| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.94 |
| Liaison | Bert Jacobson |
| Submission Date | Feb. 3, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Kankakee Community College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Bert
Jacobson Dean, Environmental and Institutional Sustainability Environmental and Institutional Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
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Does the institution have current and formal plans to advance sustainability in the following areas? Do the plans include measurable objectives?:
| Current and Formal Plans (Yes or No) | Measurable Objectives (Yes or No) | |
| Curriculum | Yes | Yes |
| Research (or other scholarship) | No | No |
| Campus Engagement | Yes | Yes |
| Public Engagement | Yes | Yes |
| Air and Climate | Yes | Yes |
| Buildings | Yes | Yes |
| Dining Services/Food | Yes | Yes |
| Energy | Yes | Yes |
| Grounds | Yes | Yes |
| Purchasing | Yes | Yes |
| Transportation | Yes | Yes |
| Waste | Yes | Yes |
| Water | Yes | Yes |
| Diversity and Affordability | Yes | Yes |
| Health, Wellbeing and Work | Yes | Yes |
| Investment | Yes | No |
| Other | Yes | Yes |
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Curriculum:
The Sustainability Plan calls for incorporating sustainability-related content in 100% of the curricula in order that all graduates from KCC have sufficient sustainability literacy to succeed in the 21st Century.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Curriculum plan(s):
Measurable objectives include an annual survey to determine the penetration of sustainability-related content in the curricula-currently approximately 10% of the curricula have sustainability-related content. Strategies to increase the penetration is afaculty professional development course entitled Greening Your Curriculum which helps faculty understand sustainability and offers them examples of content that fits their curricula. Regular interaction with faculty and the Associate Deans of each division help to encourage faculty to adopt more sustainability-related material.i
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Curriculum plan(s):
Dean for Environmental, and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Research (or other scholarship):
N/A
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Research plan(s):
N/A
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Research plan(s):
N/A
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Campus Engagement around sustainability:
The goals of the Office of Environmental and Institutional Sustainability include plans for encouraging, increasing, and supporting campus engagement around sustainability. Some elements of the plan include 1) starting a student Green Club (currently the Students for Eco-Quality was formed and actively create plans for student engagement) 2) plans for a variety of sustainability-related activities, workshops, and tours to engage the campus each year in April during Earth Week, 3) working with Student Activities Coordinator, the Director of Faculty Development, the Director of Facilities, etc. to incorporate in their department plans ways to increase campus engagement.
Date Revised: Feb. 10, 2015
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Campus Engagement plan:
Measurable objectives include the number of yearly activities held and the number of students, faculty and staff participating.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Campus Engagement plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Public Engagement around sustainability:
KCC's strategic priority is to grow sustainability initiatives as a locally and regionally recognized feature of the college. The goals of the Office of Environmental and Institutional Sustainability include encouraging and supporting public engagement around sustainability. 1) With the assistance of the Council for Community Sustainability (an advisory committee composed of college staff and community members) activities are planned to accomplish this, 2) The college plans include public engagement through providing data to the public through ACUPCC, STARS, the Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact, and external recognition for faculty, staff, and programs, 3) to be a model for District 520, for Illinois higher eduactiuon and for Communjity Colleges nationwide with our plans for carbon neutrality by 20141, sharing our sustainability models with the local community, and creating partnerships between KCC and other community employers, organizations, and residents.
Date Revised: Feb. 10, 2015
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Public Engagement plan(s):
Measurable objectives include the number of yearly activities held and the number of community members (as well as students, faculty and staff participating). Examples of these activities include Green Drinks (with a mailing list of over 200 members who attend at least one event each year), support for community gardens, collaboration on a community-wide bike trail, etc.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Public Engagement plan(s):
Dean for Environmental, and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Air and Climate:
The Climate Action Plan and KCC's policy that requires that all new construction and renovation meet at a minimum LEED Silver requirements advance sustainability in Air and Climate.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Air and Climate plan(s):
The Climate Action Plan has measureable objectives to meet KCC's goal of Carbon Neutrality by 2041 with milestones along the way.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Air and Climate plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Buildings:
KCC's policy that requires that all new construction and renovation meet at a minimum LEED Silver requirements advances sustainability in Buildings.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Buildings plan(s):
The measurable objectives are project-based, and, depending on financincig, can encourage the construction of LEED gold buildings (as in the North Extension Center or the Advanced Technology Education Center).
