| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 70.33 |
| Liaison | Enid Cardinal |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2022 |
Rochester Institute of Technology
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Enid
Cardinal Senior Sustainability Advisor to the President Office of the President |
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in curriculum and/or research?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:
From Climate Action Plan Update:
Engage campus faculty and students in finding energy solutions for deployment on campus
E - 44 Establish a retro-commissioning class that teaches students how to propose a building retro-commissioning project, from energy audit to design. It will provide students with realistic hands-on experience, as the provided solutions will be developed in collaboration with RIT FMS and focus on RIT buildings.
Increase academic opportunities related to carbon accounting
LT - 09 Incorporate carbon accounting projects into more classes. Carbon accounting is a new and growing field. Increasing students’ knowledge of carbon accounting will provide them with an additional marketable skill.
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address student, employee, or community engagement for sustainability?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:
From Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement Strategic Plan: * Equip students with the skills and competencies they need to positively impact communities to which they belong or affiliate. * Cultivate awareness of complex local, national, and global issues. * Create and support learning opportunities for students that focus on addressing community issues and enhancing the skills and competencies necessary for leaders in the 21st century. From Climate Action Plan Update: Engage building occupants in energy conservation efforts E - 15 Develop behavior change programming to encourage personal responsibility for energy conservation in administrative, academic, and residential buildings.
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in operations?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:
From University Strategic Plan:
Goal 14: Develop a sustainable long-term business model that enables us to undertake new initiatives while maintaining a healthy contingency and operating margin; increase RIT’s organizational efficiency and effectiveness with best-in-class institutional ethics, sustainable practices, HR processes, and training compliance.
Goal 17: Develop a master plan that addresses current and future space needs of the Rochester campus, works within its architectural and landscape idiom, ensures a sustainable and lasting foundation for the university, and achieves carbon neutrality by 2030.
From the Climate Action Plan Update:
From the Climate Action Plan Update: Goal 1: Reduce RIT’s purchased energy use by 15% by 2020, 25% by 2025, and 40% by 2030 Goal 3 Fossil Fuel Free by 2045 E - 35 Expand on-site solar energy production to 4MW by 2020 and 6+MW by 2025. E - 37 Install a total of 5 MW of consistent self-generation capacity available regardless of weather or sunlight.
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?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:
RIT Strategic Plan addresses diversity in goals 2, 5, and 6, and Sustainable practices in goal 14.
Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
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?:
The institution's sustainability plan (upload):
Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
The formal statement in support of sustainability:
University policy: https://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/policiesmanual/p060
The institution’s definition of sustainability:
"At the Rochester Institute of Technology, the term sustainability
encompasses holistic approaches to the awareness, understanding and
resolution of our interrelated ecological, economic, social, and ethical
challenges, with the goal of working within, restoring and ameliorating the systems and resources necessary to meet the needs of the current
generation without jeopardizing future generations."
This definition was developed by the former Campus Environment Committee, now Long Range Planning and Environment Committee, of Academic Senate and approved in 2013.
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 | Yes |
| 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) | Yes |
A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
RIT has endorsed the UN Declaration on University Global Engagement and is a member of the University Global Coalition. RIT has also signed on to the We Are Still In pledge.
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning efforts 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.