Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.66
Liaison Eric Boles
Submission Date March 5, 2021
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Arkansas
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 4.00 Eric Boles
Director
Office for Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Published Plans That Address Sustainability 

Strategic Plan

Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
Yes

A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:
UofA Strategic Plan can be found here: https://www.uark.edu/strategic-plan/ The plan does not address environmental sustainability very directly, but has significant focus on topics of social sustainability, equity, and diversity.

A copy of the strategic plan:
---

The website URL where the strategic plan is publicly available:
https://www.uark.edu/strategic-plan/

Sustainability Plan 

Does the institution have a published sustainability plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
Yes

A copy of the sustainability plan:
---

The website URL where the sustainability plan is publicly available:
https://sustainability.uark.edu/_resources/pdfs/2020-sustainability-report-web.pdf

Climate Action Plan 

Does the institution have a published climate action plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
Yes

A copy of the climate action plan:
---

The website URL where the climate action plan is publicly available:
https://sustainability.uark.edu/_resources/pdfs/university-of-arkansas-2018-climate-action-plan.pdf

Other Published Plans 

Does the institution have other published plans that address sustainability or include measurable sustainability objectives (e.g. campus master plan, physical campus plan, diversity plan, human resources plan)? :
Yes

A list of other published plans that address sustainability, including public website URLs (if available):
UA Campus Transportation Plan http://planning.uark.edu/campus_planning/content/2015_transportation_plan_smry.pdf UA Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusion https://diversity.uark.edu/_resources/documents/UArk-Strategic-Plan.pdf UA Facilities Management Sustainability Plan http://planning.uark.edu/campus_planning/content/sustainablepractices.pdf UA Campus Landscape Design Manual https://planning.uark.edu/campus_planning/content/guide%20-%20part%202.pdf UA Arboretum Management Plan https://planning.uark.edu/campus_landscape/index.html UA Water Action Plan https://sustainability.uark.edu/_resources/pdfs/ua-water-action-plan.pdf UA and City of Fayetteville Resiliency Plan https://sustainability.uark.edu/_resources/pdfs/REPORTS/ua_cof_climate_resilience_assessment_2018_v6.pdf Integrated Pest Management Plan https://sustainability.uark.edu/_resources/pdfs/REPORTS/reports-ipm-2014.pdf UA Zero Waste Plan https://sustainability.uark.edu/_resources/pdfs/signed-memo-with-tables.pdf Dining Services Sustainability Plan http://chartwellshighered.com/sustainability/

Measurable Sustainability Objectives 

Curriculum

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The University of Arkansas Resiliency Center (UARC) coordinates the existing undergraduate interdisciplinary minor and graduate certificate in sustainability (SUST) and delivered four new core courses for interdisciplinary MS and Ph.D. programs in the Fall of 2017. These emerging interdisciplinary graduate programs will be developed and administered by collaborating colleges, beginning with the Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design, the College of Engineering, and the Walton College of Business. The measurable outcomes include enrollment in sustainability courses, sustainability minor, and sustainability graduate certificate, as well as student scores on sustainability literacy assessments.

Research 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Research?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Research and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The annual awards in sustainability research are tracked each year and used as a metric for success along with peer-reviewed publications by UARC representatives.

Campus Engagement 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Attendance of events, website analytics, newsletter analytics, and social media analytics are all used to track progress on a monthly basis. An iterative strategy is used to increase each of those metrics by recognizing trends and reacting accordingly.

Public Engagement 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The Resiliency Plan developed with the City of Fayetteville as well as the UA Transportation Plan have identified public engagement as core to their success. A measurable objective within the transportation plan is satisfaction responses received in UA Mode Share Surveys conducted in 2015, 2019, and 2020. The UA will have a third party consultant conduct these surveys each year and track commuter satisfaction for each mode of transportation.

