| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.15 |
| Liaison | Mary Ellen Mallia |
| Submission Date | Feb. 27, 2023 |
University at Albany
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Mary Ellen
Mallia Director of Environmental Sustainability Finance and Business |
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 Sustainability Coordinators program is designed to give university employees the ability to work in unison with the Office of Environmental Sustainability on the “Green Scene” initiatives. Coordinators meet monthly to discuss how to communicate university wide sustainability programs and give feedback to the director. All coordinators complete a training on the current campus initiatives. Our goal is to have at least one person from every area of the university represented.
Members of each committee, including affiliations and role:
Sustainability coordinators are listed at: http://www.albany.edu/gogreen/5.sustainability_coordinators_list.shtml
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:
The Office of Sustainability has been charged with coordinating and advancing the sustainability efforts at UAlbany, working with a multitude of academic departments, student groups and community organizations to implement sustainable advancements and policies by:
Engaging the campus community in educational campaigns and programs
Furthering coordination among students, faculty, and staff around sustainable initiatives
Encouraging the conservation and efficient use of natural resources on campus
Advocating for further adoptation of sustainable infrastructure
Increasing awareness of the University's responsibility to operate in an environmentally accountable manner
Assessing campus sustainability efforts to ensure fulfillment of institutional commitments
The Director is Mary Ellen Mallia. The office employs two graduate student assistants and several students in both paid and credit bearing positions.
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 Office of Sustainability is in charge of overseeing and coordinating the sustainability programs at UAlbany. This includes stewarding green initiatives, creating environmental education programs and developing sustainability policies. The office works with various academic departments, student groups and community organizations to implement environmental initiatives, such as recycling and energy conservation awareness programs.
In the last three years, despite the challenges presented by COVID, the office led the formation of the first campus Climate Action and Sustainability Plan, received Bike Friendly (Bronze) and Fair Trade designation, installed a 1.6 megawatt campus solar array and opened a LEED Platinum certified building housing our Atmospheric and Environmental Science, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering (a new program) departments.
Job title of the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
The Director of Sustainability oversees UAlbany's sustainability efforts, including its "UAlbany Green Scene" initiative, environmental education, and policies. The charge is to advance strategic planning initiatives related to campus environmental issues and work with various academic departments and student groups to develop, implement, and coordinate environmental initiatives such as UAlbany's recycling and energy conservation programs.
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 goal of the Energy Officer is to develop and implement strategies and projects to reduce the campus' energy usage and utility costs through energy conservation, efficiency and use of renewable energy technology.
Note: the Energy Officer position is not situated in the Office of Sustainability but rather is part of Facilities Management
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):
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.