Colorado Mountain College
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting on a wide set of STARS criteria. SUS 4500 is a senior-level class that allows students to learn more about the sustainability processes of the school across all of the campuses and gather data required by STARS, but also to get an understanding of how an organization or school is run in regards to sustainability and how to interact with internal stakeholders. The course also allows students to make a deeper connection with CMC as an organization pursuing sustainability as well as to interact with departments to gather data and encourage the advancement of sustainability within our network of campuses. At the end of the semester, students compile their work from the semester into a written report and prepare a presentation to give during a stakeholder engagement meeting, which all CMC employees and College leadership are invited to attend. 

These particular sections of STARS reporting (Campus Engagement: EN 1-9) were handled by students in the fall 2022 semester. This class, SUS 4500, will be used for many of these categories, so for the sake of being concise, the description of the class will be omitted in the following categories. Students compiled a substantive report of EN-1-9 data and presented it to CMC stakeholders, faculty, and students. 

EN-1-Student Educators Program: 

• Students were in contact with the Vice President of Student Affairs who was emailed and asked whether any campuses foster a student educators program and if students are provided with opportunities to learn about sustainability on campus and institution-wide during orientation. He responded that CMC does not foster a student educators program. None of the students enrolled in this College are provided with this opportunity. Thus, no points will be awarded for this section.


• Progress since initial assessment: in spring 2024, one student in the Capstone Research course in Sustainability Studies is completing an action research study/project to propose a pilot implementation of an Eco-reps program at the Steamboat Springs campus. Students compiled a list of contacts and recommendations for students, researchers, stakeholders, and faculty to utilize to make progress on this criterion.

EN-2-Student Orientation:

• Students did considerable work in campus engagement with this credit. Stakeholder engagement: Students engaged the deans at CMC for this credit, as well as some campus administrators and coordinators. Students started by contacting the deans, but if they were not able to provide information on the campus orientations, they referred students to their administrative assistants or assistant deans. Students compiled a list of contacts and recommendations for further researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders to utilize for improvement on this criteria. Since completion of the class, STARS Researcher student employees were able to use this information to gather more granular data for this criterion. 

EN-3-Student Life:

• Students identified a list of potential contacts for each of the criteria. Students found several strategies to be effective. They browsed the CMC website and were able to find vital information. Faculty suggested that students do an interview and were able to guide students' work for all of EN 3 and provide leads and other potential contacts for certain criteria. Students found that out of the 11 categories within EN3, there is sufficient evidence to show that CMC is actively meeting the requirements of 6 of them. The categories CMC is not currently meeting the requirements for are the following: 


• Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future jobs and other decisions 


• Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills (e.g., a series of sustainable living workshops, a model room in a residence hall that is open to students during regular visitation hours and demonstrates sustainable living principles, or sustainability-themed housing where residents and visitors learn about sustainability together)


• Sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences (e.g., choosing a sustainability-focused book for common reading)


• Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds, or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally, and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills. Students compiled a list of contacts and recommendations for further researchers to utilize for this criteria. 

EN-4-Outreach Materials and Publications:

• Students identified contacts to reach out to for this criteria and reached out via email. For the following data points, there doesn’t appear to be supportive evidence at this time:


• A newsletter or social media platform (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, or interactive blog) that focuses specifically on campus sustainability


• A sustainability walking map or tour


• A guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience
  
  
  
  • Students compiled a list of contacts and recommendations for researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders to utilize for this criteria. Since this initial assessment, Sustainability Studies students in the Capstone Research course in spring 2024 have been working on a guide for green living for residence hall students and an interactive walking tour (bilingual -- English/Spanish -- interpretive signs and an accompanying audio tour) for the Bear Park Permaculture Center at the Steamboat Springs campus. 
  
  
  
  

EN-5-Outreach Campaign:

• Students documented that CMC qualifies for designation as a Hispanic-serving institution. Students reached out to various stakeholders at CMC and created a contact list for further research. Since this initial groundwork was laid, student STARS Researchers at CMC designed and implemented an outreach campaign that is now documented within the EN-5 criterion of this report. 