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Buildings plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Dining Services/Food:
The Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability is currently formulating plans with the Director of the newly acquired Food Service company. The plans include reducing/eliminating Styrofoam, reducing/eliminating bottled water sales, utilizing a reusable food to-go system ("OZZI"), using more local produce, etc.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Dining Services/Food plan(s):
Semester by semester, the plan is to incorporate more of these more sustainable features in the cafeteria. The Food Service Director is currently doing a cost-benefit analysis of the elements of the plan. Strategies include Students for Eco-Quality selling reusable mugs (and the cafeteria giving discounts on beverages), installing hydration stations around campus to make the banning of bottled water more feasible (to date over 35,000 plastic bottles worth of water has been served by the hydration stations), etc.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Dining Services/Food plan(s):
Dean for Environmental, and Institutional Sustainability
None
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Energy:
The Climate Action Plan calls for systematically increasing renewable energy so that KCC can be carbon neutral by 2041. KCC installed a 50 kW wind turbine in 2011 and plans to install a 25 kW solar array in 2015. Every year, students in the solar photovoltaic course create a 5 kW solar array as a capstone project and assemble it on a campus (or community) roof. A retrocommissioning audit seven years agao provided KCC with an action plan to retrofit lighting and the HVAC system increasing energy efficiency.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Energy plan(s):
Measurable objectives include increasing the amount of renewable energy, reducing energy consumption by more energy efficiencies, and encouraging more energy efficient behavior. The progress on the measures is reported annually.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Energy plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Grounds:
The Master Campus Plan and Conservation Plan call for sustainability measures in Grounds with natural landscaping, bioswales, permeable pavement, natural habitats, native plantings, etc.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Grounds plan(s):
Measurable objectives are more project-by-project based as concerns for more sustainable grounds are realized by the number of native plantings, the planting of indigenous trees, landscape design that replaces turf grass, etc. Facilities recently started using biofriendly hydraulic fluid, The Automotive Department is planning on large-scale biofuel production.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Grounds plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Purchasing:
In 2012, KCC revised its Purchasing Policy to be more green. The new Board approved policy states:
Green Purchasing
KCC is committed to the use and purchase of environmentally and socially responsible materials and products.
It is the policy of KCC to require purchase of products and services that minimize environmental and health impacts, toxics, pollution, and hazards to worker and community safety and to the larger global community to the greatest extent practicable; however, it is not the intent of this policy to require a department, buyer, or contractor to take any action that conflicts with local, state, or federal requirements, or to procure products that do not perform adequately for their intended use, exclude adequate competition, or are not available at a reasonable price in a reasonable period of time.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Purchasing plan(s):
The strategies are more purchase-by-purchase based as more sustainable decisions are made in purchasing. The measurable objectives are a bit more difficult, since purchasing at KCC is very decentralized.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Purchasing plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Transportation:
The Sustainability Plan and Master Campus Plan have provisions for encouraging sustainability in transportation by placing bike racks, indicating fuel efficient vehicle parking spaces, providing bus discounts, etc. KCC also collaborated with community partners to create a bike path that transverses the campus and is planned to connect to other bike paths through town to the State Park.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Transportation plan(s):
The measurable objectives include the number of students, faculty, and staff that purchase discounted bus passes, carpool, and ride bicycles to the college. These objectives are measured annually. Strategies are a bike reward program and carpooling for college events.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Transportation plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Waste:
The plan is to decrease waste and increase reuse and recycling of sustainable materials. KCC has increased the amount of waste diversion from landfills by increasing our recycling program.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Waste plan(s):
Every five years KCC conducts a Waste Characterization Study and Waste Reduction Plan Update, and is due to conduct one in 2015. The study from 2009 showed that waste landfilled per student of 0.0196 tons per year represents a 34.73 % decrease from the amount of waste landfilled per student in 1987 (the baseline for the Waste reporting system).
