| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 56.42 |
| Liaison | Kate Witte |
| Submission Date | May 25, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Keene State College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.50 / 4.00 |
Cary
Gaunt Director of Campus Sustainability Sustainability |
Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:
In 2014-2015 KSC took the bold step of developing visionary policies and plans to guide KSC sustainability into the future. Using whole-campus civic engagement processes with endorsement from campus leadership, these articulated a unique suite of integrative policies and plans that provide a campus-wide framework for environmental stewardship, sustainability, health and wellness. Most notable was a college-wide Strategic Plan that committed Keene State College to attaining STARS GOLD status by 2020. Plans and supporting documents include:
• College Mission Statement: Core values of environmental stewardship, sustainability, social justice and equity
• Keene State College Campus Master Plan: Emphasizes improved natural resources management, energy efficiency, and high performance buildings
• College-Wide Learning Outcomes identified outcomes on Civic Engagement and Well-Being (including of the wider world)
• Keene State College Strategic Plan : Goals 4.4 and 4.5: (4.4) Develop a campus-wide plan to address student wellness, and (4.5) Promote a culture and instill and communicate policies and practices that value and support environmental sustainability and improve the quality of life locally and globally.
• Academic and Co-Curricular Plan identified approaches to the Well-Being Learning Outcome.
A copy of the strategic plan:
The website URL where the strategic plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a published sustainability plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
A copy of the sustainability plan:
The website URL where the sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a published climate action plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
A copy of the climate action plan:
The website URL where the climate action plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have other published plans that address sustainability or include measurable sustainability objectives (e.g. campus master plan, physical campus plan, diversity plan, human resources plan)? :
A list of other published plans that address sustainability, including public website URLs (if available):
Campus Master Plan: http://www.keene.edu/administration/mp/
College-Wide Learning Outcomes: http://www.keene.edu/academics/liberal-arts/outcomes/
Academic and Co-Curricular Plan: https://www.keene.edu/administration/councils/planning/assets/documents/academic-co-curricular-plan/download/
Diversity Plan: https://www.keene.edu/campus/diversity/assets/documents/strategic-plan-for-inclusive-excellence-and-academic-success/download/
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The Keene State College Strategic Plan in Goal 4.5 committed the College to attaining STARS GOLD by 2020 and to develop a road map (i.e., measurable sustainability objectives) to do so. This process is currently underway, but the Office of Sustainability is working with the President's Council for a Sustainable Future to codify sustainability curriculum development goals using the STARS template. These include:
At least one sustainability minor in two-years
A new sustainability focused major by 2020
A green and healthy building boot camp by 2018
Participation in the Ecovation Hub Education and Training Consortium (signing an MOU) by June 2017
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Research?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Research and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The Keene State College Strategic Plan in Goal 4.5 committed the College to attaining STARS GOLD by 2020 and to develop a road map (i.e., measurable sustainability objectives) to do so. This process is currently underway, but the Office of Sustainability is working with the President's Council for a Sustainable Future to codify goals using the STARS template. These include goals for campus engagement:
Create an expanded Orientation Program by Summer 2017
Work with Coordinator of Off-Campus Housing to create an Eco-Ambassador program by Fall 2017
Develop improved Eco-Rep leadership and training materials by June 30, 2017.
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The Keene State College Strategic Plan in Goal 4.5 committed the College to attaining STARS GOLD by 2020 and to develop a road map (i.e., measurable sustainability objectives) to do so. This process is currently underway, but the Office of Sustainability is working with the President's Council for a Sustainable Future to codify energy use reduction goals, and greenhouse gas reduction goals (we are currently vetting a proposed goal of 80% GHG reduction by 2050). KSC’s climate action plan (CAP) was crafted as a guide to help Keene State reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings and the published plans in which each objective is included:
As part of the Strategic Plan Objective to attain STARS Gold by 2020, Keene State College realizes it must improve its building stock through retro-commissioning and committing to green building standards. A draft sustainable building policy currently exists that commits the College to minimum standards that meet LEED requirements and the intention of "raising the bar with each new building." The Office of Sustainability and the President's Council for a Sustainable Future are currently reviewing and updating the Building Guidelines with the intention of developing measurable sustainability objectives by spring 2018.
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The Keene State College Strategic Plan in Goal 4.5 committed the College to attaining STARS GOLD by 2020 and to develop a road map (i.e., measurable sustainability objectives) to do so. This process is currently underway, but the Office of Sustainability is working with the President's Council for a Sustainable Future to codify energy use reduction goals, and greenhouse gas reduction goals (we are currently vetting a proposed goal of 80% GHG reduction by 2050). KSC’s climate action plan (CAP) was crafted as a guide to help Keene State reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
We have a working goal of converting our steam heat, which is currently produced using #6 Heating Oil (highly polluting) to carbon-neutral, or near-carbon neutral sources by 2018 using a tiered approach: 30% by 2016-2017 and 75% by 2017-2018.
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The following goals were identified and met by Keene State College during the reporting period of this AASHE STARS Report; they will be codified by the next STARS reporting period:
1) Compost 100% of organic Dining Common kitchen wastes. This is currently achieved every year and tracked through the EPA Food Recovery Challenge.
2) Divert at least 25% of unused food and food waste to alternative uses and/or compost. This diversion rate also is reported and tracked through the EPA Food Recovery Challenge.
3) Reach goal is to Develop a post-plate composting program no later than Fall 2017 to accommodate food waste scraped from student's plates.
4) Through the post-plate composting program, divert 40% of food waste by Fall 2018.
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds and the published plans in which each objective is included:
An unpublished goal that is standard operating procedure is to practice organic landscape management on 95% of the campus grounds. This is tracked using the AASHE STARS reporting form.
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Water?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Water and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Diversity goals are identified in the Keene State College Diversity Strategic Plan. These are numerous and published in their entirety in the Diversity Strategic Plan found at:
https://www.keene.edu/campus/diversity/assets/documents/strategic-plan-for-inclusive-excellence-and-academic-success/download/
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas (e.g. arts and culture or technology)?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body (e.g. a mission statement that specifically includes sustainability and is endorsed by the Board of Trustees)? :
The formal statement in support of sustainability:
Keene State College Strategic Plan
The institution’s definition of sustainability (e.g. as included in a published statement or plan):
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 |
| Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment | Yes |
| The Talloires Declaration (TD) | No |
| UN Global Compact | No |
| Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) | --- |
A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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.