EN-6-Assessing Sustainable Culture:

• Students generated a survey for this category. They created specific survey questions to gather information on EN-6 which was intended to measure the sustainability culture on campuses. The questions were intended to gather information on the values, behaviors, and beliefs on sustainability across campuses. The questions students developed were then sent to CMC's Research Analyst II. The research analyst used his expertise to format a survey intended to reach as many participants as possible and produce interpretable data that could then be used to measure the sustainability culture of Colorado Mountain College. The survey was administered to the entire student body, faculty, and staff at CMC. Students compiled a list of contacts and recommendations for researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders to utilize for this criterion.

EN-7-Employee Educators Program:

• Students discovered that CMC does not qualify for points in this category. However, a contact list was created by the students for future stakeholder outreach. 

EN-8-Employee Orientation:

• Students learned that CMC did not offer sustainability-oriented employee orientation. However, students created a contact list for future stakeholder outreach. Since this initial assessment, a student STARS Researcher developed an orientation video that is now required for all new CMC employees.

EN-9-Staff Development and Training:

• Students encountered some difficulties identifying qualifying efforts. They created a contact list for future stakeholder outreach. Since that time, student STARS researchers identified existing efforts and proposed new ones. These efforts are documented within the EN-9 category of this report.

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this major category. These particular sections of STARS reporting were handled by students, faculty, and STARS researchers in both the fall 2021 (EN-10: Community Partnerships) and fall 2022 (EN-12: Continuing Education) semesters. Students compiled a substantive report of EN-10 and 12 data and presented it to CMC stakeholders, faculty, and students.

EN-10:

• Students started by contacting relevant CMC stakeholders. The stakeholders provided students with a list of community partnerships that could meet the STARS criteria. Once data was collected, it was up to the students to vet the list of partners against the criteria, do additional research about the organization, and reach out directly to the organization’s stakeholders for more information. The students' long-term goal is to create a valuable resource for each campus that lists all of CMC’s community partnerships, and students hope that future teams will continue to build this resource. Since not all of the partnerships meet the STARS criteria, so they must be organized in a way that includes all the ways CMC interacts with the community in addition to the STARS sustainability-specific partnerships. Students compiled a set of contacts and future recommendations for stakeholders, students, researchers, and faculty. 

EN-12: 

• Students and researchers decided that there wasn't enough data to determine whether continuing education courses were sustainability-focused. However, students did do substantive work on this criteria. Students reached out to the continuing education administrators at CMC and requested a document of all courses that were offered in the fall 2022 semester. They put these courses into a spreadsheet and worked on determining their relevance to sustainability. They matched many courses with the United Nations SDGs but found out that there wasn't enough evidence to relate specifically to sustainability. Students compiled a set of contacts and future recommendations for stakeholders, students, researchers, and faculty.

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this category. These particular sections of STARS reporting (OP-1: Emissions Inventory & OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions) were handled by students, STARS researchers, and faculty in the fall 2021, fall 2022, and fall 2023 semesters and featured greenhouse gas inventories conducted by students. Students compiled a substantive report of OP-1 and OP-2 data and presented it to CMC stakeholders, faculty, and students.

OP-1 and OP-2:

Students combined OP-1 and OP-2 in their research, as many questions coincided with one another. Students reached out to CMC stakeholders and gathered emissions data for their inventory. With scope 1, 2, and 3 data in hand, they created a spreadsheet that organized all the data retrieved. They compiled a full list of sources, visuals, contacts, and other relevant information for future researchers, students, and faculty in a highly organized and well-thought-out spreadsheet. Students were able to collect data for scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions with the major focus being on scope 1 and 2 emissions. While students did not quantify the adjusted net emissions that were required by OP-2, students found out that, by 2021, CMC had reduced emissions by 47% over 6 years from the 2014 baseline year. In addition, students discovered that electricity contributed most to CMC emissions. Additionally, they were able to retrieve miscellaneous data that may be helpful further on in the data collection process. They were able to compile data for OP-1 from various stakeholders and organize it in a well-thought-out spreadsheet which they used as a basis for their public presentation to CMC students, faculty, administrators, and staff. Students compiled a set of contacts and future recommendations for stakeholders, students, researchers, and faculty.

