| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 47.61 |
| Liaison | John Stolz |
| Submission Date | March 6, 2025 |
Duquesne University
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Spencer
McKee Graduate Assistant University Sustainability Committee |
Sustainability committee(s)
The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:
Community engagement is one of the hallmarks of a Duquesne education and a cornerstone of our 2018-2023 Strategic Plan. In July 2022, Duquesne reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability by creating a new sustainability committee to support, grow and promote the University's efforts to build a more sustainable campus.
The charge of the University Sustainability Committee (USC) is to support, promote, and grow Duquesne University’s efforts to build a sustainable campus. The Committee fosters opportunities for multidisciplinary engagement across academic units, facilities, and University leadership. The USC’s activities enhance recruitment, retention, and DEIA initiatives; highlight faculty and student research; and support all five 2023 Strategic Plan imperatives and the Bridges Common Learning Experience. They also help to position Duquesne University as a premier Catholic institution and leader in Sustainability Studies. This work is informed by Duquesne University’s Catholic mission, which conveys the University’s commitment to serving God through ethical and ecumenical service to the community, the nation, and the world.
This Committee develops and promotes a culture of sustainability across campus and the Pittsburgh community by being an advocate, resource, and catalyst for social, environmental, and economic responsibility aligned with Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ (“On Care for Our Common Home”) and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The Committee and its advocacy are part of a vision for why and how a collaboration between faculty, staff, and students can expand the value of and be able to tell compelling stories about why students and scholars should come to Duquesne University to be part of our sustainability efforts.
The USC has seven working groups:
1. Ranking, Reporting, and Accreditation
2. Communication and Outreach
3. Curricular Innovation
4. Gardens and Green Spaces
5. Student-Facing Initiatives
6. DuqGetsMoving
7. VegPledge
Members of each committee, including affiliations and role:
Total active USC members: 49
The USC consists of a Steering Committee and seven Working Groups. The Steering Committee, which coordinates efforts undertaken by working groups, is listed under "Sustainability Officers." Working Group Chairs and members are listed below.
Communication and Outreach
- Chair: Sarah Wright - Faculty
- Dan Scheid - Faculty
- Elizabeth Shestak - Staff
- Martin Black - Faculty
- Breanna Eichenlaub - Staff
- Amelia Stezoski - Student
Curricular Innovation
- Chair: Leda Klouda - Faculty
- Naga Sivasubramaniam - Faculty
- Kristin Klucevsek - Faculty
- Michael McMaster - Faculty
- Steven Hansen - Faculty
Gardens and Green Spaces
- Chair: Brady Porter - Faculty
- John Stolz - Faculty
- Amber Kolesar - Faculty
- Kasey Stepansky - Faculty
- Kristen Spirl - Staff
- Rahima Khatun - Student
- Kate Keeley - Staff
- Bismark Tei - Student
- Chris Pollock - Staff
- Ollie Gratzinger - Student
- Franny Serenka - Faculty
- Bobbi Diller - Staff
- Allison Zeiss - Student
- Bill Zilcosky - Staff
- Sydney Hall - Student
Ranking, Reporting, and Accreditation
- Chair: Meghan Phillips - Student
- Elizabeth Rotz - Staff
- Alia Pustorino - Staff
- Sarah Wright - Faculty
Student-Facing Initiatives
- Chair: Faith Cook - Student
- Chair 2: Brynn Tripp - Student
- Lucy-Jo DiMaggio - Staff
- Will Adams - Faculty
- Mike Irwin - Faculty
- J.D. Douglas - Staff
- Michael Jarrett - Student
- Annie Prichard - Student
- Madison Fitzgerald - Student
- Sao Mai Nguyen - Student
- Lynn Akwa - Student
DuqGetsMoving
- Chair: Amber Lasure - Staff
- Martin Black - Staff
- Anthony King - Student
- Mo Gilbert - Student
- Samantha Faust - Student
- Madalen Bentivoglio - Student
VegPledge
- Chair: Michael McMaster - Faculty
- Dominic Violi - Faculty
- Eliana Meding - Student
- Lindsey McKenna - Student
Sustainability office(s)
A brief description of each sustainability office:
Full-time equivalent of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
Sustainability officer(s)
Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Institution-wide coordination
A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:
The USC organizes sustainability-related work across departments and organizations at Duquesne, actively maintains the campus gardens, organizes produce donations, assists in the completion of a greenhouse gas inventory, and the completion of the STARS sustainability report alongside the Center for Environmental Research and Education. The Committee is currently working on assigning sustainability designation to courses and organizing a bike to campus week through BikePGH. Committee members co-teach a Climate Change, Resilience, and Sustainability course every fall semester. The USC has also supported partnerships with the Pittsburgh Blueberry Project, Allegheny GoatScape, and other local organizations to promote sustainable practices on campus.
Optional Fields
Job description (1st position)
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
Job description (2nd position)
Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job description (3rd position)
Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability coordination is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.