 Goal: 4 student scholarships Strategy 1.4 Link learning opportunities with university sustainability projects Provide opportunities for students to get hands-on experience with FY14 : CEJS interns did several data gathering projects for the sustainability-related campus operations projects. Office of Sustainability to support STARS credits and CAP strategies. FY15 Goal: Continue offering projects to CEJS interns. Goal: Expand Sustainability in Co-curricular Programs Strategy 2.2 Develop learning outcomes focused on sustainability Develop competencies, developmental experiences and assessment strategies for the sustainability learning outcomes that were created for co-curricular education. Identify outcomes and expertise needed to promote and advance sustainability within co-curricular programs. Consider these possible approaches: assessing knowledge in and interest by students and staff, expertise needed around key sustainability issues; conducting in-service workshops to educate staff on sustainability issues and invite input about how to incorporate sustainability into departments strategic plan. Strategy 2.4 Develop a comprehensive peer education program Create an EcoChallenge to raise student awareness and adopt new habits to sustain a healthy and just planet. FY14 : None FY15 Goal: Consider this priority number one for FY15. In order for this to be successful and broad reaching, the sub-committee will need to invite new members who are outside of Student Development to participate. FY14 : 61 students, staff and faculty participated all 4 weeks of the EcoChallenge. The planning committee consisted of 2 subcommittee members plus interested staff and students. FY15 Goal: Extend the EcoChallenge from 4 to 6 weeks. Expand the planning committee to include faculty and students from a wide range of disciplines. Start planning in fall quarter. Strategy 2.5 Develop guidelines for organizing and implementing sustainable events on campus Implement sustained training for student clubs and organizations to use the Green Meeting and Event Planning Guide and Checklist. And work with 7 FY14 : CES and Buzz Hofford contacted in regards to putting the Guide and Checklist as a link on their website.

8 Conference and Event Services and Bon Appetit Catering to get the Guide and Checklist to their customers. FY15 Goal: Have CES and Bon App put a link on their websites. Goal: Share Knowledge with Others Strategy 4.1: Communicate progress toward meeting Climate Action Plan goals, new sustainability initiatives and best practices. Publish and publicize a Seattle University Sustainability Report. FY14 : Released a report in April that covers progress made from 2010 to The number of people who viewed the report online was 155 and they spent an average of 6 minutes reading it; 23 people downloaded the pdf version. Write stories for the Commons and Alumni Office's blog. Promote initiatives via the SU News portal, the President s 2014 report; SU, Alumni and SU Sustainability Facebook pages; and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education s weekly ebulletin. FY15 Goal: Publish a 2015 report in April that covers the previous 12 months. FY14 : The number of sustainability-related news items in each communication vehicle: The Commons (22), SU Facebook (1), SU News portal (2), Alumni SU Voice blog (1), the President s 2014 report (2 mentions), AASHE ebulletin (3). FY15 Goal: Continue to write stories and promote initiatives. Strategy 4.2 : Increase opportunities for students, staff and faculty to engage with sustainability Offer the Northwest Earth Institute s sustainability discussion courses to FY14 : 19 participants discussed food, ethics and sustainability and faculty, staff and students during the lunch hour fall and winter quarter. how to reconnect with earth. Share stories of what faculty are teaching and researching, what staff is doing in their departments and what students are doing for the campus. Hosted The State of Sustainability at SU: A Brown Bag Discussion inviting campus to hear progress SU has made toward its Climate Action Plan goals, hear about future plans and share ideas on how SU can meet its FY15 Goal: Continue to offer courses in fall and winter. FY14 : CEJS posted a new Redhawks Going Green story each quarter on their home page. Story on the student Green Team written for the Commons. Case study on the Registrar s office greening initiatives in the Sustainability Report FY15 Goal: Continue to write stories and promote them. FY14 : 18 people attended (10 students, 2 Albers faculty, 6 staff) FY15 Goal: Host a brown bag discussion in October and April. The fall event 8

9 goals. The Office for Sustainability creates a Green Office certification program that assists offices via technical assistance and green team facilitation to implement actions that use resources efficiency, reduce waste and save money. Strategy 4.3: Increase the university s network of partners Partner with the Bullitt Foundation and Center. Be an active member of the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict, which applies sustainable development principles at the neighborhood scale in order to reduce pollution, restore ecosystems and improve the community. kicks off the year, inviting the community to weigh-in on subcommittee objectives. The spring event ends the year with a progress report. FY14 : CEJS interns researched many Green Office programs best practices and lessons learned. FY15 Goal: Create the program during the 2014 summer, pilot in fall 2014 and launch in winter FY14 : CEJS staff and interns gave tours of the Bullitt Center s high performance building strategies. Professor Thompson s students monitored the Bullitt Center s water quality. FY15 Goal: Continue to give tours and monitor water quality. FY14 : The university continues to be an active member. Sustainable Student Action discussed having the EcoDistrict give a presentation to campus with the goal to increase awareness and provide opportunities to get involved. FY15 Goal: The university continues to be an active member. 9