| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.98 |
| Liaison | Peter Barker |
| Submission Date | March 14, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
St. John's University, New York
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Joanna
Shields STARS Research Analyst Facilities |
Does the institution have current and formal plans to advance sustainability in the following areas? Do the plans include measurable objectives?:
| Current and Formal Plans (Yes or No) | Measurable Objectives (Yes or No) | |
| Curriculum | Yes | Yes |
| Research (or other scholarship) | No | No |
| Campus Engagement | Yes | Yes |
| Public Engagement | Yes | Yes |
| Air and Climate | Yes | Yes |
| Buildings | Yes | Yes |
| Dining Services/Food | Yes | Yes |
| Energy | Yes | Yes |
| Grounds | Yes | Yes |
| Purchasing | Yes | Yes |
| Transportation | Yes | Yes |
| Waste | Yes | Yes |
| Water | Yes | Yes |
| Diversity and Affordability | No | No |
| Health, Wellbeing and Work | No | No |
| Investment | No | No |
| Other | No | No |
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Curriculum:
With the increase of sustainability as a field of work, St. John's University is in the process of integrating more sustainable lessons in the biological science and further developement of the Environmental Sciences program.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Curriculum plan(s):
The University is looking at course trends,enrollment/graduation rates within the Environmental Sciences degree program, and new internship opportunities.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Curriculum plan(s):
-Dianella Howarth (Environmental Studies Program Director)
-Barrett Brenton (Professor)
-Neil David Jespersen (Professor)
-William Nester (Professor)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Research (or other scholarship):
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Research plan(s):
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Research plan(s):
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Campus Engagement around sustainability:
Campus engagement is at the forefront of the Sustainability Department's goals. Engagement is one of the major ways the department promotes and applies its sustainable initiatives. The Sustainability Department meets once a week to discuss innovative ways to enhance community and Campus engagement.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Campus Engagement plan:
The Sustainability Department uses data from events attended, The Energy Conservation Nationals (Dashboard), and facility checks by Sustainability Coordinators to see how initiatives and education are influencing the student community.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Campus Engagement plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
-Frank Cantelmo (Professor)
-Haley Manchon (Sustainability Coordinator)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Public Engagement around sustainability:
Equally as important as Campus engagement is Public Engagement. The Vincentian mission of the University calls to serve the local and global community by promoting a better world for all. The Sustainability Department links this mission with their own and incorporates public engagement ideas in their weekly discussion.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Public Engagement plan(s):
Although events are limited, the Sustainability Department invites the local public to all major events to foster a spirit of collective learning and serving,while keeping track of the number of participants to understand what types of engagement works best for the local community. This helps to understand their needs and plan for future partnerships and events.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Public Engagement plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
-Frank Cantelmo (Professor)
-Haley Manchon (Sustainability Coordinator)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Air and Climate:
In February 2008 St. John's became the first university in NYC to present a plan to meet and exceed the Mayoral Challenge to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent for all campuses. The Sustainability Department has reached the 21%mark, but is conducting plans for further reduction to make their goal by 2017.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Air and Climate plan(s):
The University has made efforts to install a Cogeneration Plant and Central Chiller Plants. It has also conducted Steam System Improvement, Kitchen Hood Renovations, HPS System Improvement, and Lab Hood Improvements to help promote the reduction of carbon emissions. The Sustainability Department works in the maintenance of these upgrades and monitor their efficiency in the overall reduction goal.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Air and Climate plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Buildings:
St. John's University has currently updated many buildings with reflective coatings, incorporated valence heating/cooling systems, and upgraded buildings with digital control of mechanical systems. This is an area the Sustainability Department recognizes as an area of growth and hopes to update many inefficient building space.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Buildings plan(s):
This area is currently being looked at as an area of possible growth.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Buildings plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Dining Services/Food:
This year, the University has researched an purchased a food pulper to help reduce food waste on campus and increase composting material.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Dining Services/Food plan(s):
The hope is to reduce the percent of food waste produced on campus to 0% diversion in the near future.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Dining Services/Food plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Energy:
The Sustainability Department is currently working on a more inclusive energy platform through Lucid called Buildings OS, which will more accurately monitor energy usage on campus and make it easily trackable for the department and student body as a learning tool.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Energy plan(s):
The department is currently switching data over to this program and hopes to have it up and running within thenext few months. This will link to the Dashboard program currently used.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Energy plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Grounds:
St. John's University is part of the Arbor Day Foundation and Million Trees Project to help offset the Campus production of greenhouse gases. The hope is to increase the number of healthy viable trees on campus grounds to make the environmentalimpact of the University negligible.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Grounds plan(s):
GIS and the St. John's University (SJU) Tree Inventory Project is currently being conducted by Dr. Paula Kay Lazrus and her team of students to monitor the progression of campus trees. This information is then made available to the Sustainability office for future reference data.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Grounds plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Purchasing:
The Fair Trade Committee is currently in its infancy, but hopes to help promote sustainable purchasing on campus.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Purchasing plan(s):
The Committee is currently working on different campaign ideas and promoting fair trade goods on campus through small sales and event presence via "Fairtradecampaigns.org".
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Purchasing plan(s):
Sean Murray (Fair Trade Committee Chair)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Transportation:
We’ve partnered with 511NY Rideshare to offer our faculty and employees alternative travel options. 511NY Rideshare is a state Department of Transportation-sponsored program that aims to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles on the roads.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Transportation plan(s):
The University hopes to have a higher percentage of faculty carpooling to campus in the next few years.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Transportation plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Waste:
Waste management proves to be the largest and most difficult task on campus due to the large campus size and volume of students. The Sustainablility Department has implemented single stream recycling to promote proper recycling techniques and hopes to see 100% recycling in the next few years.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Waste plan(s):
Currently, Sustainability Coordinators are doing inspections of facility recycling and waste collection stations to create a more conprehensive plan for waste management on campus. One area the department has already identified as a concern is large cardboard box breakdown.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Waste plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Water:
The Sustianability Department is looking for areas to expand water efficiency. This year the Department has retro-fitted Campus kitchens to use less water and has renovated multiple campus laundry rooms with water efficient washers. One portion of the campus also has been fitted to collect rain water for campus use.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Water plan(s):
The Sustainability Department hopes to find futher areas such as furthering their rain collection and water efficiency innitiatives through monitoring of current projects on campus.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Water plan(s):
-Thomas Goldsmith (Director)
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Diversity and Affordability:
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Health, Wellbeing and Work:
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Investment:
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Investment plan(s):
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Investment plan(s):
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in other areas:
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the other plan(s):
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the other plan(s):
The institution’s definition of sustainability:
Does the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document include sustainability at a high level?:
A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:
St. John's University understands that planning for Sustainability is a community effort. Due to this wide-spanning effort, several departments, on campus facilities, and University partners have their own individual plans to contribute to St. John's Sustainability. The University Sustainability Department not only leads all sustainable work on campus, but works as the contact between these multi-disciplinary partners and assists in their efforts.
The St. John's University Sustainability Department has devised a list of Sustainable initiatives it would like to work on over the next couple of years. This document can be found in the URL box below.
The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
*Initiatives for 2016 are a work in progress and may change depending on available resources.
*Current ongoing initiatives through the Sustainability Department can be found at: http://www.stjohns.edu/campuses/sustainability/stewardship
*Initiatives for 2016 are a work in progress and may change depending on available resources.
*Current ongoing initiatives through the Sustainability Department can be found at: http://www.stjohns.edu/campuses/sustainability/stewardship
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.