| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.66 |
| Liaison | Amber Saxton |
| Submission Date | Feb. 22, 2024 |
George Mason University
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Greg
Farley Director of Sustainability University Sustainability |
Is the institution currently a member of a national or international higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the national or international sustainability network(s):
AASHE, Second Nature
Does the institution actively participate in a regional, state/provincial, or local higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s):
VASHE(Virginia Association for Sustainability in Higher Education)
DC CHEERS (District of Columbia Coalition of Higher Education for the Environment, Resilience, and Sustainability); Earth Day Network; Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation; Virginia Environmental Justice Alliance
Has the institution presented at a higher education sustainability conference during the previous year?:
A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):
A Program Manager in the University Sustainability office presented and led a discussion session at AASHE's Global Conference in October 2022 on single-use plastics and polystyrene elimination on college campuses. Manager is also a board member with the National Wildlife Foundation's Campus Race to Zero Waste, and authored a new certification program with NWF, which can earn universities STARS innovation credit.
Mason's Director of University Sustainability presented as a panelist at the Amazon Web Services conference in June 2023, in a session titled "Meeting Institutional Sustainability Goals with AWS."
Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to an external higher education sustainability resource center or awards program?:
A list or brief description of the sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s):
TITLE:
It’s Really Free! Patriot Packout Expands to Support George Mason University Community Members’ Basic Needs
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
This case study focuses on George Mason University’s sustainable move-out initiative, Patriot Packout (PPO) 2023. Existing in some form (unofficial and official) since 2003, the PPO initiative was expanded in 2023 to address Mason community members’ basic needs as one of its essential goals. After prioritizing Mason community members’ basic needs, support for local community members and resources was an additional goal. This case study provides a brief overview of the history of PPO and details the changes and accomplishments of PPO 2023.
Patriot Packout (PPO) is George Mason University’s annual sustainable move-out initiative held each spring to divert useful items away from the trash and into the hands of Mason Patriots in need. PPO decreases waste incinerated at the I-95 Energy/Resource Recovery Facility in Lorton, Virginia, while providing access to goods and supplies to address basic needs insecurity. Established in 2023, the PPO Planning Committee leads the planning, design, and implementation of the initiative, with support from Mason Facilities’ University Sustainability team.
Has the institution had employees or students serving on a board or committee of a sustainability network or conference during the previous three years?:
A list or brief description of the board or committee appointment(s):
Supervisor of Recycling and Waste Management: Board Member, College & University Recycling Coalition
Program Manager for Campus Efficiencies: Board member, National Wildlife Foundation's Campus Race to Zero Waste
Director of Sustainability: Member, Second Nature Carbon Offsets Advisory Council; Chair, US DOE Better Buildings Challenge Higher Education Sector
Does the institution have an ongoing mentoring relationship with another institution through which it assists the institution with its sustainability reporting and/or the development of its sustainability program?:
A brief description of the mentoring relationship and activities:
Mason's Director of University Sustainability has mentored the inaugural sustainability director at the University of Mary Washington, and contributed to the development of UMW's sustainability office, plans, and climate action plan.
Has the institution had employees or students serving as peer reviewers of another institution’s sustainability data and/or STARS submission during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the peer review activities:
A brief description of other inter-campus collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year :
Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication regularly works with the Yale University Program on Climate Change Communication, including collaboration on major publications like "Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes."
Website URL where information about the institution’s inter-campus collaborations 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.