California State University, Fresno
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

CSU Sustainability Policy (2022) states that "The CSU will seek to further integrate sustainability and climate literacy into the academic curriculum working within the normal campus consultative process. Activities can include but will not be limited to supporting multi-disciplinary course development, utilizing the campus as a living laboratory model, connecting sustainability with social justice, strengthening community partnerships, and creating appropriate learning outcomes. Progress shall be measured through the use of the AASHE STARS platform."

To achieve this, we created these measurable objectives which relies on increasing the amount of sustainability content in curriculum: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ujm11HYCWxsXhg2A97ttXF6WH8BzKOTTbJBfdUVyUZs/edit#slide=id.ga898ea87c4_0_211

The CSU Sustainability policy includes several sustainability objectives that address student, employee, and community engagement for sustainability. Examples of such objectives include:

The CSU will develop employee and student workforce skills in the green jobs industry, promote the development of sustainable products and services, and foster economic development.

Each CSU is encouraged to designate a sustainability officer responsible for carrying out and/or coordinating campus sustainability program efforts.

The CSU will cooperate with federal, state, and local governments and other appropriate organizations in accomplishing energy conservation and utilities management objectives throughout the state; and inform students, faculty, staff and the general public of the need for and methods of energy conservation and utilities management.

Each CSU campus will designate an energy/utilities manager with the responsibility and the authority for carrying out energy conservation and utilities management programs. The Chancellor's Office will have the responsibility to coordinate the individual campus programs into a systemwide program.

Campuses and food service organizations shall collaborate to provide information and/or training on sustainable food service operations to staff and patrons

Additionally, the Policy Statement on Energy Conservation, Sustainable Building Practices, and Physical Plant Management for the CSU (Executive Order 987) states that the “CSU shall incorporate appropriate training programs for CSU facilities personnel with the aim of promoting and maintaining the goals” outlined for energy conservation and sustainable building practices.

The policy also states that “the CSU will encourage continued energy conservation and lowest utilities operating costs on its campuses by instituting incentive plans designed to recognize and reward meritorious achievements by campus staff, faculty, and students beyond normal expectation.”

The CSU includes measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in operations in several published policies, including the CSU Sustainability Policy and the Policy Statement on Energy Conservation, Sustainable Building Practices, and Physical Plant Management for the CSU (Executive Order 987). Examples of operational sustainability objectives included in these policies are:

The CSU will strive to reduce systemwide facility greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels, or below, by 2020 consistent with AB 32, California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (HSC §38550)

The CSU will strive to reduce facility GHG emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2040. Campus tracking and reporting of their GHG inventory will be grounded in the American College and University President's Climate Commitment guidelines or equivalent, with consideration to campus requested improvements. Metrics will include GHG emissions per FTE.

The CSU will endeavor to exceed the State of California and California Public Utilities Commission Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) sooner than the established goal of procuring 33 percent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2020.

All CSU campuses will pursue water resource conservation to reduce water consumption by 10 percent by 2016, and 20 percent by 2020 including such steps to develop sustainable landscaping, install controls to optimize irrigation water use, reduce water usage in restrooms and showers, and promote the use of reclaimed/recycled water.

Campuses shall seek to reduce the solid waste disposal rate by 50 percent (PRC § 42921) by 2016, by 80 percent by 2020, and move to zero waste.

Campuses shall strive to increase their sustainable food purchases to 20 percent of total food budget by 2020.

Wellbeing - Policy on Student Mental Health (EO 1053)
Campuses shall provide psycho-educational workshops, programs and services that address critical student issues as well as prevention and wellness programs. Programs must be responsive to the diversity of the CSU student population and enhance the ability of students to develop healthy and effective styles of living and learning.

CSU Sustainability Policy, revised and adopted by the CSU Board of Trustees in 2022, is intended to "position the nation's largest university system as a leader in the teaching and use of applied research to educate climate literate students equipped to solve the complex challenges of the world and prepare them for an evolving workforce. In addition, the policy encompasses the tenets of human and ecological health, social justice, economic vitality, and promotes the environmental sustainability of CSU's operations for our built environment."

Because the CSU system requires campuses to report sustainability progress through AASHE STARS, we use the definition provided by AASHE. AASHE defines sustainability in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods and a better world for all generations.

CSU Sustainability Policy (2022): https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/11699668/latest/#autoid-ekqpj