Air & Climate 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The UofA has a carbon neutrality by 2040 goal. The next milestone is to mitigate emissions to 1990 levels of 125,000 MTCDE or less by 2021. More projects have been identified to continue progress towards carbon neutrality in the coming years. Progress and details can be found here: http://reporting.secondnature.org/institution/detail!129

Buildings 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings and the published plans in which each objective is included:
http://planning.uark.edu/campus_planning/content/sustainablepractices.pdf The UA Facilities Management Sustainability Plan requires all new construction and major renovations ($1million or above) to use the USGBC LEED checklist throughout the planning, design, and construction process to achieve LEED Silver or above standards. The USGBC LEED program is a comprehensive measure of sustainability objectives that address buildings.

Energy 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The UofA has a carbon neutrality by 2040 goal, and energy is the biggest piece of the pie. The next milestone is to mitigate emissions to 1990 levels of 125,000 MTCDE or less by 2021. More projects have been identified to continue progress towards carbon neutrality in the coming years. A significant impact on the UofA carbon footprint has been Energy Savings Performance Contracts that have reduced emissions by approximately 30,000 metric tons, and saved around six million dollars in the past 10 years. An energy dashboard system is under construction and hopes to be implemented in the summer of 2020. The dashboard will help UofA community members visualize energy and water data across campus. Measurable objectives and tracking progress will be aided by that new system.

Food & Dining 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The Compass Group vision is to reduce carbon and water footprints per guest by 20% by 2020 (based on a 2014 benchmark). One strategy for meeting that goal is to reduce their purchasing of red meat by 30% by 2020. They also have measurable 2020 goals established for sourcing locally, progressive animal welfare standards, reduced antibiotic use in animal ag, sustainable seafood, and fair labor practices within their supply chain. The detailed document can be found here: http://chartwellshighered.com/sustainability/ In 2016 the UofA had a detailed food insecurity report which tracks various metrics. These metrics then influenced 2018 graduate students to organize an event that not only brought awareness but contributed over 9,000 meals to a food pantry.

Grounds 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The UA's Campus Landscape Plan identifies natural character zones, native plant guidelines, and quantifies the number of acres managed with natural ecosystem characteristics.

Purchasing 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing and the published plans in which each objective is included:
---

Transportation 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation and the published plans in which each objective is included:
A commuting mode share benchmark for UA affiliates was established in 2015 and has been surveyed each year since. The UA has set goals for reducing the number of affiliates who commute by car by themselves (SOVs). The 2015 benchmark was 60% which has been reduced to 35% in 2019. https://sustainability.uark.edu/transportation/index.php

Waste 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The measurable objective is to be 50 percent diversion from landfill by 2021, 70% by 2027 and 90% by 2040. In 2018 our diversion rate wass down 532 tons from 2017. In 2019, the UofA worked closely with its solid waste management service provider to establish a more consistent recycling and organics collection system across campus in an effort to increase the diversion rate. https://sustainability.uark.edu/about/our-commitments/zerowaste/ A published 3rd party waste audit for the UofA can be found here: http://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6285

Water 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Water?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Water and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The UA tracks water and waste water utilities annually and identifies opportunities for improvement. The goal is to lower water consumption per campus user.

Diversity & Affordability 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability and the published plans in which each objective is included:
The campus diversity and inclusion plan will measure success through enrollment data of minority student populations.

Investment & Finance 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance and the published plans in which each objective is included:
---

Wellbeing & Work 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work and the published plans in which each objective is included:
---

Other Impact Areas 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas (e.g. arts and culture or technology)?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas and the published plans in which each objective is included:
---

Optional Fields 

Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body (e.g. a mission statement that specifically includes sustainability and is endorsed by the Board of Trustees)? :
---

The formal statement in support of sustainability:
---

The institution’s definition of sustainability (e.g. as included in a published statement or plan):
---

Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
Yes or No
The Earth Charter ---
The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) ---
ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter ---
Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment Yes
The Talloires Declaration (TD) ---
UN Global Compact ---
Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) ---

A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
---

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://sustainability.uark.edu/

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.