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this category. These particular sections of STARS reporting were handled by students, faculty, and STARS researchers in the fall 2021, fall 2022, and fall 2023 semesters (OP-3-Building Design and Construction and OP-4-Building Operations and Maintenance). Students compiled a substantive report of OP-3 and OP-4 data and presented it to CMC stakeholders, faculty, and students. 

OP-3 and 4:

• Students first reached out to the director of facilities at CMC with a list of OP-3 and 4 questions. They received responses for some of the data, but because none of the quantifiable space information included the necessary GBC certifications, students were unable to input the data sets retrieved into the STARS report. Students also began to develop a pitch deck to persuade the CMC board of trustees that applying for certification should be strongly considered if the CMC community wishes to apply the values inherent in its Sustainability Program. The students' research also included recommendations regarding the benefits of LEED certification as well as the long-term benefits of Green Building Construction. Even though the students could not input data, they retrieved a lot of helpful information for building construction and maintenance that can be used for further research and recommendations. Students compiled a set of contacts and future recommendations for stakeholders, students, researchers, and faculty.

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this category. These particular sections of STARS reporting (OP-5 Building Energy Efficiency & OP-6 Clean and Renewable Energy) were handled by students, STARS researchers, and faculty in the fall 2022 and fall 2023 semesters. Students compiled a substantive report for OP-5 and 6 and presented it to faculty, stakeholders, and students.

OP-5:

• Students began by reaching out to the Director of Facilities and asking him for data that included Facility Design Standards, a Sustainable Energy Procedure statement, and the square footage of each of CMC’s campuses. The square footage data allowed CMC to track high versus low energy usage areas at CMC to report for STARS. The facility design standards include energy goals that CMC aims for and design strategies to meet the goals. The sustainable energy procedure goes over how CMC aims to transition energy sources throughout its campuses to renewable sources. Students also gathered data from the Clean Energy Program Associate, which included the past 3 years of energy consumption by CMC along with the degree days. Students compiled a set of contacts and future recommendations for stakeholders, students, researchers, and faculty. OP-6: Students began by reaching out to various stakeholders at CMC. Students gathered data by reviewing the CMC electrical bills provided by the Facilities fiscal manager. Unfortunately, there was only information for the Leadville and Rifle solar arrays, and neither site had a full 12 months of generation data so students used the monthly average solar energy generated for each array to fill in the gaps.


• The Spring Valley solar array came online and began generating renewable energy in 2023. This array helps CMC offset additional grid-based electricity consumption, and its operations (documented by student STARS Researchers) are now included within this report. Data was also gathered by looking into GarfieldEnergyNavigator.org, and EnergyNavigator.com which are online monitoring systems that chart electrical usage through information submitted to them. This information provides cost trends, but it did not contain consumption data. Students compiled a set of contacts and future recommendations for stakeholders, students, researchers, and faculty.

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this category. These particular sections of STARS reporting (OP 7 & OP 8) were handled by students, STARS researchers, and faculty in the fall 2022 and fall 2023 semesters. Students compiled a substantive report for OP-7 and 8 and presented it to faculty, stakeholders, and students.

OP-7:

• Students began their research by contacting the Sodexo representatives at each residential campus (Leadville, Steamboat, Spring Valley). CMC offers dining at each of these three campuses. Although students didn't gather much data, they did retrieve some. Students discovered that 45 - 50% of dining options fit the requirements for vegetarian options and 3% of food is certified as sustainable or ethically sourced. They also identified many barriers to gathering data that are of the utmost value to future researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders.

