| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.78 |
| Liaison | Amber Saxton |
| Submission Date | Sept. 9, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
George Mason University
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Margaret
Lo University Sustainability Director Sustainability |
Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee, office, and/or officer that focuses on sustainability broadly and covers the entire institution?:
A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the committee(s), office(s), and/or officer(s) during the previous three years:
George Mason University's (Mason) commitment to sustainability is real and backed by public commitments and action. Since 2011, Mason has completed its first Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) report which achieved a Silver rating; established a $100,000 annual green fund to support sustainability infrastructure and research; received the "Most Sustainable Community Program" award from the Virginia Sustainable Building Network; was a 2013 finalist in the Environmental March Madness; established a peer-to-peer student group called the Green Patriots; and created a Green Office program on campus.
Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:
The Executive Steering Committee at George Mason University (Mason) has the responsibility to ensure the highest-impact sustainability projects are prioritized and funded. They will provide guidance to the Office of Sustainability on university priority and will advocate for high-impact sustainability projects with the senior executive staff at Mason.
Responsibilities:
--Set goals and priorities for university sustainability
--Make recommendations to the budget group about how the university budget should support these goals and priorities
--Review progress against established goals and priorities
Members of each committee, including affiliations and role (e.g. staff, student, or faculty):
Tom Ashcraft, School of Art
Guilbert Brown, Budgeting and Planning
Tom Calhoun, Facilities
Barbara Clark, Fiscal Services
Aurali Dade, Office of Research
Kimberly Eby, Faculty Development
Alissa Karton, University Life
Chris Kennedy, Environmental Science and Policy
Mark Kraner, Auxiliary Enterprises
Margaret Lo, Office of Sustainability
Laura Phelps, Information Technology Unit
Paul Schopf, Oceanography
Mark Stahley, Budget and Planning
Preston Williams, Strategic Communications
Andrew Wingfield, Provost's Office
The website URL where information about the sustainability committee(s) is available:
Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee?:
A brief description of each sustainability office:
The mission of the sustainability office is to use the strengths of George Mason University - innovation, responsiveness, flexibility, and community strength - to provide leadership in environmental, social, and economic stewardship on our campuses and throughout the local and global communities of which we are a part.
The responsibilities of the Sustainability Office include:
--Provide a strategic direction for the evolution of sustainability on Mason's campuses.
--Provide policy recommendations to the administration that improve our operational efficiency and contribute to our long-term economic and environmental sustainability.
--Assist in the creation of processes and standards across campus that promote the sustainability of Mason.
--Collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to create a central hub for communicating sustainability initiatives.
--Coordinate the activities of the Executive Steering Committee.
--Participate in the coordination of campus-wide awareness and engagement campaigns, such as Earth Week, Green Rush, Fall for the Book, and others.
--Work with the Provost's Office to encourage the integration of sustainability principles into curricula across the university.
--Interface with local, regional, and national organizations and working groups that can further the sustainability interests of George Mason University.
--Implementing a climate action plan that will lead Mason to climate neutrality as per the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment.
Full-time equivalent (FTE) of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
The website URL where information about the sustainability office(s) is available:
Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Name and title of each sustainability officer:
A brief description of each sustainability officer position:
The University Sustainability Director responsibilities include strategic planning and establishing standards and policies that advance Mason's progress towards climate neutrality. The Director also supports the integration of sustainability activities into curricular and extracurricular activities such as campaigns that increase awareness and working with department heads to discuss ways they can “green” their operations. The Director also coordinates the reporting of Mason's sustainability progress to the public, develops a sustainability program budget, and seeks related grant opportunities.
The website URL where information about the sustainability officer(s) is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Data is for FY2014
Data is for FY2014
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.