Lakehead University

The following are notes for AC7: Incentives for Developing Courses While the university doesn't have any ongoing incentive programs in place, a related incentive opportunity was offered in 2014. Faculty, staff and students from across … read more

The following are notes for AC7: Incentives for Developing Courses

While the university doesn't have any ongoing incentive programs in place, a related incentive opportunity was offered in 2014.

Faculty, staff and students from across the university were invited to send in applications to attend the "Sustainability Across the Curriculum Workshop Retreat", which was held on April 23 – 25, 2014 at the university's Thunder Bay campus, to explore how their teaching, research and engagement activities can contribute to the sustainability revolution.

Coordinated by the Lakehead’s Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies, the grant-funded (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) workshop aimed to build community among an interdisciplinary group of colleagues with diverse commitments to “sustainability”, broadly defined.

During the retreat, participants reflected on current pedagogy and practice, engaged with the particular challenges and opportunities facing sustainability education at the university, and how to strengthen sustainability action on campus and beyond.

All 23 workshop participants were eligible to receive a research budget of $1000 to help further integrate sustainability into their work.

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The university has a number of researchers conducting sustainability research and two centres (Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies, Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining and Exploration) that promote sustainability research. The university does not … read more

The university has a number of researchers conducting sustainability research and two centres (Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies, Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining and Exploration) that promote sustainability research. The university does not currently have formal support and access policies and programs in place as defined in this subcategory. However, in an effort to promote increased engagement in sustainability, in early 2014, faculty, staff and students from across the university were invited to send in applications to attend a "Sustainability Across the Curriculum Workshop Retreat", which was held on April 23 – 25 at the university's Thunder Bay campus, to explore how their teaching, research and engagement activities can contribute to sustainability. Coordinated by the Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies, the grant-funded (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) workshop aimed to build community among an interdisciplinary group of colleagues with diverse commitments to “sustainability”, broadly defined. During the retreat, participants reflected on current pedagogy and practice, engaged with the particular challenges and opportunities facing sustainability education at the university, and how to strengthen sustainability action on campus and beyond. The 25 workshop participants were eligible to receive a research budget of $1000 to help further integrate sustainability into their work.

The following are notes for AC11: Access to Research

Although Lakehead University does not yet have an open access policy, it does have an institutional repository called ThunderSpace. The purpose of this repository is to showcase, preserve and present the scholarly output of the university to the world. The repository includes theses, research articles by university scholars, technical reports, presentations, photographs, audio and video files and other campus publications. The repository aims to provide persistent and centralized access to research, scholarship and creative activities originating from the university, to promote research and collaboration at the university and beyond, and to collect and provide access to the intellectual life of the university.
http://lurepository.lakeheadu.ca/

It is also important to note that from 2014 Canada’s federal granting agencies (Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)) requires grant recipients to ensure that any peer-reviewed journal publications arising from agency-supported research are freely accessible within 12 months of publication, either through the publisher's website (Option #1) or an online repository (Option #2).
http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/NSERC-CRSNG/policies-politiques/Tri-OA-Policy-Politique…

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Additional notes for EN12: Community Service. In 2008, the Senate Undergraduate Studies committee, as part of their responsibility for the 2005-10 Academic Plan, examined the use of CSL in programs across the university. Thirteen of … read more

Additional notes for EN12: Community Service.

In 2008, the Senate Undergraduate Studies committee, as part of their responsibility for the 2005-10 Academic Plan, examined the use of CSL in programs across the university. Thirteen of 37 programs reported having community service learning components in their program.

Community Service Learning does figure in the new academic/research plan for the university and a committee is working on putting together a workshop for this coming year. There is new interest in figuring out how to make CSL more visibly and officially part of LU.

Lakehead also does not have an official way of recognizing community service initiatives for faculty members as part of promotion, tenure or renewal.

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The following are notes for OP1 and OP2 under Air and Climate. OP1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions In the past 5 years, Lakehead has not performed a GHG emissions audit which includes all Scope 1 & … read more

The following are notes for OP1 and OP2 under Air and Climate.

