California State University, Stanislaus
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

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.

"On March 23, 2022, the CSU Board of Trustees approved revisions to the university’s Sustainability Policy, which seeks to reduce its carbon emissions through on-site renewable energy generation, water and waste management, sustainable energy procurement and more. The revisions modernize the language in the policy, formalize the use of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS) benchmarking tool and introduce components related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Finally, the carbon emissions goals were updated to align with state law, namely those with 2020 deadlines. These include reducing carbon emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and by 80 percent below by 2040, as well as achieving carbon neutrality by 2045."
Source: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/what-you-can-do-to-combat-climate-change.aspx

Sustainability is a global issue that encompasses virtually every aspect of our lives, so it is a challenge to provide a single, universally recognized definition. The most frequently quoted definition is from Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report: "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

At Stanislaus State, we view sustainability as a shared opportunity for improving the quality of life for all — environmentally, socially, and economically — now and for future generations.

Sustainable Development Goals
"The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests" (UN.org).

From the Stanislaus State Strategic Plan: “Together, our community overcomes continual challenges to provide educational access to a geographically large six-county region of students who are often underserved and at-risk in numerous ways.”

“Since its creation, Stanislaus State has contributed significantly to the betterment of the region, state, nation and world in ways that are unique to, and integrated in, our mission, vision, and values. Our contributions to the public good are observed through 4 the following themes: high quality educational programs; commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice; focus on service learning and community engagement; preparation of students to contribute to the economic growth and vitality of the Central Valley; regional partnerships and community organizations; and the research, scholarship and creative activity created by students, faculty, staff, and administrators at Stan State.”

Sustainability is included as a major theme in the California State University Stanislaus (Stanislaus State, Stan State) strategic plan, as indicated in the following major institutional goals, in particular, and through multiple sustainability-focused objectives, with a focus on diversity and inclusion as a key pillar.

Goal 1: Be a student-ready university.
• Objective A: Plan, implement, refine and institutionalize five or more specialized high quality programs and services that collectively offer wide accessibility and provide support to all of our students, though some may focus on a specific set of needs (e.g., freshman, transfer, graduate students, first-generation, underserved and underrepresented minorities, Pell-eligible).
• Objective B: Enhance or establish five or more institutional structures and/or activities that support building intra-personal connections and resources by fostering important aspects of the educational experience outside of formal teaching settings, such as development of authentic relationships, a culture of care, sense of belongingness for students, faculty, staff, and the community.

Goal 2: Provide transformational learning experiences driven by faculty success.
• Objective E: Champion diversity and inclusion in all that we do as a campus community.

Goal 3: Boldly pursue innovation and creativity.
• Objective B: Develop four new academic pathways and programs (e.g., undergraduate as well as graduate, interdisciplinary) that are responsive to community needs and that prepare students for a dynamic workplace with emergent new professions. In particular, Strategy 4. Develop new academic programs that prepare students for careers related to sustainability/environment which also address important issues unique to the Central Valley and Foothills of our service region (e.g, water resources/policy).

Goal 4: Hone administrative efficacy through thoughtful stewardship of resources.
• Objective A: Improve ten or more administrative practices and processes.
• Objective D: Enhance the aesthetics, accessibility, and functionality of our campus facilities. In particular, Strategy 5. Increase the university’s commitment to building a “green” campus through enhanced sustainability efforts. Take steps annually to reduce waste and energy consumption.

Goal 5: Forge and strengthen bonds with our communities rooted in a shared future.
• Objective A: Fulfill our commitment to meet the higher education needs of the Stockton community through increased investment in the Stockton Center. In particular, Strategy 4. Identify the most appropriate multi-layered approach of High-Impact Practices (HIPs) for traditional, nontraditional, and adult learner students.

Additional detail regarding sustainability-focused strategies for each objective is available in the university strategic plan.