California State University, Fullerton
PAE-4: Sustainability Plan

In March 2008, President Milton Gordon formed the Sustainability Initiative Study Group (SISG) to develop recommendations as to how CSUF should approach the sustainability issue through the establishment of environmentally sustainable operational practices throughout the campus, and the development of the University as a leader in the community on issues pertaining to global warming. The tasks of the SISG were to develop and recommend sustainability related goals and objectives; propose a structure by which to manage sustainability issues; and, propose the parameters by which we will measure success in achieving our identified sustainability goals and objectives. The SISG members represented a cross-section of the campus community, including: Willem van der Pol (Chair), Physical Plant Paulette Blumberg, Administration & Finance Kurt Borsting, Titan Student Union Robert Brobst III, Student Housing John Carroll, Academic Senate Joe Ferrer, Parking & Transportation Scott Hewitt, Academic Senate Tony Lynch, Campus Food Services Chris Manriquez, Information Technology Anthony Martinez, Student Steve Murray, Academic Affairs Mike Smith, Design & Construction Gina van Deth, Student Tom Whitfield, Environmental Health & Instructional Safety Sally Yassine, Contracts & Procurement

The SISG plan includes the following measurable goals: -Sign the Presidents Climate Commitment; -Recognize the importance of educating all members of society on sustainability; -Develop and adopt a CSUF Sustainability Policy; -Integrate sustainability into the University’s Mission & Goals planning process; -Develop a curriculum educating the students on the challenges of a sustainable future; -Promote research that includes sustainability as a core subject; -Create opportunities for students to be successful in emerging fields of sustainability expertise; -Continuously educate faculty and staff to create a learning environment with sustainability as a core principle; -Collaborate with other universities and academic institutions to advance knowledge and implement best practices; -Reach out to our local community to help our region become more sustainable; -Sign the Talloires Declaration; -Establish a CSUF Sustainability Office; -Establish a CSUF Sustainability Committee; -Support initiatives to help our University become more sustainable; -Create a campus culture that supports sustainability; -Create a campus culture of accountability; -Install a (temporary) Sustainability Action Task Force until a sustainability office and permanent committee are established.

Progress towards meeting the SISG plan’s goals is measured in several ways, as appropriate for the given goal. Several goals contained in the SISG Plan are action specific. Tools such as AASHE STARS are used to measure baselines and monitor progress. CSUF is forming partnerships that encourage accountability and utilizing resources that offer recognizable and measurable progress (eg. USGBC/LEED certification). CSUF is calculating baselines and performing ongoing inventories for comparison to monitor progress towards its goals. Three of the goals have been 100% implemented to date including: Signing the Presidents Climate Commitment, Signing the Talloires Declaration, and Installing a (temporary) Sustainability Action Task Force until a sustainability office and permanent committee are established. In addition, Sustainability is the theme of the 2012-2013 University’s Mission & Goals Initiatives, integrating sustainability into the University’s Mission & Goals planning process.