Hampshire College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Under the direction of new College President Jonathan Lash in 2013-2014, the College created a new comprehensive strategic plan as a blueprint to guide Hampshire’s work over the ensuing five years (https://www.hampshire.edu/presidents-office/strategic-plan). The Plan was developed with broad input from all campus constituencies and focused on five primary areas: A. Distinctive academic program B. Enrollment and retention C. Student and community health and wellness D. Hampshire’s influence on higher education E. Diversity and inclusive excellence Two of the primary areas include sustainability initiatives at their highest levels: Distinctive Academic Program - Support and sustain existing vital programs and explore and build new programmatic directions in sustainability, entrepreneurship, leadership/ethical engagement, and creativity/innovation. Student and Community Health and Wellness - Achieve the next phase of the Healthy Food Transition by making bold progress on comprehensive sustainable food operations and dining service upgrades.

Hampshire College recognizes that a diverse and vibrant community is necessary to achieve all aspects of sutatinability, including environmental, social, and economic sustainability goals: Commitments to Diversity - https://www.hampshire.edu/discover-hampshire/commitment-to-diversity - https://www.hampshire.edu/admissions/our-commitment-to-diversity

Objective A9 from Strategic Plan: “Support and sustain existing vital programs and explore and build new programmatic directions in sustainability, entrepreneurship, leadership/ethical engagement, and creativity/innovation” (https://www.hampshire.edu/presidents-office/strategic-plan) Results as of May 2017: The programs in sustainability and ethical leadership have been firmly anchored in the academic program through two endowed faculty positions in environmental education and sustainability and applied ethics, respectively.

Objective stated in the Five Year Strategic Plan for the Hampshire College Farm: “to encourage ongoing faculty and student research projects on the farm, mindful of the planning horizons required by natural systems; here again, approval of research projects will be expedited by clear criteria and protocols” Results: Student independent study projects: 1. Chicken responses to hawk calls (Student Div III project) 2. Animal breeding: Gloucester Old Spot pigs (Student Div II and Div III project) 3. Animal breeding: Dutch Belted Cows (Student Div III project) Student projects through "Animal behavior" class this semester: 1) Teat order, social hierarchy, and transition to real food among piglets; 2) Effects of enrichment objects on piglet behavior, related to sex/age and type of straw (chopped vs. whole); 3) Can pigs differentiate among amounts of things (numerosity)?; 4) Can pigs perceive time/anticipate outcomes of situation? Faculty research projects: 1. Increasing pollinator habitat on Hampshire’s Campus: Bridging art and science to stimulate change (Conor Peterson, School of Interdisciplinary Art & Seeta Sistla, School of Natural Science) 2. Good Food Metrics (Daniel Ross, Visiting Assistant Professor of Social Entrepreneurship; Catherine Sands, Lecturer on Food Systems and Food Policy at University of Massachusetts Stockbridge School of Agriculture; Nirman Dave, Hampshire College Div II, Research Assistant; Camilo Gonzalez-Wohl, Hampshire College Div II, Research Assistant)

Objective stated in the Five Year Strategic Plan for the Hampshire College Farm: “to improve outreach, coordination, and communication with faculty across the Schools who want to use the farm for course-related activities; approval of activities will be expedited by clear criteria and protocols” Results: The Farm has established a new web site inviting campus members to visit the farm safe with visiting guidelines, self-guided tour information, and a request form for faculty, and staff members who would like to use the farm for research, art, or other projects to submit a proposal to the Farm Committee for review. https://www.hampshire.edu/farm/visit-the-farm

Objective stated in the Five Year Strategic Plan for the Hampshire College Farm: “to expand existing networking efforts with other sustainable agriculture programs, particularly those undertaken as part of a comprehensive program at a college or university” and “to continue the Hampshire Farm Camp and explore new opportunities for summer programs that bring people to the farm during the period of maximum productivity;” Results: The Farm has established a new web site inviting community members to visit the farm, with directions, safe visiting guidelines, self-guided tour information, and a form to request a guided farm tour https://www.hampshire.edu/farm/visit-the-farm

Hampshire's Climate Action Plan has the goal to make the campus climate neutral by 2022 https://www.hampshire.edu/sustainable/climate-action-plan

Hampshire's Climate Action Plan has the commitment to 1) reduce energy use of existing buildings by 50% and 2) new buildings will be built to "best in class" standards (indeed, our newest building, the R.W. Kern Center is built to meet the Living Building Challenge - https://www.hampshire.edu/discover-hampshire/rw-kern-center)

