| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.41 |
| Liaison | Yolanda Cieters |
| Submission Date | Feb. 22, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Seattle University
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Phillip
Thompson Director CEJS |
Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee, office, and/or officer that focuses on sustainability broadly and covers the entire institution?:
A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the committee(s), office(s), and/or officer(s) during the previous three years:
The Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability (CEJS) opened in 2013. CEJS serves as a clearinghouse for Seattle U environmental programs and sustainability initiatives. The Center enables innovative and interdisciplinary scholarship, teaching, and learning in environmental sustainability and its intersection with issues of justice. CEJS also organizes and co-sponsors lectures, symposia, conferences, and workshops that engage EJS scholars with the community.
Substantive Sustainability accomplishments on SU campus:
--The Sustainability Literacy Assessment was created to evaluate the degree to which Seattle University is educating undergraduate students on the social, environmental and economic dimensions of sustainability and climate change.
--EcoReps are student representatives who are each assigned a residence hall to be responsible for. Each ecorep then is responsible for assessing sustainability needs within the hall and developing improvements. They must promote and encourage sustainable programming practices and implement at least one program per quarter that is focused on sustainability and environmental justice. They attend SU EcoAlliance meeting and help promote related sustainability events.
--Lunch hour sustainability discussion groups provide employees with the opportunity to learn how to live more sustainability. Topics have included voluntary simplicity, ways to live a healthier life while improving your community’s health, the connections between our lifestyle and food choices and the condition of the Earth.
--The annual recycling event lets employees, students and our surrounding neighbors drop off their hard-to-recycle items for free.
--An innovative heat recovery project captures waste heat from the pool area exhaust and preheats incoming fresh air and swimming pool water. By “recycling” this waste heat, the system cuts annual CO2 emissions by 1.8 million pounds and reduces our energy bill by $82,000.
--Seven new gas boilers heat water and send it into an underground loop that, in turn, heats the air and water of five buildings. This system reduces our buildings’ carbon output by 18% and our annual energy bill by $138,000
--New trios of food waste, recycling and trash bins were installed in all buildings.
--SU switched to an environmentally-friendly vendor for paper towels, toilet paper, soap and hand sanitizer.
Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:
The President’s Committee for Sustainability (PCS) was convened in March 2011. The purpose of the Committee is to advance and deepen Seattle University’s commitment to ecological justice through collaboration, transparency and inclusion. This committee serves to advocate and advance sustainability at the university in the following ways:
--Advise and report to the President and Cabinet on campus sustainability
--Provide support and coordination for campus members to pursue and share their interests and knowledge in sustainability within campus and in the community
--Oversee, monitor and report on the progress of sustainability strategies on campus, including the university’s climate action plan, and report and communicate about sustainability to the university and community.
Members of each committee, including affiliations and role (e.g. staff, student, or faculty):
1. One (1) Administrator from Provost’s Office
2. One (1) Administrator from Student Development
3. One (1) Administrator from the Business and Finance Office
4. One (1) Member of the Jesuit Community
5. One (1) Staff from Office of Mission and Ministry
6. One (1) Staff from University Advancement
7. Eight (8) Faculty member(s) representing different schools/colleges and including a member of University Core Curriculum
8. Four (4) at large staff member including one staff responsible for either Transportation, Facilities Operations or Marketing and Communications
9. Three (3) undergraduate students
10. Three (3) graduate students
The website URL where information about the sustainability committee(s) is available:
Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee?:
A brief description of each sustainability office:
The Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability (CEJS):
*Serves as a clearinghouse for Seattle U environmental programs and sustainability initiatives
*Serves as a steward of SU's Climate Action Plan and sustainability efforts.
*Enables innovative and interdisciplinary scholarship, teaching, and learning in environmental sustainability and its intersection with issues of justice.
*Organizes and co-sponsors lectures, symposia, conferences, and workshops that engage EJS scholars with the community.
Full-time equivalent (FTE) of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
The website URL where information about the sustainability office(s) is available:
Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Name and title of each sustainability officer:
A brief description of each sustainability officer position:
SU's CEJS Director:
*Is responsible for developing and coordinating sustainability principles, goals and standards into operation, academic and co-curricular functions in collaboration with staff, students and faculty.
*Develops, coordinates, and implements programs and provides technical expertise, advice and guidance to all campus members with the ultimate goal of fully implementing SU’s Climate Action Plan and developing a culture of sustainability at the university. *Leads and encourages both individual and institutional action to advance a sustainable future for the world.
Besides our staff, CEJS also employs 3-5 interns who work an average of 5-8 hours per week.
The website URL where information about the sustainability officer(s) is available:
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.