| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 56.01 |
| Liaison | Suzanne Wood |
| Submission Date | Aug. 16, 2023 |
UMass Chan Medical School
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.50 / 4.00 |
Kortni
Wroten Sustainability and Energy Manager Facilities |
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in curriculum and/or research?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:
UMass Chan consists of three schools: the Graduate School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Nursing, and the Graduate School of Biological Studies. In 2022, the Graduate School of Medicine adopted a new curriculum named VISTA that includes its own curriculum for climate change. https://www.umassmed.edu/oume/curriculum/climate-change-curriculum/
UMass Chan is committed to aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goal to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Aligning the curriculums with UN SDGs included UMass Chan goals of expanding collaborative learning experiences to advance patient-centered practices and research through interprofessional team-based learning. By doing so, our trainees will advance our core missions in primary care education and practice and biomedical research, as well as our special responsibilities to provide care to vulnerable populations and to engage in public sector medicine.
Additionally, the System-Wide Sustainability Policy includes a goal that (1) the UMass Sustainability Council will work with their respective campus curriculum governance units to identify where Academic and Research Programming and Community Engagement involving Sustainability already exists, and to explore more formal incorporation into the core curriculum and identified learning outcomes. A specific goal for UMass Chan Medical School is to improve is STARS score, including AC credits.
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address student, employee, or community engagement for sustainability?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:
In 2020, UMass Chan embarked on a planning process for its 2021-2026 Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. The goal of this planning process was to facilitate inclusive community engagement that resulted in a 5-year sustainability and climate action plan focused on operations with broad support from key-stakeholders and those responsible for implementing the strategies.
The Sustainability and Climate Action Plan has the following measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement:
- Activate green spaces on campus for increased community access by the UMass Chan community - this is measured by the Office of Sustainability in square footage.
- Expand the community garden programming - this is tracked and monitored by the Office of Sustainability. In the past three years, there was an addition of two raised garden beds and 7 blueberry bushes.
- Create a self-guided campus walking tour for the campus community
- Improve waste minimization education and behavior change information and programs - measurable through quarterly waste management reports through hauler, EL Harvey
- Create a sustainable food events guide - this was worked on by an intern in the summer of 2023.
In addition, the System-Wide Sustainability Policy includes a goal that the UMass Sustainability Council will work with their respective campus curriculum governance units to identify where Academic and Research Programming and Community Engagement involving Sustainability already exists, and to explore more formal incorporation into core curriculum and identified learning outcomes. Reporting on community engagement initiatives are reported annual as part of the Board of Trustees annual sustainability report.
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in operations?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:
UMass Chan Medical School has goals aligned with the State's E.O. 594, which includes robust sustainability objectives such as emissions reductions, low-emission and zero-emission vehicle procurement, and sustainable construction mandates. More can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/executive-orders/no-594-leading-by-example-decarbonizing-and-minimizing-environmental-impacts-of-state-government
Strategies for reduction in energy use include continued energy efficiency upgrades to the HVAC systems, lighting, refrigeration and other plug load. UMass Chan is currently in the midst of a Decarbonization Plan with Arup and GreenerU, set to complete in September of 2023. With this overarching plan to define future goals, UMass Chan will be poised to prioritize actions in a strategic and efficient way.
In the meantime, energy efficiency projects are tracked and reviewed monthly with facilities engineering and construction to ensure projects are moving forward and used to identities measurable targets for reductions in energy use intensity. The Sustainability and Energy Manager aid this team with learning about and leveraging incentive programs through the state and utility to lessen the burden of capital costs. Such savings can be leveraged for further departmental projects, yielding cost efficiencies.
Goals of UMass Chan Sustainability and Climate Action Plan:
2021–2026 FOCUS AREAS AND GOALS
GROUNDS AND WATER MANAGEMENT
GROUNDS MANAGEMENT GOAL
Increase UMass Chan community access and use of the grounds
as well as biodiversity on campus
WATER REDUCTION GOAL
Reduce water use at UMass Chan
TRANSPORTATION
CAMPUS FLEET GOAL
Reduce emissions from UMass Chan fleet by half
COMMUTING GOAL
Decrease commuting emissions and support low-emission
commuting options
MATERIALS AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
WASTE MINIMIZATION GOAL
Reduce overall waste disposal by 20 percent and increase waste
diversion
SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING GOAL
Implement environmentally preferable purchasing guides and
standards
SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND DINING GOAL
Integrate sustainable food into campus services to support
student learning and community health
BUILDINGS AND ENERGY
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION GOAL
Reduce Scopes 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent by
2026
ENERGY USE INTENSITY REDUCTION GOAL
Reduce EUI of UMass Chan buildings 20 percent by 2026
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address diversity, equity, and inclusion; sustainable investment/finance; or wellbeing?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:
Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
Website URL where the institution’s highest guiding document is publicly available:
Which of the following best describes the inclusion of sustainability in the highest guiding document?:
The institution's sustainability plan (upload):
Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
The formal statement in support of sustainability:
The University of Massachusetts has a board of trustees policy which endorses the UMass System's commitment to Sustainability.
https://www.umassp.edu/sites/umassp.edu/files/content/T16-055-Sustainability%20Policy_12.9.16.pdf
The institution’s definition of sustainability:
UMass Chan approaches sustainability in an inclusive and pluralistic way, encompassing human health, responsibility of financial resources, and ensurance of ecological health for the future. Being sustainable is a commitment to good stewardship of fiscal resources and natural resources
Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| The Earth Charter | Yes |
| The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) | No |
| ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter | No |
| Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability | --- |
| SDG Accord | --- |
| Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment | Yes |
| The Talloires Declaration (TD) | No |
| UN Global Compact | No |
| Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) | Yes |
A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
UMass Chan is committed to carbon neutrality by 2050.
UMass Chan also signed onto the National Academy of Medicine's Climate Collaborative Network. UMass Chan acknowledges the critical need for climate action to protect human health, well-being, and equity and is committed to centering these needs through the National Academy of Medicine’s Climate Collaborative, thus submitted a letter of commitment signed by our Executive Deputy Chancellor, Provost, & Dean.
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning efforts is available:
Date Revised: Nov. 29, 2023
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.