Our Climate Action Plan commits us to become climate neutral by 2022, with the exception of non-fleet transportation, such as study abroad air travel and faculty and staff commuting; and Eliminate or offset the remaining transportation emissions by 2032. https://www.hampshire.edu/sustainable/climate-action-plan As guided by the Renewable Energy commitment in our Climate Action Plan, Hampshire committed to generating 100% of the electricity for the campus on an annual basis with on-site solar PV. Our PV arrays were approved for operation in January 2018 are now generating electricity for the campus! (https://www.hampshire.edu/sustainable/climate-action-plan) See https://www.hampshire.edu/news/2017/12/01/hampshire-conducts-final-test-for-100-solar-campus

Objective C5 from Strategic Plan: “Achieve the next phase of the Healthy Food Transition by making bold progress on comprehensive sustainable food operations and dining service upgrades.” Results as of May 2017: • Completed interactive process to collect student feedback regarding meal plan options and how to expand services. • Involved an academic course on food in research and product selection options for students. • Opened the Kern Kafe in the R.W. Kern Center, which is serving locally produced healthy foods (https://www.hampshire.edu/presidents-office/strategic-plan) Objective stated in the Five Year Strategic Plan for the Hampshire College Farm: "to include the Hampshire College Farm included in next college-wide strategic plan as both an educational resource and an integral part of the Hampshire College food system"

As part of Hampshire's Climate Action Plan goal to make the campus climate neutral by 2022, the Environmental Committee developed, revised, and adopted sustainability objectives guiding the conversion of college grounds from agriculture to solar photovoltaic (PV) farms (below). These commitments guided initial selection of sites for PV arrays, spurred development of innovative land management plans in and around the PV installations (e.g., native, pollinator-friendly ground cover), and they continue to drive faculty and student research exploring the positive and negative impacts of ground-based solar arrays on the ecosystem - see http://www.seetasistla.com/characterizing-the-effects "Guiding Principles for Developing PV Arrays on Campus": (https://www.hampshire.edu/sustainable/hampshire-college-solar-project) - Every phase of the project, from evaluating potential PV sites to long-term monitoring of ecosystems, will be educational for the community. - Evaluation of sites for potential solar arrays will include assessment of current land use, future opportunities, and value to the campus community for other purposes, including to recreation, agriculture, serenity, and wildlife habitat. - PV arrays will be designed and constructed to preserve or improve ecosystem services, such as improving soils, increasing biodiversity, providing habitat buffers and corridors, improving water quality, and enhancing wildlife habitat. - Soils under PV arrays will be preserved at the minimum, and ideally improved, for potential future agricultural use, through methods that increase organic matter storage, soil biodiversity, and nutrient levels. - The PV project will provide substantial savings in terms of reduced future energy costs with no financial outlay from the College. - A designated portion of the cost savings will be used to support campus sustainability projects, such as the Sustainable Revolving Fund (SURF) and student and faculty research projects. - Project development and construction will be closely monitored by an appointed committee composed of students, staff, and faculty members to ensure above goals are met.

Hampshire College Business Office Purchasing Policies https://www.hampshire.edu/business-office/policies Minority and Women-owned Business Policy Hampshire College is committed to supporting minority and women-owned businesses. In recognition of the value of diversity in our society, we aggressively promote and seek out minority-owned and women-owned businesses. Paper Purchasing Effective July 1, 2003, Hampshire College began purchasing 100% post-consumer content, 100% chlorine-free, recycled paper. This paper will be used campus-wide in all copiers and office printers whenever possible. When not possible, paper that is 30% or higher post-consumer waste and 100% chlorine-free will be purchased. Recycled Materials and Green Procurement Hampshire College is committed to the purchase of products that enhance the preservation of our environment; however, in cases in which the price is significantly higher for "green" products or services, the cost difference will serve as a mitigating factor.

In our Climate Action Plan, Hampshire shall employ the following tactics to mitigate transportation emissions: - Support increased shuttle, Zip-Car, car-pool participation through awareness and communication programs - Develop accessible video conferencing portals, including hardware, software, training and facility scheduling capability - Where practical, the campus will transition fleet vehicles to alternative fuels, most likely electric vehicles charged via solar powered charging stations - Where alternative fuel options are not available, the College will evaluate all new vehicle purchases carefully and will establish procurement policies that will require that the College to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles in the smallest size needed to perform the task. (https://www.hampshire.edu/sustainable/climate-action-plan)

Hampshire's Climate Action Plan states "Zero solid waste—the diversion of 95% of all non-hazardous waste from landfills or incinerators—is a bold, but realistic aspiration for Hampshire. The College will achieve this goal through waste diversion strategies, including programmatic shifts, implementation of a managed system, education, awareness and culture change; and aversion strategies, including policy and purchasing shifts as well as shifts in practices that result in reduced paper, plastic bottle, and single-use bag waste." (https://www.hampshire.edu/sustainable/climate-action-plan) Hampshire Div III student Sara Brown is advancing this goal by collaborating with the organization "Post-Landfill Action Network" to increase campus awareness of excess consumption and to encourage better recycling and composting

