Richland Community College
PAE-14: Sustainability in New Employee Orientation

Richland Community College provides information on sustainability during its new hire orientation addressing all three dimensions of sustainability; economy, environment and society. All newly hired employees, both faculty and staff, attend a week long orientation. During orientation employees are welcomed, provided an overview of each area of the college as well as discuss key priorities of each area including sustainability.
Dr. Gayle Saunders, President of Richland Community College, and first presenter of orientation week, lays the foundation for RCC’s sustainability efforts. Sustainability is demonstrated as a part of campus culture through her presentation of college structure, history, achievements, Vision, Mission, Core Values (Commitment, Respect, Excellence, Accountability, and Diversity), Strategic Planning and RCC’s Commitment to the Future. For example, Dr. Saunders includes a slide enlightening new employees on the July 2009 opening for the Center for Sustainability and Innovations, a “net zero” energy facility right on campus. In another example, a slide is dedicated to the 2009 turbine initiative celebrated by Richland as the gateway to the College’s Agribusiness Applied Technology Park and icon for new “green” curriculum and programs. In the Strategic Plan discussion, it is noted that Goal 3: College Operations focuses on sustainability of the College’s human resources.
To further enhance understanding of sustainability initiatives, Dr. Doug Brauer, VP of Economic Development and Innovative Workforce Solutions and his team provide additional information on the innovations laboratory, bio energy corridor seminars & conferences, renewable energy grants, sequestrations grants, and the cross culture institute. A key discussion topic is Richland’s new Agribusiness Applied Technology Park and its development as a carbon capture and storage education center. This department also provides new employees with notices of upcoming sustainability events. In the most recent orientation, the Small Food and & Energy Expo was highlighted.

In the STARS manual labeled Understanding Sustainability, the Brundtland Commission is cited as writing, “Our inability to promote the common interest is sustainable development is often the product of neglect of economic and social justice.” “A world in which poverty and inequity are endemic will always be prone to ecological and other crises.” During orientation, Director of Campus Life, Heather Kind – Keppel, connects new employees to these reflective statements by discussing social justice and providing a journal article, “Aspiring Social Justice Ally Identity Development: A Conceptual Model” by Keith E. Edwards. In addition, she offers herself as a resource for all employees who want to further develop social justice teachings into their leadership models.

New Employees of Richland Community College visually see examples, hear and discuss topics of sustainability encouraging the continued adoption of socially preferabl3e habits, routines, and choices.