Overall Rating Platinum
Overall Score 86.87
Liaison Carrie Metzgar
Submission Date Nov. 5, 2024

STARS v2.2

University of California, San Diego
EN-9: Staff Professional Development and Training

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.25 / 2.00 Carrie Metzgar
Campus Sustainability Officer
Utilities & Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution make available professional development and training opportunities in sustainability to all non-academic staff at least once per year?:
Yes

Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (the rate of staff participation in sustainability professional development and training)?:
Yes

Estimated percentage of regular, non-academic staff that participates annually in sustainability professional development and training:
1-24%

If sustainability professional development and training opportunities for staff are made available or supported, provide at least one of the following:

A brief description of any internal sustainability professional development and training opportunities that the institution makes available to non-academic staff:

INTERNAL SUSTAINABILITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES  
 
UC SAN DIEGO EXTENDED STUDIES – SUSTAINABILITY COURSES AND PROGRAMS 
UC San Diego Extended Studies offers several sustainability courses and certificates to all staff. Depending upon the course or certificate, these opportunities are made available for free or at a discounted rate to UC San Diego staff. Staff are encouraged to discuss financial support and release time opportunities with their supervisors.  

Below are the three sustainability-focused certificates offered by UC San Diego Extended Studies (https://extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/site-search?searchtext=sustainability&certificate=1): 

  • Sustainable Business Practices 

    • Leading organizations are becoming more aware of compliance challenges, regulations in sustainability, and opportunities afforded by public interest in climate change, environmental issues, sustainability, and “green practices.” This creates a need for educated professionals to steer their organizations in the direction of sustainable practices that make sense for their business models and goals. 

  • Sustainable & Behavior Change 

    • Solving environmental problems will require behavior change. From issues as diverse as reducing energy and water consumption, to protecting wildlife and ecosystems, achieving a sustainable future will require that people change their behaviors. 

  • Facilities Management 

    • UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies’s Professional Certificate in Facilities Management offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip you with the knowledge, training and tools necessary to make effective and sustainable facilities management decisions that reduce costs while enhancing your organization’s facility and services 

For more information about sustainability professional development and training opportunities via UC San Diego Extended Studies, please visit: https://extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/  

 

 

BENDING THE CURVE: CLIMATE EDUCATION FOR ALL 

“Bending the Curve: Climate Education for All” is a free, trans-disciplinary curriculum and multimedia content library designed to provide education about climate change literacy. All material focuses on climate change solutions to bend the warming curve and to accelerate resilience and climate justice for our planet’s most vulnerable people. 

UC San Diego staff are encouraged to take the curriculum and apply sustainability learnings to their workplace. All video lectures, assignments and activities, and the open access digital textbook are accessible online at any time. Staff can take the curriculum at their own pace. 

For more information about “Bending the Curve: Climate Education for All,” please visit: https://btc.ucsd.edu/#overview 

 

 

CAMP BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES SUSTAINABILITY TRAINING COURSE 

Camp Business and Financial Services offers virtual instructor-led courses from subject matter experts across the entire Business and Financial Services (BFS) organization. Camp BFS is held every other year and courses are open to all UC San Diego staff. 

In this training course, participants learn practical, actionable tips for embracing sustainability both professionally and personally. The course covers the UC Sustainable Practices Policy, shares best practices for making sustainable travel decisions, and explores how to effectively utilize sustainable Integrated Procure-to-Pay (IPPS) programs. Participants also learn how to shop sustainably by leveraging existing programs with vendors like Amazon and Advanced Search suppliers. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with a comprehensive toolkit of practical strategies to significantly reduce their environmental footprint while optimizing work and daily activities. 

The Summer 2024 Camp BSF featured 37 diverse classes across BFS & IPPS portfolios, with an impressive 758 attendees.  

For more information about CAMP BFS, please visit: https://blink.ucsd.edu/finance/resources-training/training/camp-bfs/index.html  

 

 
 
ADDITIONAL SUSTAINABILITY-RELATED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES OF HIGHLIGHT 

UC San Diego departments also offer the following sustainability-related training opportunities. Some of this training is made available to all staff, whereas others are made available to specific staff groups. 

 

ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & SAFETY TRAININGS 

Environment, Health & Safety offers several sustainability-related training opportunities. Of note, is the Laboratory Safety Training required for all laboratory personnel staff and the Environmental Compliance Training for all new campus operations and maintenance staff. The Laboratory Safety Training (https://blink.ucsd.edu/safety/resources/training/general-lab.html) must be completed every three years, covering sustainability topics such as fume hood air flow and operation and hazardous waste disposal. Environmental Compliance Training (https://blink.ucsd.edu/safety/resources/training/environmental.html) is provided both online and in-person. The training covers environmental compliance issues such as soil, water, and air.   
 

 

LANDSCAPE SERVICES TRAININGS 

Landscape Services offers the following sustainability-related training opportunities to Facilities Management staff: 

  • Custodial and Landscaping Quarterly Trainings: These trainings review the proper disposal of waste items, equipment safety, and mental health in the workplace. 

  • Integrated Pest Management Training (IPM): The training covers the principles of IPM, including prevention, monitoring, and control methods that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Staff learn about biological control agents, cultural practices, and mechanical controls that reduce pest populations while protecting human health and the environment. 

