Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 69.28
Liaison Margaret Bounds
Submission Date June 18, 2021

STARS v2.2

Connecticut College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Margaret Bounds
Director of Sustainability
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Measurable sustainability objectives 

Academics

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in curriculum and/or research?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:
1. Incorporate learning objectives related to sustainability into Connections and/or individual majors - Campus Sustainability Plan
2. Develop a recurring, week long summer workshop for faculty interested in including sustainability more fully in their courses - Campus Sustainability Plan
3. Develop a first-year seminar (FYS) module on sustainability that engages students with the campus’ sustainable features - Campus Sustainability Plan
4. Adopt the model of "campus as a living lab" to incorporate building design and construction, energy use, and other sustainability data into coursework - Campus Sustainability Plan
5. Redouble efforts to spread sustainability across the curriculum - Building on Strength Strategic Plan (the companion Implementation Plan expands on this broader goal by referencing providing financial incentives for new course development and supporting faculty participation in teaching workshops with a focus on traditionally under-represented disciplines)

Engagement 

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address student, employee, or community engagement for sustainability?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:
1. Implement diversity, cultural literacy and sustainability training for all new faculty and staff, phase in training for current employees and enhance current trainings for students - Campus Sustainability Plan
2. Implement a peer-to-peer sustainability education program for faculty and staff - Campus Sustainability Plan
3. Work with Residential Education Fellows and other existing programs to include sustainability in their events - Campus Sustainability Plan

Operations

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in operations?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:
1. Reduce carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 - Campus Sustainability Plan 2020 Update
2. Reduce total waste by 20% by 2028 from a 2017 baseline - Campus Sustainability Plan
3. Reduce water consumption on campus by 5% by 2023 and 8% by 2028 from a 2017 baseline - Campus Sustainability Plan
4. Increase the amount of local, organic and fair trade food purchased across campus to 10 percent by 2023 and 20 percent by 2028 from a 2017 baseline of 5.86 percent - Campus Sustainability Plan

Administration

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address diversity, equity, and inclusion; sustainable investment/finance; or wellbeing?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:
1. Create a Committee of Investor Responsibility to advise the Board of Trustees on ethical and sustainable investing and complete proxy votes on
behalf of the College - Campus Sustainability Plan
2. Develop a sustainable investment policy and/or include sustainability considerations in existing investment policies - Campus Sustainability Plan
3. Promote Faculty/Staff equity through coordinated information sharing and decision-making - Campus Sustainability Plan

Part 2. Sustainability in institution’s highest guiding document

Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
Yes

The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
Website URL where the institution’s highest guiding document is publicly available:
Which of the following best describes the inclusion of sustainability in the highest guiding document?:
Major theme

Optional Fields

The institution's sustainability plan (upload):
Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
Yes

The formal statement in support of sustainability:
Connecticut College is proud of its pioneering tradition of ecological awareness and responsibility and intends to remain a leader in safeguarding the environment. The arboretum campus is an ecological showpiece, and the College's procedures and programs aim to preserve and protect the environment, both locally and globally, and to prepare citizens sensitive to the need for responsible environmental stewardship.

The institution’s definition of sustainability:
At Connecticut College, sustainability is a framework for discovering economically sound, socially just, and environmentally favorable solutions to local and global challenges.

Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
Yes or No
The Earth Charter No
The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) No
ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter No
Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability No
SDG Accord No
Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment No
The Talloires Declaration (TD) No
UN Global Compact No
Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) No

A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
Connecticut College was a signatory of the American College and University President's Climate Commitment, but we have been inactive since 2019.

Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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