| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 50.52 |
| Liaison | Alicia Hodenfield |
| Submission Date | Feb. 18, 2021 |
Sonoma State University
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Megan
Varnadore Director of Resiliency and Sustainability Operations Risk Management & Safety Services |
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 Sustainability Advisory Council mission statement is: "To catalyze creativity and innovation for a regenerative and resilient future for all".
The President's Sustainability Advisory Committee (PSAC) advises the President, via the Provost and the Vice President of Administration and Finance, on sustainability and resilience at Sonoma State University. The PSAC coordinates the work of the three pillars of the Climate Commitment signed in spring 2019 by SSU President Judy K. Sakaki. The Climate Commitment requires three simultaneous efforts organized under three tracks: academic, resilience, and carbon. The PSAC also leads campus efforts to engage the campus and collaborate with surrounding communities on issues related to sustainability and resilience. The Council will develop goals, tactics, timelines, and metrics to support the SSU strategic plan; ensure SSU complies with the Climate Commitment; and develop and support the campus climate action plan. All recommendations shall be made to the Provost and the Vice President of Administration and Finance, with an annual reporting and public communication structure in place to ensure the entire community is aware of the progress and accomplishments of the Council.
Members of each committee, including affiliations and role:
President's Sustainability Advisory Council membership is representative of all campus units and includes students, faculty, and staff. Membership votes are considered to be representative of their constituencies. Members gather input and report back to identified constituencies and are required to serve on a sub-council. Participation by non-council faculty, students, staff, and community members is encouraged as needed to fulfill the responsibilities of the Council. Meetings of the PSAC are open, unless otherwise stated.
Co-Chairs (appointed by Provost & Vice President of Administration and Finance)
• Sustainability Program Director (Director of Center for Environmental Inquiry)
• Director of Operational Sustainability
Faculty
• Faculty Sustainability Chair (appointed by Provost)
• Three faculty (ideally from different schools) with expertise, experience, and/or commitment to sustainability and resilience (recommended by Academic Senate for three-year staggered terms)
Students (appointed by Associated Students for one-year terms)
• Four students with expertise, experience, and/or commitment to sustainability and resilience (ideally representing: Sustainability Senator, Campus Recreation, Residential Life, and Culinary Services)
Staff (appointed by President)
· Strategic Communications
Staff (appointed by Provost)
• Director of the Center for Community Engagement or designee
Staff (appointed by Vice President for Administration and Finance)
• Purchasing/Contracts designee
• Culinary Services designee
• Transportation & Parking designee
• Conference & Events Services designee
Staff (appointed by Vice President for Student Affairs)
• Housing designee
• Campus Life designee
Staff (appointed by Vice President for Advancement)
• Director of Development or designee
Staff (appointed by Executive Director of the Green Music Center)
• Green Music Center designee
Staff (appointed by Staff Council)
• Staff member with expertise, experience, and/or commitment to sustainability and resilience
Student terms are for one year. All other appointed terms are for three years, with half of the initial appointed terms being for two years to ensure staggered membership terms over time. No more than two consecutive terms may be served by faculty, students, or staff recommended by Academic Senate, Associated Students, or Staff Council. After a one-year hiatus, a member may request to be recommended again by the relevant body.
Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent employee?:
A brief description of each sustainability office:
Department of Operational Sustainability works closely with Facilities, Strategic Communications, Development and other departments to ensure the campus needs. The department oversees the operation, management and monitoring of all the utility services like reviewing the energy use intensity of the buildings by tracking the meters, water consumption and waste management tracking. The department also identifies the best possible solutions to overcome the sustainability issues faced by the university and works on various projects to reach the net-zero goals.
Full-time equivalent of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Does the institution have a mechanism for broad sustainability coordination for the entire institution?:
A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:
The Sustainability Advisory Council convenes four working groups to fulfill its mission to the SSU 2025 Strategic Plan, CSU Sustainability Policy, and the President’s Leadership Climate Commitment (PCLC). Initial efforts of the council are guided by the PCLC and are based on best practices outlined by Second Nature. The Chair serves as primary media contact for campus inquiries related to climate change, sustainability, resilience and the President's Leadership Climate Commitment.
Job title of the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
* The Director of Operational Sustainability provides leadership, management, and guidance for Sonoma State University's Sustainability Program.
* Responsible for overseeing and directing the campus efforts related to meeting long term goals to minimize the University's carbon footprint, developing and maintaining a comprehensive and useful Waste Management Program, and ensuring energy consumption is drastically curtailed.
* Supports and helps lead the Campus as a Living Lab program to integrate sustainability into the curriculum.
Job title of the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
The Sustainability Programs Director provides campus leadership for infusing sustainability into the student experience. The Director promotes high-impact educational experiences surrounding sustainability that promote student success and build university connections with North Bay communities. As Co-Chair of the President’s Sustainability Advisory Council (PSAC) and Chair of the Communication, Marketing and Strategy Working Group, the Director leads the PSAC in identifying goals, timelines, and metrics for sustainability activities that support SSU’s strategic plan.
Job title of the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Reporting to the Director of Operational Sustainability, the Energy and Sustainability Analyst leads energy conservation initiatives for the University involving the analysis, development, and evaluation of complex programs with broad impact.
The analyst assesses, formulates, and evaluates the impact of recommended or implemented policies from a strategic and operational perspective and oversees day-to-day energy and sustainability projects and provide lead work direction to other professional or administrative staff, with accountability for results.
The analyst is responsible for functions related to the University's utility (electricity, natural gas, water, sewer, and solar) usage and associated conservation efforts.
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability coordination 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.