  • Rain Bird Irrigation Training: This training is offered on campus 1-2 times per year, with courses on irrigation controllers, central control system, electrical troubleshooting, efficient irrigation scheduling, and irrigation hydraulics/design. These courses are a higher-level training than QWEL (Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper) and are primarily attended by the irrigation team, though spaces are offered to other groups within landscape services for growth opportunities. Hosting the event grants two free attendees and the department covers the cost of additional attendees. 

  • Bee Campus USA Training: As part of UC San Diego's commitment to being a Bee Campus USA affiliate, Landscape Services offers training sessions on pollinator-friendly practices. These presentations educate staff on the importance of pollinators, particularly bees, and how to create and maintain habitats that support their populations. Topics include planting native flowers, avoiding harmful pesticides, and maintaining nesting sites. 

For more information about Landscape Services, please visit: https://blink.ucsd.edu/facilities/management/landscaping.html  

 

 

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT BROWN BAG MEETINGS 

Facilites Management (FM) Brown Bag Meetings take place on a quarterly basis and are open to all UC San Diego staff. The Brown Bag Meetings are an opportunity for campus customers to learn about the services provided by FM, and how these services can be incorporated into other departments. Although sustainability is not the focus of the meetings, sustainability is a frequent topic of conversation and training. Over the past year, information and education has been provided on campus zero waste efforts, zero emission vehicles for campus fleet, and energy usage dashboards. 

For more information about Facilities Management, please visit: https://blink.ucsd.edu/facilities/management/index.html  

 

 

CRAFT CENTER TRAININGS 

The UC San Diego Craft Center is a facility that offers classes, workshops, studio work, and custom experiences on a variety of mediums, including ceramics, jewelry, glass art, woodworking, culinary arts, and mixed-media. All instructors are required to complete instructor training. During these trainings, instructors are informed about sustainable practices, how to use the studios in a sustainable way, and how to be water-wise. Craft Center instructors can be any UC San Diego staff. 

For more information about the Craft Center, please visit: https://craftcenter.ucsd.edu/  


A brief description of any external professional development and training opportunities in sustainability that are supported by the institution :

Throughout the year and in alignment with their job responsibilities, UC San Diego staff attend several external conferences, workshops, and accreditation trainings pertaining to sustainability. UC San Diego staff receive financial support through payment and reimbursement and consider these opportunities to be professional development training. 
 
Examples include but are not limited to: 

  • The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Conference & Expo: Exchange effective models, policies, research, collaborations and transformative actions that advance sustainability in higher education and surrounding communities (https://www.aashe.org/conference/). 

  • International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories Conference: Providing information, resources, and training on the advancement of safety and sustainability in research laboratories (https://www.i2sl.org/annual-conference).  

  • UC Sustainability Officers Retreat & Priority Setting Workshop: UC-systemwide retreat and priority setting and training on campus sustainability initiatives and policies. All UC Sustainability Officers are encouraged to attend. 

  • LEED Accreditation: The University of California provides campuses with a Silver level membership in U.S. Green Building Council. All campus faculty, staff, and students can access a wide array of resources and are able to participate in LEED and other Green Building training (https://www.usgbc.org/resources/cmp-guide). 

  • Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper Training: This training is made available to Landscape Services staff. This 4-day course covers where the San Diego region obtains its water from, and information about soils, irrigation systems, irrigation troubleshooting, irrigation auditing, and efficient irrigation scheduling. The course is free; however UC San Diego pays the attendees for their hours while attending and provides transportation to the training (https://www.qwel.net/). 


Optional Fields 

Estimated percentage of regular non-academic staff for which sustainability is included in performance reviews:
1-24%

A brief description of how sustainability is included in staff performance reviews :

All policy-covered employees (and represented employees when applicable), are required to complete annual performance appraisals. Annual performance appraisals are written as a self-evaluation by the employee, and then reviewed and discussed with the employee’s supervisor. Within the self-evaluations, staff are encouraged to highlight any training they have participated in or provided. Therefore, staff members may include sustainability training within their appraisals or identify future opportunities for training.  

For more information about Annual Performance Appraisals, please visit: https://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/supervising/annual-appraisal/  


Website URL where information about staff professional development and training in sustainability is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Points of contact for credit information:  

  • Carrie Metzgar, Campus Sustainability Officer, Utilities & Sustainability 

  • Anthony Singleton, Chief Small Business Officer, Integrated Procure-to-Pay Solutions 

  • Lynda Ta, Bid Process and Sustainability Specialist, Integrated Procure-to-Pay Solutions 

  • Amanda Loeper, EH&S Specialist, Environment, Health & Safety 

  • Kimberly O'Connell, Environmental Affairs Manager, Environment, Health & Safety 

  • Bryan Hooks, Assistant Director, Landscape Services 

  • David Boggs, Supervisor Campus Irrigation, Landscape Services 

  • Mike Hogan, Superintendent/Urban Forester, Landscape Services 

  • Jason Kayne, Director, Facilities Management 

  • Annika Nelson, Manager, UC San Diego Craft Center 

  • Walt Kanzler, Senior Director, Project Quality Management 

 


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.