| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.19 |
| Liaison | Kimberly Reeves |
| Submission Date | Nov. 22, 2024 |
Agnes Scott College
PA-2: Commitments and Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
6.00 / 6.00 |
Kimberly
Reeves Executive Director Center for Sustainability |
2.1 Public sustainability commitment
Narrative detailing the institution’s guiding vision or goals for sustainability and the plan(s) in which they are published:
Agnes Scott is a charter signatory of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) having signed the climate commitment in 2007. At that time, the college committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2037. In 2015, the college was a charter signatory of Second Nature’s Resilience Commitment. Agnes Scott completed their first Climate Action Plan in 2009 with the most recent update in 2023. In 2021, the college completed the joint-Climate Resilience Plan with the City of Decatur and has had three years of successful implementation. The work of the Center for Sustainability is guided by the college’s 2037 carbon neutrality with a foundational emphasis on environmental and climate justice.
The Center for Sustainability works to provide a place for the Agnes Scott community to learn about the challenges of global climate change, including climate and environmental justice. Our mission is to seek collaborations on innovative and equitable solutions for sustainability both on and off-campus.
Narrative and/or website URL outlining the institution’s external sustainability commitments that include a reporting requirement:
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2.2 Measurable sustainability objectives
Narrative listing the institution’s measurable sustainability objectives that address teaching, learning, and research:
In alignment with the college’s 2021-2026 Strategic Plan under Strategic Pillar One: Provide every student with a Transformative Education that prepares the student for success in their professional, civic and personal lives, the second implementation initiative states, “Build on strengths to create a dynamic 21st-century curriculum.” As such, in FY23, the Center for Sustainability, Co-Directors of the Environmental & Sustainability (ESS) minor and the Center for Teaching & Learning committed to rebuilding the ESS minor curriculum by hosting the Azalea Project, a faculty curriculum development workshop focused on integrating sustainability, climate action and justice interdisciplinary themes into courses at Agnes Scott by FY26.
Has the institution adopted one or more measurable sustainability objectives that address stakeholder engagement?:
Narrative listing the institution’s measurable sustainability objectives that address stakeholder engagement:
In alignment with the joint Climate Resilience Plan between Agnes Scott College and the City of Decatur, one adopted measurable sustainability objective that addresses stakeholder engagement includes Strategy 1. Foster affordability for a growing community with the implementation of “Scale-up MLK Jr. Service Project program; scale-up labor and materials.” As such, in FY24 the Center for Sustainability committed in its internal Institutional Effectiveness Plan to “Strengthen community partnership of the MLK Jr. Service Project through intentional service-learning opportunities for students to learn sustainability, resilience, climate action, and justice concepts that positively impact their community.” The Executive Director of the Center for Sustainability committed to working with the Center for Diversity & Inclusion and the Center for Leadership, Engagement & Service to intentionally re-engage our students in the City of Decatur and the Community Center for South Decatur’s MLK Day of Service. As a result, the college engaged over 100 students, faculty, staff and alumnae in the service project and successfully received an AmeriCorps VISTA position to expand capacity for the project in FY25. The collaboration continues to be a prioritized commitment for all organizations.
Has the institution adopted one or more measurable sustainability objectives that address campus operations?:
Narrative listing the institution’s measurable sustainability objectives that address campus operations:
The 2018 CAP update set a goal of achieving 50% emissions reduction by 2022. It was estimated that this would be accomplished by successfully installing a total of 2 MW of solar on-campus. At that time, the college had installed 237.955 kW. To date, the college has 421.955 kW of solar.
Has the institution adopted one or more measurable sustainability objectives that address racial equity and social justice?:
Narrative listing the institution’s measurable sustainability objectives that address racial equity and social justice:
Agnes Scott adopted measurable sustainability objectives that address racial equity and social justice. The 2023 B.J.E.D.I. Plan update commits to hosting bi-annual training for all student leaders, including Student Government Association.
https://www.agnesscott.edu/center-for-diversity-and-inclusion/bjedi-plan/index.html
Has the institution adopted one or more measurable sustainability objectives that address administration and finance?:
Narrative listing the institution’s measurable sustainability objectives that address administration and finance:
In alignment with the college’s 2021-2026 Strategic Plan under Strategic Pillar Three: Institutionalize a Culture of Community “I am Agnes. We are Agnes.” where “all community members (faculty, staff, students and alumnae) feel a genuine connection to and pride in the college and each other, the third implementation initiative states, “Become one of The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Great College to Work For with a culture that nourishes continuous professional development, employee care and inclusive excellence.” As such, in 2020 the Cabinet committed to deploying an annual employee satisfaction survey and providing one day in August before the academic semester starts for each Vice President to review the survey results with their divisions and discuss ways to implement improvements. The recommendations are discussed and implementation progress is reviewed at Cabinet meetings.
https://express.adobe.com/
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2.3 Climate resilience assessment and planning
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s climate resilience assessment:
In April 2018, the college’s and City of Decatur’s Climate Resilience Plan Task Force completed a baseline vulnerability assessment based on the resources provided by Second Nature and were adapted from the Fourth National Climate Assessment based on risks for the Southeast Region and Urban Environments.
Does the institution participate in an ongoing campus-community task force or committee that is focused on climate resilience?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the campus-community task force or committee focused on climate resilience:
From the 2018 baseline vulnerability assessment, the college and city engaged the campus and broader Decatur community to inform the 2021 Climate Resilience Plan (CRP). The CRP Task Force continues to meet every other month and has expanded to include representatives from City Schools of Decatur, Columbia Theological Seminary, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL), faculty, staff and students, and Decatur residents. Implementation has been on-going since 2021 with the creation of four subcommittees, a steering committee, and the hiring of the part-time CRP Implementation Manager.
Has the institution incorporated climate resilience strategies and/or goals into one or more of its published plans?:
Narrative listing the institution’s climate resilience strategies and goals and the plan(s) in which they are published:
As of April 2024, the CRP Steering Committee has estimated that ~50% of the new initiatives identified in the CRP are in progress or complete. The plan draws on existing commitments and programs of both the city and the college, but also sets out new strategies with the most promise for ensuring the resilience of the community; therefore 40% of the 70+ goals identified in the CRP are existing programs/projects that will have intentional integrations of resiliency. For example, one of the new goals identified was to establish monthly briefings with DeKalb Emergency Management Agency, City of Decatur Fire, Police and Public Works, City Schools of Decatur Public Safety and Facilities, and Agnes Scott Public Safety, Sustainability, and Facilities. This monthly meeting has been established and on-going since January 2021 with the intent of sharing information and establishing collective knowledge of emergency preparedness and response all through the lens of climate resilience and justice.
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Optional documentation
Additional documentation for this credit:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.