OP-8:

• Students began by reaching out to Sodexo managers at each residential campus (Leadville, Steamboat, and Spring Valley). They gathered data that showed trayless dining at all 3 residential campuses, vegan and vegetarian options at all 3 residential campuses, reusable silverware for dining in all 3 residential campuses, green containers for students to take a meal “to-go” instead of dining in at all 3 residential campuses, signage promoting sustainable food choices at 2 residential campuses, and diversion of food scraps from landfill at 2 residential campuses. In addition, students identified a multitude of barriers that are important for making progress on this criterion by future researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders. CMC Steamboat Food Recovery: In addition to student research, CMC Steamboat has an option for students to participate in the Food Recovery Network, which aims at reducing food waste at the Steamboat residential campus. This engages students with the CMC dining hall as well as Lift-Up, which is a local food bank based in Steamboat Springs. Students take frozen food from leftover cafeteria meals, weigh it, record it, and deliver it to Lift-Up.

Through an upper-division Ecology class, in the fall 2022 semester, students conducted an ecological experiment within the grounds of the CMC Spring Valley campus that analyzed owl pellets for microplastics. Students then wrote a report about the experiment and delivered a public presentation. In addition, a student STARS Researcher has been conducting research on OP-9 for the past two years. This consists of stakeholder outreach to each campus to gather data for landscape management. 

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this category. This particular section of STARS reporting was handled by students, STARS researchers, and faculty in the fall 2022 semester (OP 15-Campus Fleet, OP-16-Commute Modal Split, and OP-17-Support for Sustainable Transportation) Students compiled a substantive report for OP-15-17 and presented it to faculty, stakeholders, and students.

OP-15:

• Students began by reaching out to the facilities fiscal manager, with a question regarding a breakdown of the type of vehicles in CMC’s fleet along with the students' data gathering sheet for OP15 to guide data gathering. Students discovered that 58 out of 86 vehicles are gasoline only. Students compiled a set of contacts and future recommendations for stakeholders, students, researchers, and faculty.

OP-16:

• Students began by reaching out to the director of facilities at CMC to gather data. Students gathered demographic data and gathered data from the sustainability survey (which also included the sustainability literacy assessment), which included transportation questions to better understand what type of transportation students, faculty, and staff used. Students compiled a set of contacts and future recommendations for stakeholders, students, researchers, and faculty. 

OP-17:

• Students began by reaching out to stakeholders and ended up having a Zoom interview with the Director of Facilities. This interview consisted of all the questions they needed to complete OP-17. From this interview, the students were able to gather some relevant data. Students compiled a set of future recommendations for stakeholders, students, researchers, and faculty.

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this category. This particular section of STARS reporting was handled by students, STARS researchers, and faculty in the fall 2021 semester (OP 18) and the fall 2022 and fall 2023 semesters (OP 20). Students compiled a substantive report for OP-18 and OP-20 and presented it to faculty, stakeholders, and students.

OP-18:

• Students began by reaching out to stakeholders including facilities managers at each campus. They also reached out to the director of facilities. From talking to stakeholders at each campus, students could gather some data from each campus such as the total waste generated at the Breckenridge campus. However, some campuses were not tracking waste. Even though students couldn't retrieve that much data, they developed valuable processes and recommendations for establishing future waste tracking. 

OP-20:

• Students began by reaching out to the director of facilities to gather this data. Students discovered CMC contractors that perform periodic pickups vary by location. The students met with a city waste diversion specialist with whom they worked to develop valuable, EPA-recommended estimation processes that future researchers, faculty, students, and stakeholders can implement to begin to document diversion rates.

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this category. This particular section of STARS reporting (OP 21 & OP 22) was handled by students, STARS researchers, and faculty in fall 2021. Students compiled a substantive report for OP-21 and 22 and presented it to faculty, stakeholders, and students.