OP1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In the past 5 years, Lakehead has not performed a GHG emissions audit which includes all Scope 1 & Scope 2 GHG emission sources. Additionally Lakehead University has never performed a GHG emissions audit which includes any Scope 3 GHG emission sources.

In 2009 Lakehead contracted a company (Johnson Controls) to perform a GHG emissions audit.This audit does not qualify for STARS because; it is based off of data older than 5 years prior to the STARS submission date, the data was not third party verified and only Scope 1 & Scope 2 emission sources were considered (no Scope 3 emissions).

Annually since 2011 Lakehead has submitted a rudimentary GHG emissions inventory to the Province of Ontario under ONTARIO REGULATION 397/11 made under the GREEN ENERGY ACT, 2009. This submission does not qualify as a GHG emissions inventory as the data used has not been third party verified and only Scope 1 & Scope 2 emission sources were considered (no Scope 3 emissions).

OP2: Outdoor Air Quality

Lakehead has no policies or guidelines in place to improve outdoor air quality and reduce pollutants from mobile sources. Additionally, Lakehead has not performed an emissions audit measuring any of the above pollutants from any stationary or mobile sources.

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The following are notes for OP3: Building Operations and Maintenance Lakehead has not pursued any form of Green Building Council sustainability certification on any of it's buildings older than 5 years old. It has been … read more

The following are notes for OP3: Building Operations and Maintenance

Lakehead has not pursued any form of Green Building Council sustainability certification on any of it's buildings older than 5 years old. It has been noted that to bring many Thunder Bay campus buildings up to LEED standards, significant asbestos abatement would need to be performed bringing renovations costs above the value of some buildings.

Lakehead has however committed to building all new buildings to LEED standards as is noted in Lakehead's Sustainable Building Policy found here: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/faculty-and-staff/policies/property/sustainable-building-po….

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The following are notes for: OP11: Cleaning Products Purchasing Hugh Briggs of Physical Plant has noted that in the past the janitorial staff have tested green products in replacement of traditional cleaning products but have … read more

The following are notes for:

OP11: Cleaning Products Purchasing

Hugh Briggs of Physical Plant has noted that in the past the janitorial staff have tested green products in replacement of traditional cleaning products but have found them to be inadequate. Briggs noted that often the cleaning products do not adequately clean bathroom facilities, and the perfumes in green products have caused complaints. He noted that some with a lack of perfumes have resulted in complaints that bathrooms do not smell clean, and that others with perfumes have aggravated sensitivities to allergy's. Physical Plant thus has no formal policy which mandates the use of green cleaning products.

OP12: Electronics Purchasing

In communications with Lucas Johnson (Educational Technologies Coordinator) and Bernard Blake (Chief Information Officer,Technology Services Centre) and a study of Lakehead University's official policies and procedures, no formal policy has been established which requires Lakehead employees to purchase EPEAT registered electronics products.

OP17: Guidelines for Business Partners

Geoffrey Matte (Manager, Procurement & Contract Services) noted that some of the new contracts will likely have "guidelines and/or agreements that require adherence to minimum environmental standards" citing the new contract with Aramark food services, but noted that it is not Lakehead policy to try to include these guidelines but rather each contract is assessed on an individual basis to determine their necessity. He also noted that the number of contracts which include this provisions is not tracked.

Additionally Geoffrey stated that Lakehead does not track the number "business partners [that] are covered by policies, guidelines and/or agreements that require adherence to minimum standards governing employee wages, benefits, working conditions and rights".

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The following are notes on: OP24: Construction and Demolition Waste Conversion Hugh Briggs of physical plant noted that all of Lakehead's construction is contracted out, and while sometimes waste provisions are included in the contract … read more

The following are notes on:

OP24: Construction and Demolition Waste Conversion

Hugh Briggs of physical plant noted that all of Lakehead's construction is contracted out, and while sometimes waste provisions are included in the contract (as is the case with the Nanabijou Childcare Centre) construction waste is not tracked.