Hampshire College committed to wastewater elimination in its Climate Action Plan: "Although wastewater accounts for a marginal percentage of Hampshire’s emissions inventory, it is an essential component of a comprehensive plan for climate neutrality. Hampshire’s wastewater strategy will focus on consumption reduction and development of on-site treatment options to enable reuse of campus wastewater. Successful conservation measures will be implemented through awareness tactics on campus." (https://www.hampshire.edu/sustainable/climate-action-plan)

Objective stated in the Five Year Strategic Plan for the Hampshire College Farm: “to further integrate issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion across the program, and communicate about how these issues are understood and acted upon” Results: The Hampshire College Farm has done significant work on these issues in the areas of food systems, both internally (within Hampshire) and in collaboration with other local, private colleges (working to leverage the purchasing power of dining halls to support local farmers and local food production). The ultimate goal of these activities is to improve community awareness of food systems (including the people who work behind the scenes - farmers, chefs, students, etc.), to provide access to healthy, local, sustainable food for all students, both on and off the meal plan, and to support local farms and farmers. We are currently in conversation with other members of the college (including the business office and financial aid) to find ways to better support food-insecure students, while also meeting our own financial responsibilities. We do a lot of student engagement work through the Living Learning Communities, student work study training, faculty and student research projects, and volunteer opportunities at the farm - all are welcome and invited to participate.

Hampshire College Policy on Environmental, Social, and Governance Investing https://www.hampshire.edu/offices/hampshire-college-investment-policy "Consideration of environmental, social and governance practices of the companies the College invests in is consistent with its fiduciary duties given that such practices can have a material impact on the investments. Business practices that include safe and supportive work environments, products that build economic strength, and activities that benefit the disadvantaged, including charitable giving, enhance the financial security and long term sustainability of companies in which the College invests. Poor business practices related to human rights, the workplace and the environment pose reputational, financial, operational, and legal risks to the College’s investments and therefore the future financial security of the College." ESG Investing The College will FAVOR investments in businesses that emphasize one or more of the following characteristics: 1. Provide beneficial goods and services such as food, clothing, housing, health, education, transportation and energy. 2. Pursue research and development programs that hold promise for new products of social benefit and for increased employment prospects. 3. Maintain fair labor practices including exemplary management policies in such areas as non-discriminatory hiring and promotion, worker participation and education, and in policies affecting their quality of work life. 4. Maintain a safe and healthy work environment including full disclosure to workers of potential work hazards. 5. Demonstrate innovation in relation to environmental protection, especially with respect to policies, organizational structures, and/or product development; give evidence of superior performance with respect to waste utilization, pollution control, and efforts to mitigate climate change risk. 6. Use their power to enhance the quality of life for the underserved segments of our society and encourage local community reinvestment. 7. Have a record of sustained support for higher education. The College will NOT FAVOR investments in businesses whose products, services, or business practices are inconsistent with the above characteristics, in particular avoiding businesses that: A. Have significant operations in countries with serious human rights violations. B. Engage in unfair labor practices. C. Practice oppression or discrimination based on race, gender identity, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or disability, or promote or profit therefrom. D. Demonstrate substantially harmful environmental practices. E. Market abroad products that are banned in the United States because of their impact on health or the environment. F. Have markedly inferior occupational health and safety records. G. Manufacture or market products that in normal use are unsafe. H. Refuse to make their performance records concerning Guidelines 1–7 and A–G available upon reasonable request.

The Board of Trustees has formally approved our Climate Action Plan https://www.hampshire.edu/sites/default/files/presidentsoffice/files/Climate_Action_Plan.pdf The Board of Trustees was involved in and approved the Hampshire College Strategic Plan, which includes among many goals, includes the sustainability goals listed in the next box

The Hampshire College Climate Action states environmental sustainability in terms of carbon neutrality: 1. Make the campus climate neutral by 2022; 2. Involve students extensively in the process to use the greening of our buildings and operations as a learning opportunity. https://www.hampshire.edu/sustainable/climate-action-plan Definitions of sustainability in the Hampshire College Strategic Plan: 1. Support and sustain existing vital programs and explore and build new programmatic directions in sustainability, entrepreneurship, leadership/ethical engagement, and creativity/innovation. 2. Achieve the next phase of the Healthy Food Transition by making bold progress on comprehensive sustainable food operations and dining service upgrades. https://www.hampshire.edu/presidents-office/strategic-plan

Hampshire College is a charter signatory of Second Nature's Climate Commitment, committed to expanding on carbon neutrality work by adding resilience: targetshttp://secondnature.org/2016/04/27/charter-signatories/