Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.61
Liaison Kelsey Beal
Submission Date Feb. 26, 2020

STARS v2.2

Indiana University Bloomington
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Tanjimul Alam
Sustainability Programs Assistant
Sustain IU
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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:

The Sustain IU 2020 Vision calls for the academic goals listed below:
https://sustain.iu.edu/about/2020-Goals.pdf

Maintain sustainability courses in 85% of academic departments. Sustainability is the focus or a module in 5% of total courses taught per year.
• Improve sustainability literacy among students by integrating sustainability into the first year experience and/or by making
sustainability a common ground or shared goal within the IUB general education requirements.
• Offer high impact, co-curricular sustainability engagement and education, utilizing the campus and the state of Indiana as a
living laboratory for sustainability. Provide rich professional development training for students at all academic levels.

A past campus sustainability report included the following goals:
Support program development to offer new student learning opportunities in areas related to sustainability, including (1) a program for hiring new faculty in order to expand and enrich our research and teaching strengths in the area of sustainability; (2) a faculty development program that encourages faculty to infuse sustainability into their teaching; (3) incorporating literacy on environmental and sustainability issues into the educational program of all undergraduate students; (4) an undergraduate "Area Certificate" in sustainability, comparable to those offered at many of our peer institutions; (5) a fellowship program to fund graduate and post-doctoral students in areas related to sustainability; (6) an interdisciplinary Ph.D. Minor in Sustainability; and (7) a student sustainability scholarship award for exemplary undergraduate and graduate research that focuses on sustainability.

Additionally, an initiative towards incorporating literacy on environmental and sustainability issues into the general educational program for all undergraduate students is ongoing.

GenEd rationale and outcomes language can be found through the link below and provide overall goals related to student success, exploration, enrichment, awareness and engagement with the world, thoughtfulness and responsibility, and broad knowledge of the social and natural world, among other areas:
https://gened.indiana.edu/about/gened-learning-outcomes.html


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:

The Sustain IU 2020 Vision calls for the engagement goals, found within the leadership and education and research sections, listed below:
https://sustain.iu.edu/about/2020-Goals.pdf
- Achieve Platinum rating on the national Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System administered by the Association
for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
- Infuse sustainability into the culture, core values and administrative decision-making process.
- Improve sustainability literacy among students by integrating sustainability into the first year experience and/or by making
sustainability a common ground or shared goal within the IUB general education requirements.
- Offer high impact, co-curricular sustainability engagement and education, utilizing the campus and the state of Indiana

The IU Bicentennial Strategic Plan calls for statewide engagement of students and faculty for a "prosperous and innovative Indiana." Full details, metrics, and objectives can be found beginning page 34 of the Bicentennial Strategic Plan here: https://strategicplan.iu.edu/doc/plan.pdf
Since publication, three programs have been launched to fulfill this strategic priority. Sustain IU works with each of these orgs on advancing sustainability in the state of Indiana with faculty and student engagement:
https://iucorps.indiana.edu/
https://rural.indiana.edu/index.html
https://sustain.iu.edu/research/isdp/index.html

Selected metric examples from Bicentennial Plan:
Excellence in Engagement and Economic Development
Priority Seven:Building a Prosperous and Innovative Indiana
Bicentennial Action Items
1. IU will work with researchers from all campuses, developing a systemic engagement infrastructure that advances the application and transfer of knowledge in the state.
5. IU Regional Campuses will actively engage their communities and regions to develop and deliver education, degrees, cooperative initiatives, and research that address regional needs and opportunities
Metrics:
Number and value of patents, licensing agreements, partnerships, and start-ups
supported by IURTC
• New educational programs targeted to state and regional needs
• Number of alumni actively engaged in mentoring and other student-focused
activities
Continuing Priorities:
Support regional business development in life science, technology and related fields
• Communicate and promote exemplary economic engagement across multiple
platforms.
• Participate actively in the Lilly Endowment Collaborations grant to counter “brain drain” in Indiana by developing programs in early career awareness, matching careers and curricula, enhancing targeted career skills, expanding experiential and service learning, and creating networks of universities and potential employers.