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The following are notes for: OP27: Rainwater Management Hugh Briggs of physical plant noted that Lakehead's Thunder Bay campus makes use of some landscape features to handle rain water, but the institution has not formally … read more

The following are notes for:

OP27: Rainwater Management

Hugh Briggs of physical plant noted that Lakehead's Thunder Bay campus makes use of some landscape features to handle rain water, but the institution has not formally adopted a rainwater management plan. Lakehead is fortunate to have an immense amount of green space and a river which runs through campus. The result is that rain water management is not typically a problem. Additionally Briggs noted that there is currently no rain water re-use on campus besides the community gardeners who have a rain barrel. The amount of water captured by the gardeners is not measured.

OP28: Wastewater Management

All of Lakehead's water use is handled by the City of Thunder Bay's Sewage Treatment & Water Pollution Control Plant. Lakehead does not discharge any waste water to be naturally handled.

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The following are notes for the credit PA1: Sustainability Coordination Previously, there was a multi-stakeholder sustainability committee at Lakehead but it is no longer active. The Lakehead University Student Union has a student-funded Sustainability Initiative … read more

The following are notes for the credit PA1: Sustainability Coordination

Previously, there was a multi-stakeholder sustainability committee at Lakehead but it is no longer active.

The Lakehead University Student Union has a student-funded Sustainability Initiative with one full-time Coordinator during the months of September-April.

The Lakehead University Student Union Sustainability Initiative is dedicated to fostering an environmentally and socially accountable campus culture. The SI is responsible for furthering the development of environmentally and socially responsible business practices for LUSU, as well as the empowerment of students through the provision of knowledge, skills and action based solutions for campus and community.

http://sustain.lusu.ca/

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Notes for PA5: Assessing Diversity and Equity While Lakehead has not formally assessed Diversity and Equity, along with other Ontario universities, Lakehead signed a Multi-Year Accountability Agreement (MYAA) with the Ministry of Colleges and Training. … read more

Notes for PA5: Assessing Diversity and Equity

While Lakehead has not formally assessed Diversity and Equity,
along with other Ontario universities, Lakehead signed a Multi-Year Accountability Agreement (MYAA) with the Ministry of Colleges and Training. The MYAA is designed to increase:

1. Accessibility to postsecondary studies;
2. Quality of the educational experience;
3. Accountability to the public.

The 2012-2013 MYAA includes information on the enrollment of students with disabilities, first generation students, and Aboriginal students. Along with other information, it includes details on available programs to these students and steps to improve awareness of these services.

http://bolt.lakeheadu.ca/~analysis/MYAA_Report_Back_1213_Lakehead_FINAL.pdf

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Notes for PA9: Employee Compensation The last updated employee As of November 1, 2013 we had 2067 employees which included both full and part time. Out of them, 933 employees were part of a collective … read more

Notes for PA9: Employee Compensation

The last updated employee As of November 1, 2013 we had 2067 employees which included both full and part time. Out of them, 933 employees were part of a collective agreement.

There is currently no data on the number of employees of contractors on campus, therefore this credit cannot be completed at this time.

The following is remaining data for the credit Lakehead was able to answer without receiving credit for.

A brief description of the sustainable compensation standards, guidelines, or policies; and/or collective bargaining agreements covering staff, faculty and/or employees of contractors:

Including applicable laws and legislations: (i.e. employment standards, 7 collective agreements (accessible through website), established salary structures, employment equity policy, pay equity policy.

Lakehead does have an on-site child care facility, partner with a local facility, and/or provide subsidies or financial support to help meet the child care needs of faculty and staff.

Lakehead does offer a socially responsible investment option for retirement plans.

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At the time of this assessment, the Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies placed a formal request to the Finance and Operations Committee requesting the information pertinent to these credits on Investment. This request is … read more

At the time of this assessment, the Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies placed a formal request to the Finance and Operations Committee requesting the information pertinent to these credits on Investment. This request is still under review.

Although at an institutional level Lakehead is not currently assessing their investment in fossil fuels, there is an active campaign run by students and faculty on campus that is part of the larger campaign Fossil Free. Their campaign is called Fossil Free Lakehead and they have a petition arguing for the following:

“Because it is unconscionable to pay for our education with investments that will condemn the planet to climate disaster, we call on Lakehead University to immediately freeze any new investment in fossil-fuel companies, and to divest within five years from direct ownership and from any commingled funds that include fossil-fuel public equities and corporate bonds.”

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fossil-Free-Lakehead/344165165695928

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