| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 56.23 |
| Liaison | Rachael Wein |
| Submission Date | July 11, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Smith College
OP-21: Support for Sustainable Transportation
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.38 / 2.00 |
Deirdre
Manning Environmental Sustainability Director Office of Environmental Sustainability |
Does the institution provide secure bicycle storage (not including office space), shower facilities, and lockers for bicycle commuters?:
A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:
Smith College supports the use of bicycles by students, faculty and staff for traveling to and around the college campus. In order to ensure a safe and productive bicycle environment, a Bicycle Policy has been established for our community. There are bike racks outside nearly every building on campus.
There are shower facilities at the gym as well as in the bathrooms of Ford Hall which are accessible to all. There are also lockers available for commuters in the Campus Center.
Does the institution provide short-term bicycle parking (e.g. racks) within 50 ft (15 m) of all occupied, non-residential buildings and make long-term bicycle storage available within 330 ft (100 m) of all residence halls (if applicable)?:
A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:
There are bike racks outside nearly every building on campus. There are no bike lockers on campus.
Does the institution have a “complete streets” or bicycle accommodation policy (or adhere to a local community policy) and/or have a continuous network of dedicated bicycle and pedestrian paths and lanes?:
A brief description of the bicycle/pedestrian policy and/or network:
Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:
Smith College's bicycle-sharing program comes in the form of a student organization called The Bicycle Kitchen. Their most direct mission is to provide Smith College with bicycle rentals and bike maintenance education. They not only provide bikes to members of the community, but also help people learn how to fix their own bikes so that students do not have to rely on bike maintenance services elsewhere.
Is the institution certified as a Bicycle Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists (U.S.) or under a similar third party certification covering non-motorized transportation?:
A brief description of the certification, including date certified and level:
Does the institution offer free or reduced price transit passes and/or operate a free campus shuttle for commuters?:
A brief description of the mass transit program(s), including availability, participation levels, and specifics about discounts or subsidies offered (including pre-tax options):
Smith (in cooperation with Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire Colleges and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst) subsidize the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, which provides transit service among the “five college” campuses and bordering communities. Smith students, faculty and staff may ride all PVTA buses free of charge during the academic year.
Does the institution offer a guaranteed return trip (GRT) program to regular users of alternative modes of transportation?:
A brief description of the GRT program:
Carpoolers, opt-outers, bicyclists and PVTA riders can participate in the MassRIDES Emergency Ride Home Program. Situations that are considered "emergencies" by the ERH program include:
-unexpected personal illness / emergency
-unexpected family illness / emergency
-carpool/vanpool driver has emergency
Does the institution participate in a car/vanpool or ride sharing program and/or offer reduced parking fees or preferential parking for car/vanpoolers?:
A brief description of the carpool/vanpool program:
The UMass Rideshare Program, which Smith participates in, offers a carpool assistance program that lists the names of carpoolers who have similar schedules and routes. The ride-matching form allows you to create an account and submit your information and find commuters in your neighborhood interested in carpooling. This service is open to any Five College employee or off-campus student and is free of charge.
Does the institution participate in a car sharing program, such as a commercial car-sharing program, one administered by the institution, or one administered by a regional organization?:
A brief description of the car sharing program:
Smith has partnered with Zipcar to offer the campus community an alternative to car ownership since August 2006. This program gives students another reason to avoid bringing a car to campus and can be seen as a natural next step in the institution's sustainability efforts. Additionally, first year students are not allowed to have cars on campus, so this helps support the ZipCar program.
Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
Does the institution offer a telecommuting program for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
A brief description of the telecommuting program:
Does the institution offer a condensed work week option for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
A brief description of the condensed work week program:
Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
Does the institution have other incentives or programs to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation and reduce the impact of student and employee commuting?:
A brief description of other sustainable transportation initiatives and programs:
Smith's Opt-Out Program pays eligible employees to travel to and from work without driving a single-occupant (SOV) vehicle. The Opt-Out Program is a voluntary program to encourage faculty and staff to find alternate ways to commute, such as car-pooling, ridesharing, bicycling, walking and public transit.
The college offers a two-tiered payment system. Under the terms of the program, employees receive an Opt-Out payment of $150 per year for choosing to leave their car at home and live within a one mile radius from the center of campus. For those living outside of the one-mile radius, a payment of $400 will be given. Participants will also be provided with free passes that will allow 18 days of campus parking each year for those days when a car is needed.
First-year students are prohibited from bringing their vehicles to campus. Any first-year student found in violation of this policy will be referred to the Smith College Judicial Board. A very limited number of permits are available for non-first year students on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable transportation program(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.