In addition to State engagement, the Bicentennial Plan calls for on-campus engagement, explicitly for sustainability:

Priority Three: Catalyzing Research
Support innovative campus “living laboratory” initiatives that provide opportunities to integrate campus operations, faculty and student research, education, student life, and community engagement to applied, solutions-oriented sustainability research.
Metrics
• Amount and diversity of sponsored research • Publication rate and demonstrated impact of faculty according to field-appropriate measures • Establishment of Grand Challenge groups and associated research funding • Number of multi-campus sponsored research collaborations
Action Items: Indiana University will engage in strategic hiring, investments in technology, and seed funding to support collaborative faculty research initiatives, with a focus on the grand challenges facing the state, the nation and the world. It will continue to support the creative and scholarly activities of its artists and humanists.

IU Bloomington is a Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement recipient and recently initialized IU Corps to coordinate and document the goal of 100% students engaged in service.
https://news.iu.edu/stories/2020/01/iub/releases/31-carnegie-classification-recognizes-community-engagement.html
https://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/


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:

The Campus Master Plan documents can be found through the link below:
https://cpf.iu.edu/master-plans/index.html

Sustainability themes are addressed throughout the plan and is provided several sections within the master plan including sections such as: sustainable facility growth including: parking, food production, electical systems, native plants/trees health, buildings, renovation, and materials/design, citing of a past 2008 campus sustainability report, adequate resource availability and management language, and AASHE STARS considerations.

A full Sustainable Planning section with 4 highlighted principles describes several broad goals and lists recommendations related to the following planning principles:

1. Adopt environmentally sensitive land use
practices.
2. Move toward a carbon-neutral campus.
3. Ensure a range of transportation options.
4. Plan for innovative sustainable buildings and
landscapes.


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:

The Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President strategic plan media includes several aspects of diversity, inclusivity, and community health across multiple areas of the university including: research, faculty/staff recruitment & retention, and community partnerships.

Bicentennial objective 5 reads as follows:

A Global, Diverse, Inclusive Community of Excellent Scholars and Teachers

IU Bloomington will be a desired global destination that attracts talented, diverse faculty in all fields and retains outstanding faculty through robust support of professional development programming, work-life balance initiatives, and innovative hiring practices that highlight interdisciplinary scholarly work. IU Bloomington will maintain its long-standing commitment to shared faculty governance.

Goals in the areas of increasing diversity in faculty recruitment/career development, expansion of the Center for Research on Race and Ethnicity in Society (and related growth targets in the pipeline for minority scholars), outreach across the institutions schools for diversity plans, and increased bias training/minority participation are in place under the campus strategic plan.

Further details are available on the following pages:
https://provost.indiana.edu/strategic-plan/diverse-community.html
https://provost.indiana.edu/strategic-plan/5-diversity/improving-diversity.html

The Center for Rural Engagement initiative at IU provides several full time staff and funnels institutional resources into programs dedicated towards addressing the needs of statewide rural communities. Aligned with IU's broader Grand Challenge academic research goals (https://grandchallenges.iu.edu/), the CRE's programs include investing IU resources into areas of health, housing, education, and arts/culture as well the Sustaining Hoosier Communities partnerships program statewide.

https://rural.indiana.edu/impact/index.html
https://rural.indiana.edu/about/2018-2019-impact.html


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

The institution's sustainability plan (upload):
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Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
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Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
Yes

The formal statement in support of sustainability:

The Campus Master Plan - The operational plan for IU Bloomington's campus includes sustainability as a major theme: https://cpf.iu.edu/doc/master-plan/iu-bloomington-master-plan.pdf

Bicentennial Strategic Plan
https://strategicplan.iu.edu/mission-values-vision/core-values.html
Core value #7
Sustainability, stewardship and accountability for the natural, human, and economic resources and relationships entrusted to IU.

IU has two guiding documents, the Campus Master Plan (Sustainability as a Major Theme) and Bicentennial Strategic Plan (Sustainability as a Minor Theme). The Bicentennial Strategic Plan focuses on academics, engagement, and research, but affirms the operational goals of the Campus Master Plan.

