Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 55.78
Liaison Jennifer McLaughlin
Submission Date Dec. 9, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

South Dakota State University
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Jennifer McLaughlin
Sustainability Intern
Facilities and Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
Yes

The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:

Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Committee Charter

Overview: The Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Committee (ESSC) engages the South Dakota State University and the surrounding community in fostering a sustainable future and provides strategic leadership in developing impactful initiatives that support environmental, economic, and social sustainability education.

Composition and Appointment: The ESSC is a Joint Administration and Faculty Senate Committee. Administrative, Professional Staff, Civil Service Employees, Students and other committee members (who are not faculty members) shall be nominated through the appropriate self-governing body, or administrator, and forwarded to the President who shall appoint the member. Faculty Committee members shall be appointed by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate and recommended for approval by the Faculty Senate. The Committee shall include eight (8) tenure-track faculty members, representing the diversity among colleges; two (2) Professional Staff members nominated by the Professional Staff Advisory Council; one (1) Civil Service member nominated by the Civil Service Advisory Council; and two (2) student members nominated by the Students' Association. The Sustainability Specialist among others, as appropriate, will serve as ex-officio, non-voting members of the Committee. All voting members serve a three-year term that can be renewed for a second term, except for students who serve a one-year term.

Responsibilities: The ESSC will initiate, promote, and integrate sustainability throughout the University in academics, engagement, operations, and administration and planning. The Committee seeks to:
 Develop an awareness, understanding, and culture of sustainability;
 Advise the President, University Administration, Faculty Senate, Sustainability Specialist, and other appropriate campus units regarding environmental, economic, and social sustainability matters and assist in the promotion and integration of the efforts;
 Identify sustainability concerns, gather and research relevant data, and provide a draft plan to address the concern;
 Recommend and monitor baseline measures and benchmarks for South Dakota State University’s strategic sustainability initiatives;
 Provide periodic updates to SDSU faculty, staff, students, and Brookings community regarding sustainability; and
 Review the ESSC Strategic plan periodically and update the Faculty Senate as necessary.

Sub-Committees: Ad-hoc committees may be appointed when duly necessary for effective and efficient conduct of ESSC responsibilities and duties.

Structure, Meetings and Staff Support: The ESSC shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair from its tenure-track faculty membership for a one-year term as determined by the Committee. The Vice Chair will succeed the Chair in the year following their Vice Chair term. Per shared governance guidelines, a committee member is eligible to be re-elected for a leadership position after a one-year break. The ESSC shall elect a Recorder from faculty, staff, and student members for a one-year term. This position is renewable annually. Meetings will occur at a minimum of once per month during the academic year. Facilities and Services staff shall support and provide administrative guidance to the ESSC in fulfilling its responsibilities.

Accountability and Reporting: The ESSC's activities and accomplishments will be reported annually to the President of the Faculty Senate. As part of the annual report, a self-evaluation assessment shall be included per senate guidelines. The Associate Vice President for Facilities and Services will serve as the administrative liaison.


Members of each committee, including affiliations and role (e.g. staff, student, or faculty):

2018-2019 Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Committee Members:
Alham Abuatiq -At-Large Faculty
Erin Benson - Student
Hesham Fahmy - At-Large Faculty
Jessica Andrews - Professional Staff/NFE
Justin Parks - Professional Staff/NFE
Lora Perkins - At-Large Faculty
Lori Maher - Civil Service
Marylou Mylant - At-Large Faculty
Padu Krishnan - At-Large Faculty
Reinaldo Tonkoski - At-Large Faculty
Sameer Keshavan - Student
Thandiwe Nleya - At-Large Faculty
Dean Kattelmann – Administrative Liaison (Facilities & Services)
Tanner Aiken – Facilities & Services (Ex-Officio)
Jennifer McLaughlin – Facilities & Services (Ex-Officio)
Eric Nickelson – Aramark (Ex-Officio)


Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee?:
No

A brief description of each sustainability office:
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Full-time equivalent (FTE) of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
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Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Yes

Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Jennifer McLaughlin, Sustainability Specialist

Does the institution have a mechanism for broad sustainability coordination for the entire institution (e.g. a campus-wide committee or an officer/office responsible for the entire campus)?:
Yes

A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:

Sustainability Specialist Accomplishments
FY17
•Food Recovery Network – helped set up and advise new student club
•Tobacco Free Campus Initiative - Researched how tobacco affects sustainability
•Class presentations
•Recycling - helped Athletics/Custodial pick out concourse recycling bin for Athletic grant, presentations, created recycling guide, conducted survey to understand barriers to recycling on campus, RecycleMania
•Student Sustainability Council adviser
•Created sustainability newsletter
•Conducted waste audit
•Created sustainability guides
•Created sustainability newsletter
•Organized bicycle counts on campus
•Promoted sustainability at new student, international, graduate, and faculty/staff orientation
•Created sustainability plan
•Wrote monthly newspaper articles for campus newspaper
•Launched sustainability pledge
•Created sustainability study abroad flyer
•Organized book recycling for students and employees
•Recycling Survey

FY18
•Hosted bike education booth
•Offered Sustainability in Curriculum Workshop Series
•Conducted waste audit
•Took members of campus on tours of our local landfill, recycling MRF, and campus sustainability hot spots
•Participated in America Recycles Day
•Participated in Earth Hour
•Conducted bicycle counts for campus
•RecycleMania
•Social Media
•Spoke with Admissions on adding campus sustainability features to campus tour talking points.
•Keep Campus Clean Initiative – encouraged student clubs to “adopt” portions of campus and pick up trash in that area monthly.
•Organized ink/toner recycling for students and employees
•Presented at Diversity Academy on connection between sustainability & social justice
•Presented at new student, faculty, international student, and graduate student Orientation
•Student Sustainability Council and Food Recovery Network student club adviser
•Presentations
•Presented at UMACs on sustainability pledge
•Hosted the Creative Animal Foundation Tiny House for a day long open house and sustainability presentation
•Added individual office recycling bins to each office
•Conducted sustainability survey
•Added outdoor recycling lid stickers
•Library recycling survey
•Presented to the Girl Scouts on sustainability and help with a sustainability-related journey
•Display at the library about what can/can’t be recycled.
•Started Don’t Dump! Donate! move-out donation program
•Presented at iLearn Workshop on climate change to South Dakota teachers
•Wrote monthly Collegian (campus newspaper) articles
•Presented at NACUBO

FY19
•Sent out quarterly sustainability newsletters
•Presented to the Girl Scouts on sustainability and helped with a sustainability-related journey
•Social Media
•Created a sustainability flyer to be handed out to all new, benefited employees during orientation.
•Included a sustainability guide in the freshman move-in packet.
•Partook in CA and RHD training explaining what sustainability is and educating them on the recycling process.
•Created a Sustainability Tips video and Sustainability Explanation video
•Helped create and launch Jack’s Cupboard, SDSU’s first food pantry
•Educated on recycling during move-in and in Residence Halls
•Presentations
•Presented a poster at AASHE conference regarding recycling efforts.
•Hosted SDSU. Sustainability. & YOU. Booth Series, which educated students on a variety of sustainability topics
•Spoke with Aramark about using more reusable material.
•Served as Ex-officio on SA’s transportation GAF committee.
•Sustainability section placed in the new Student Handbook.
•Recycling education, guide update, and revamped recycling rooms
•Sustainability section included in SDSU re-accreditation application.
•Conducted sustainability survey
•Waste Audit
•Took members of campus on tours of recycling MRF and campus sustainability hot spots
•Brought a performance of VANG: A Drama about Recent Immigrant Farmers to campus
•Participated in Earth Hour
•Hosted Don’t Dump! Donate! the annual move-out donation program
•Wrote monthly Collegian (campus newspaper) article
•Assisted with student sustainability projects
•Hosted a t-shirt reusable bag workshop at the library
•RecycleMania
•Served on UMACS steering committee
•Offered Sustainability Institute for faculty to learn how to integrate sustainability into their curriculum.
•Added individual office recycling bins to each dorm room through Coca-Cola Bin Grant
•Provided ink/toner recycling for students and employees
•Sustainability Club and Food Recovery Network student club adviser
•Presented at new student orientation

Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability Committee Accomplishments:
FY18
Developed subcommittee to help with Bee Campus USA
FY19
Confirmed there is sustainable food signage in Larsons Commons
Helped with review of sustainability courses for AASHE STARS


Job title of the sustainability officer position:
Sustainability Specialist

Job description for the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
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Job title of the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Energy Conservation Engineer

Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
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Job title of the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
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Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
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Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.