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Waste plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Water:
In all new construction design plans include low flow water fixtures. As deferred maintenance projects are completed low flow options will be utilized. In addition, KCC is looking for ways to reduce water consumption. The plan includes Water Audit Training, conducting a water audit, and exploring the possibility of Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) Billion Gallon Challenge grant. plan
Date Revised: Feb. 10, 2015
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Water plan(s):
There are no timeframes, as the new projects and deferred maintenance as by nature not on a timeframe. There is a ne Advanced Technology Education Center planned for construction 2015-2016 and low flow fixtures are part of the plan. A reduction in water use per year corrected for student population will measure the water use improvement.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Water plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Diversity and Affordability:
KCC's Philosophy and Mission include: "KCC is committed to diversity and embraces the value it brings to our college community. KCC also recognizes that all aspects of diversity enrich the educational experience and advance the mission of the institution. Inclusion, respect, and sensitivity are the pillars of our commitment, and promotion of diversity, in all its ideals, is our goal". Regarding affordability, KCC strives to keep tuition at or below the state average for Illinois community
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):
Strategies include fiscal policies to hold tuition at or below the state average and hiring practices that require a diverse slate of candidates approved by Human Resources. Measureable objectives include the number of selection committees that interview diverse candidates and the tuition rate compared to other Illinois community colleges on a yearly basis.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Health, Wellbeing and Work:
KCC offers a Fitness Center free to employees and an annual allowance for dental, optical, and auditory medical expenses, a variety of exercise and weight loss courses and programs (like Weight Watchers),a comfortable work environment, an one wellness day off per year.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):
On an annual basis Fitness Center memberships, sick days, and program enrollment is documented.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Investment:
The Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability has been working with the Executive Director of the KCC Foundation to explore ways to shift investments to more sustainable options. There is a plan to continue to provide the Foundation Board with suggestions and best practices.
Date Revised: Feb. 10, 2015
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Investment plan(s):
The percentage of sustainable investments in the Foundation portfolio would be a measureable objective, but so far there is no movement toward sustainable investments.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Investment plan(s):
Dean for Environmental and Institutional Sustainability
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in other areas:
KCC's Council for Community Sustainability strives to advance sustainability into the Kankakee River Valley community with a structured approach. The goals of the Council are to: 1) Coordinate sustainability sectors, across a broad spectrum, affecting
community development and quality of life, 2) Be a driving force for sustainability in the Kankakee area, the quad-counties, and the South Chicago Region, 3) Share resources and knowledge in order to accelerate change, and 4) Provide opportunities for and assistance with obtaining additional resources, such as grants and funding.
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the other plan(s):
Strategies and objectives are measured on a yearly basis. Strategies include conducting bi-monthly meeting to advance collaborative efforts with a representative group of attendees like community gardens, sharing grant opportunities, sharing sustainable practices, etc; and conducting monthly Green Drinks programs, Sustainability Minutes on KCC's National Public Broadcasting radio station, WKCC, and collaborating on events during Sustainability Week. We measure the number of ebvents we hold annually and the attendance at each.
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the other plan(s):
Dean for Environmental, and Institutional Sustainability
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The institution’s definition of sustainability:
Sustainability is a priority of Kankakee Community College. The Sustainability Vision is to be “a model of sustainability for District 520, for Illinois higher education, and for Community Colleges nationwide. KCC will also be a leader in sustainability education, preparing students to successfully negotiate inevitable challenges and to live happy and constructive lives that serve the betterment of humanity and future generations”.
To support this Vision, KCC will achieve four goals:
1. Achieve carbon neutrality for the KCC campus by involving faculty, staff, and students in creating and maintaining a campus culture that embodies the ideals of sustainability.
2. Expand KCC’s curriculum to support sustainability and the growing renewable energy
industry.
3. Create models that illustrate sustainability and share these models and expanded
curriculum with the local community as well as with educational institutions across
Illinois.
4. Create partnerships between KCC and other community organizations to promote and
nurture sustainability beyond the confines of the KCC campus.
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Does the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document include sustainability at a high level?:
Yes
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A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:
"To grow sustainability initiatives as a locally and regionally recognized feature opf the college."
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The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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