The Campus Master Plan outlines the institution's operational goals. Sustainability is a major theme in the following way:
1. Sustainability is referenced at the forefront of the Plan:
"Environmental sustainability will play a crucial
role in the development and improvement of
Indiana University’s Bloomington campus.
The Campus Master Plan defines a broad
holistic approach that unifies fundamental
planning recommendations with meaningful
qualitative and quantitative green strategies.
Sustainable planning principles, carbon
reduction strategies, alternative modes of
transportation considerations, and innovative
building initiatives come together to inform
the development vision for the campus and
ensure that growth is forward thinking and
environmentally sustainable."

The plan outlines the following recommendations:
1. Adopt Environmentally Sensitive Land
Use Practices.
2. Move Toward a Carbon-Neutral Campus.
3. Ensure a Range of Transportation Options.
4. Plan for Innovative Sustainable Buildings and Landscapes

Sustainable themes, including restoring historic buildings and preserving riparian corridors are in each subsequent section of the report. The plan lists explicit objectives including LEED Gold requirements for all new construction, and goals to move towards energy and carbon reduction.

"Sustainability" is explicitly referenced 44 times, "Sustainable" 56 times, and preservation 36 times in the 300+ page document.


The institution’s definition of sustainability:
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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 No
SDG Accord No
Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment No
The Talloires Declaration (TD) No
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:

From the Bicentennial Strategic Plan:

“Core Values”(Core value #7 of 10) Sustainability, stewardship and accountability for the natural, human, and economic resources and relationships entrusted to IU.

Bicentennial Priority 3: Catalyzing Research
Bicentennial Continuing Priorities: Support innovative campus “living laboratory” initiatives that provide opportunities to integrate campus operations, faculty and student research, education, student life, and community engagement to applied, solutions-oriented sustainability research.

Bicentennial Priority 8. Building for Excellence
IU has also become a leader in high-­­quality environmentally conscious design, and leads the Big Ten in LEED-­­certified green buildings with twelve certified to date, including four at the gold level (platinum is the highest certification). This strategy pays dividends for the life of each building in terms of occupant health and productivity, resource efficiency, life cycle cost savings and retention of human capital.

Bicentennial Action Item #3
3. IU will implement plans to solidify IU’s Focus on efficient and environmentally conscious campus design and operation by:
a. Completing and implementing pedestrian, transportation, and bicycle sub-master plans on each campus.
b. Certifying all major new buildings with the LEED Green Building Certification System and elevate the minimum certification level to Gold.
c. Continuing to explore and research a variety of energy and utility supply and delivery options that reflect changes in economies, demand, and climate variables.
d. Achieving the goals for energy efficiency and emissions reductions called for in the Campus Master Plan and the Integrated Energy Master Plan for the IU Bloomington campus; expand that analysis to all campuses.
e. Increasing energy and utility system efficiency while reducing demand and consumption.

Continuing Priorities
Give special emphasis on all campuses to improving traffic flow, making them more “pedestrian and bicycle friendly,” and to improving parking and alternative modes of transportation for students, faculty, and staff.

The Campus Master Plan outlines the institution's operational goals. Sustainability is a major theme in the following way:
1. Sustainability is referenced at the forefront of the Plan:
"Environmental sustainability will play a crucial
role in the development and improvement of
Indiana University’s Bloomington campus.
The Campus Master Plan defines a broad
holistic approach that unifies fundamental
planning recommendations with meaningful
qualitative and quantitative green strategies.
Sustainable planning principles, carbon
reduction strategies, alternative modes of
transportation considerations, and innovative
building initiatives come together to inform
the development vision for the campus and
ensure that growth is forward thinking and
environmentally sustainable."

The plan outlines the following recommendations:
1. Adopt Environmentally Sensitive Land
Use Practices.
2. Move Toward a Carbon-Neutral Campus.
3. Ensure a Range of Transportation Options.
4. Plan for Innovative Sustainable Buildings and Landscapes

Expand efforts to make all IU campuses more energy efficient and sustainable.


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.