Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 75.28
Liaison Yumiko Jakobcic
Submission Date March 3, 2023

STARS v2.2

Grand Valley State University
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Yumiko Jakobcic
Campus Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Sustainability Practices
"---" 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:
GVSU will increase the number of faculty engaging in sustainability research to 100 researchers.

https://www.gvsu.edu/cms4/asset/208B3312-9458-C8E8-8577A2110A22E294/2022_strategic_plan(2).pdf

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:
GVSU will provide high impact experiential learning and community engagement through the Sustainable Agriculture Project by hosting volunteers from the campus and the West Michigan community.

https://www.gvsu.edu/cms4/asset/208B3312-9458-C8E8-8577A2110A22E294/2022_strategic_plan(2).pdf

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:
GVSU will identify, pursue and beta test new clean technologies for energy conservation and efficiency applications. This includes looking for long term energy contracts in the way of fixed pricing and renewables.

https://www.gvsu.edu/cms4/asset/208B3312-9458-C8E8-8577A2110A22E294/2022_strategic_plan(2).pdf

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:
GVSU will follow and maintain Healthy Campus 2020 guidelines for faculty, staff and students, be recognized as a partner with Partnership for a Healthier America - Healthy Campus Initiative and earn additional awards and recognition at the national level.

https://www.gvsu.edu/cms4/asset/208B3312-9458-C8E8-8577A2110A22E294/2022_strategic_plan(2).pdf

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):
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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):
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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:
Sustainability is embedded within the university's formal values (triple bottom line sustainability is addressed specifically in the last section):

Innovation: puts ideas into practice, drives us towards excellence, and represents our forward-thinking mindset. We value entrepreneurship, risk taking, and interdisciplinary collaboration that solves local, regional, and global problems and advances the common good.

Integrity: Drives us to be accountable to ourselves and to others. Moves us to actively pursue and sustain quality educational experiences rooted in research and evidence, and to be excellent stewards of our communities, resources, and planet.

Inclusive and Equitable Community: fosters and sustains a sense of belonging, promotes diversity and respect, and addresses systemic issues that impact outcomes for those who have been historically excluded from higher education. Inclusion and equity are experienced through our physical campuses and in digital environments, as well as our interpersonal, institutional, and community engagements.

Inquiry: encourages active questioning and problem solving to improve lives and strengthen communities. Building on our strong foundation of a liberal education and commitment to teaching excellence, we strive to provide opportunities that integrate theory and practice towards personal transformation and career success. Active scholarship, creative expression, and relevant co-curricular experiences drive learners towards fulfillment, prosperity, and justice.

International Perspectives: simultaneously support people, planet, and prosperity. We think and act on a global basis. Our efforts at supporting the well-being of individuals, groups, and ecosystems are important locally, nationally, and globally—all of which are interconnected and interdependent.

https://www.gvsu.edu/policies/policy.htm?policyId=4A3F19A0-E349-1B7A-0CEB03648AF094B7&search=

The institution’s definition of sustainability:
The University values the guiding principles of sustainability in helping to meet the current needs of our faculty members, staff members, and students without compromising the needs and resources of future generations. We are committed to working with our community partners to create a sustainable future for our University, our community, our region, our state, our nation, and the world. We model applied sustainability best practices in our operations and administration, education for sustainable development, student involvement, and community engagement by promoting social responsibility, practicing fiscal responsibility, and encouraging environmental stewardship. We provide our students with excellence in education for sustainable development by imbedding theory, systems-oriented thinking, and service learning into our curricular and extracurricular programs.

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 ---
SDG Accord ---
Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment Yes
The Talloires Declaration (TD) Yes
UN Global Compact No
Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
We are a partner in the City of Grand Rapid's United Nation's Regional Center of Expertise in Sustainable Development.

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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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.