Bard College
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

The mission of the Bard Sustainability Council is to assist the college in serving as a model of sustainability in higher education, in our curriculum, in our operations, and in planning for our future. To help achieve President Botstein’s American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) pledge to achieve climate neutrality by 2035, the Sustainability council conducts sustainabiltiy planning, advises the College on sustainability issues, and collaborates on sustainability events such as the Stabilization Wedge Workshop, Campus to Congress Leadership events, and Polar Plunges. In addition, they helped move the college along the STARS spectrum from a silver rating to a gold rating for the 2011-2014 reporting period. Additionally, the sustainability council identifies opportunities to lower energy use, reduce risk, enhance living conditions, and offer financial savings, as well as integrate sustainability issues into research, scholarship, and student life and provide student work-study positions and internships.

Laurie Husted: Co-Chair, Chief Sustainability Officer Tom O'Dowd: Co-Chair, Executive Administrator for the Environmental and Urban Studies Program Erin Cannan: Chair - Engagement, Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Director of the Center for Civic Engagement Peter Klein: Chair - Academics, Assistant Professor Sociology and Environmental & Urban Studies Dan Smith: Chair - Operations, Energy Manager Taun Toay: Chair - Planning & Administration, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff Members: Coleen Murphy Alexander: Assoc. VP for Admin & Campus Operations, Timand Bates, Assistant Dean of Students, Jim Brudvig: Chief Financial Officer Deanna Cochran: Special Projects Manager, Office of VP for Administration Katrina Light, Chartwells Food Sustainability Advocate Katie Boyle, Bard Center for Environmental Policy and Bard MBA in Sustainability Siira Rieschl, Bard Center for Civic Engagement Faculty Subcommittee chair is appointed at the recommendation of the Dean of the College, while the student representative is elected by their peers.

Bard Office of Sustainability (BOS) has replaced the Bard Environmental Resources Department (BERD). The mission of BOS is to enhance the sustainability of the College in its operations, academics, and outreach, while making Bard carbon neutral by 2035. We seek to enhance our environmental, social, and economic capital while operating within the limits of the ecosystem. Our primary work areas involve efficient transportation, flow of goods, and energy use. We foster dialogue among community members, assess new technology and industry best practices, coordinate projects, develop policy, and market programs. We believe all community members have a part in furthering sustainability.

The Sustainability Council at Bard was instrumental in the initial roll out of STARS, establishing Bard as a Green Powered School (an EPA designation) through RECs purchases, guidance and review on a 300kWh PV array, waterless urinal implementation, lighting upgrades for load reduction, localizing dining hall supply, a Bard Farm and a host of educational programming and outreach. Additionally, the BOS grants Green Fund Mini-Grants to faculty and staff who are engaging projects related to sustainability The BOS has created 4 student internship positions for research into Bard's sustainability practices and to identify areas of improvement within academics, operations, public engagement and planning and administration, in addition to one full time intern, elected by the student body, who works with the office of sustainability to improve the connection between the BOS and the student body.

• Serve as visionary leader and organizational strategist to help Bard become a national (and international) model for sustainability in higher education and for achieving the promises of the Presidents’ Climate Commitment • Create and implement communication strategies to promote broad awareness of initiatives and develop a College-wide process and organizational structure to support sustainability inquiry, change, and assessment. • Build effective partnerships and relationships with surrounding communities and key institutions, including government agencies, to advance mutual goals in sustainability • Develop or execute strategies to address the Sustainability thematic areas of Energy, Water, Materials Management, Land Use & Transportation, Agriculture & Open Space and Mitigation/Adaptation/Resiliency as applicable to Operations but also including Academics, Engagement and Planning/Administration. Emphasis will be on the Annandale Campus, including Montgomery Place. Additional work could include endeavors at affiliate institutions and other areas of the Bard Network. • The CSO collaborates with relevant departments and governing bodies to develop policies and practices that enhance the College’s commitment to sustainability