OP-21:

• First, students established the baseline year for collecting data. They discovered this by reaching out to fiscal managers at each campus. They compared data from the baseline year with water bills from the performance year 2021. With this data, they were able to compile a large spreadsheet of data that could be used for future students, researchers, and faculty to consider as one basis for decision-making. In addition, students created recommendations for future researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders.

OP-22:

• Students contacted the director of facilities at CMC and discovered that CMC does not collect data on this criterion.

Student STARS Researchers (employed by CMC) communicated with stakeholders and gathered and analyzed data for the STARS report. In addition, student government associations are heavily involved with student life at all 3 residential campuses (Steamboat, Leadville, and Spring Valley). The student government organizations aim to promote a fun and welcoming community for all students, while also enacting movements and improvements around campus.

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this category. This particular section of STARS reporting (PA 05-08) was handled by students, faculty, and STARS researchers in the fall 2021 semester. Students compiled a substantive report for PA-5 through 8 and presented it to faculty, stakeholders, and students.

PA-5:

• Students began with stakeholder outreach. They discovered that there is an officer who coordinates diversity, equity, inclusion, and human rights work on campus. Furthermore, there is an additional dedicated staff member who assists in coordinating these efforts as well. There is also a new division named the Division of Strategic Initiatives that has been created that will focus heavily on DEI initiatives for the College.

PA-6:

• Students began with stakeholder outreach. Students found there is a report that assesses diversity and equity on campus (Gildersleeve Report 2020), as well as additional equity consultant work planned for the future. Students created recommendations for future researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders.

PA-7:

• Students began with stakeholder outreach and discovered that there are many programs in place such as K-12 recruitment programs, dual enrollment with high schools, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) status, FUND SUEÑOS (Dream Fund), and TRIO (SSS - Student Support Services) programs. Students created recommendations for future researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders.

PA-8:

• Students began with stakeholder outreach and discovered programs available in this subcategory, such as COSI - Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative, the No Barriers Fund, and the 23+ Discount Program. Students created recommendations for future researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders.

Through the Sustainability Assessment and Reporting class (SUS 4500), students engaged in gathering data for STARS reporting in this category. This particular section of STARS reporting (PA 09-11) was handled by students in the fall 2021 semester. CMC also offers finance workshops that students can take to help them navigate the world of student finance and personal finance, partnering with local organizations, such as the Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center. Students compiled a substantive report for PA-9 through 11 and presented it to faculty, stakeholders, and students.

PA-9: 

• Students began with stakeholder outreach. Students weren't able to gather much data on this criterion because they were not involved in the investment decisions. However, students compiled a list of contacts and recommendations for future researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders.

PA-10:

• Students began with stakeholder outreach. They were not initially able to gather data on this criterion but were able to provide useful recommendations and contacts for future researchers, students, faculty, and staff. Student STARS Researchers built upon these efforts to gather the data now included in this STARS report.

PA-11:

• Students began with stakeholder outreach. They were not able to retrieve all of the required data, as the CMC Foundation is not yet willing to disclose its investments. However, discussions are now underway about how CMC might align its practices more closely with STARS processes. Recommendations and contacts were provided for future researchers, students, faculty, and stakeholders.

Student STARS Researchers worked to gather STARS data for PA 12-15 during the spring 2023 semester. They were able to gather some useful data for the current report. Future students will develop recommendations for future actions in these areas that could be undertaken by the College.

Students were responsible for much of the data gathered across the entire STARS framework, which applies to the criteria for this section, which asks for “substantive work that involves active and experiential student learning.” SUS 4500, Sustainability Assessment and Reporting, fits this category because it is active and substantive learning, exposing students to professional skills like data analysis, reporting, and stakeholder engagement. This section also asks that the learning involve documentation and assessment of student learning, which is the purpose of the student reports and stakeholder engagement meetings. The stakeholder engagement meeting is particularly crucial to the student learning experience in SUS 4500 because it is an engaging meeting with key stakeholders college wide where students are responsible for reporting data to professionals within their organization.