Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 65.28
Liaison Ciara Tennis
Submission Date Nov. 3, 2022

STARS v2.2

Eastern Connecticut State University
OP-17: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.60 / 1.00 Renee Theroux-Keech
Interim Director
Office of Facilities Management & Planning
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
No

A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:
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Does the institution participate in a car sharing program?:
No

None
A brief description of the car sharing program:
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Does the institution offer preferential parking or other incentives for fuel efficient vehicles?:
Yes

A brief description of the incentives for fuel efficient vehicles:
Preferred parking spaces are included at Fine Arts Instructional Center, Shafer Hall, and in parking garages with EV charging stations. With dedicated signage, there are multiple parking spaces at each location.

Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
In 2019, Facilities installed four more level 2 EV charging stations in the parking garages, in addition to the two previously installed in 2014, and are available for free to faculty, staff, students, and the community. In 2022, 4 more charging stations were added to the Cervantes Parking Garage, which is designated for student use.

Facilities plans on adding more charging stations in the near future.

Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
No

None
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
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Does the institution have other programs or initiatives to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation and/or reduce the impact of student and employee commuting?:
Yes

A brief description of other programs or initiatives to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation and/or reduce the impact of student and employee commuting:
The University Police Department provides a shuttle bus service for the University community. Twelve designated shuttle stops are conveniently located around campus. Shuttle bus hours are posted at each residential hall, the Student Center and the Police Department lobby.

Shuttles travel a specific route for the maximum convenience of all riders. Shuttle buses are equipped with a lift for anyone needing personal assistance. Please call the Police Department at (860) 465-5310 to make arrangements for this service.
Shuttle Location APP: Shuttle users can now locate the Eastern shuttle(s) in real-time by viewing Eastern’s shuttle bus information and location webpage. This service can also be downloaded as an app on your favorite smartphone. We hope this technology proves convenient for everyone that uses the campus shuttles. The app and webpage have all the information you need to take advantage of this program. Look for the TransLoc Rider app to get this service on your smartphone.

During most of the 2020 and 2021 academic years, most employees and students were telecommuting or participating in virtual education due to the pandemic. As of fall 2021, on-ground courses have resumed. Faculty and staff unions have adopted remote working schedules, which would help reduce emissions from traveling to campus.

Eastern's 2020 Climate Action Plan has Commuting and Travel section devoted to encouraging and developing more sustainable modes of transportation. Some goals include:
-plans for Eastern to join CT's U-Pass transportation program, which would provide free public transportation for students throughout the state.
-developing a bike-friendly campus
-developing an employee carpooling program
https://www.easternct.edu/sustainability/easternct_2020_climate_action_plan.pdf

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s support for sustainable transportation is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
This information was provided and verified by Renee Theroux-Keech, Director of Facilities Management & Planning.

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.