University of Connecticut
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Charter/Mission:
Environmental Policy Advisory Council (EPAC) is advisory to the President, Provost and other senior administrators about strategies for enhancing the University's environmental performance in:
•Fostering environmentally sustainable development and mitigating environmental impacts of our construction activities
•Improving environmental compliance in operations
•Distinguishing academic, operational and community outreach reputation by promoting environmental leadership initiatives
•Better integrating environmental principles into the University's governance by ensuring coordination with administrative advisory committees and task forces.
Functions:
The EPAC meets once per semester, or as needed, and may appoint committees and task forces to:
•Develop and revise UConn’s environmental policy statement.
•Identify environmental risks and recommend goals, policies, and procedures to address risks and improve environmental performance
•Identify opportunities and sponsor initiatives designed to advance and achieve environmental sustainability
•Develop strategies for building environmental awareness and engaging students, staff members, and faculty members in environmental initiatives
•Advise the University about conservation and development plans and activities
•Formulate strategies for dealing with stakeholder groups on environmental issues
•Monitor the University’s environmental performance and sponsor periodic environmental reports
•Organize and promote outreach events and partnerships that showcase the University’s environmental leadership.
Additionally, workgroups, committees, and task forces, associated with EPAC, like the Green Campus Academic Network, and the Green Office Team Organizers, engage more than 400 members of the UConn community in initiatives, events and planning activities.
More recently, EPAC and the Office of Sustainability have worked with CSR, Human Rights and Public Engagement staff and faculty on initiatives involving the social and economic aspects of sustainability.
The list of EPAC members is found here: https://sustainability.uconn.edu/uconn-environmental-policy-advisory-council/
Charter Mission:
The President’s Working Group on Sustainability and the Environment (PWGSE) was a working group from 2019 to 2021, aimed at providing a means of decarbonizing by 2040. It was first charged by President Katsouleas to find pathways to this goal. This working group consisted of several students, faculty members, staff members, and external partners. It produced two reports that are pertinent to the following working group in effect today.
The group’s findings and complete work is contained within this document: https://president.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2794/2021/05/PWGS-Implementation-Report-Final-for-President-5-13-2021-Total.pdf
Charter/Mission:
Carbon Reduction Working Group (CRWG) is a UConn working group involving student leaders, faculty members, and other senior UConn Facilities Operations. The Carbon Reduction Working Group will continue to support ongoing energy conservation efforts but will also identify, evaluate, and recommend specific cost-effective initiatives and actions within the larger context of the university’s available resources. This includes academic research and other programs, that will increase the use of clean and sustainable energy on UConn’s campuses and reduce environmentally harmful emissions. The goals of this group include UConn achieving carbon neutrality on its campuses by 2030, with the ultimate goal of zero carbon by 2040.
Functions:
CRWG meets once a week to support ongoing energy conservation efforts and identify, evaluate, and recommend specific cost-effective initiatives and actions within the larger context of the university’s available resources. This working group was founded in January 2023. Additionally, the group facilitates Carbon Coffee Talks, which are discussions held about twice a semester that are open to the UConn community and provide attendees with a space to talk to UConn energy conservation leaders about the university’s carbon reduction strategies. Initiatives and information about this group are found here: https://president.uconn.edu/communications/carbon-reduction-working-group/

List of members of EPAC is found here: https://sustainability.uconn.edu/uconn-environmental-policy-advisory-council/

List of members of the CRWG is found here: https://president.uconn.edu/communications/carbon-reduction-working-group/

The Office of Sustainability resides within the UConn Institute of the Environment (IoE) and is currently comprised of two full-time employees: the Director and Communications, Outreach, and Education Coordinator. There is currently a third open position, Sustainability Manager. There is a part-time employee titled Administrative Program Support Specialist. Additionally, there are 13 undergraduate interns, who devote 12 hours to the office per week during the academic calendar year, and 19 EcoCaptain Interns, who devote 5 hours to the office per week during the academic calendar year.

EPAC meets twice a year (once a semester) to review events, activities and progress in UConn's overall sustainability-related programs and to determine and advise the University administration about how to further enhance sustainability at UConn. Most recently, at the EPAC meeting in the Fall of 2023, topics included overviewing the vision of the Office of Sustainability and discussing collaborative plans for a sustainable future.
UConn's Climate Action Plan (CAP) was established through a Task Force of EPAC members in 2008-09. In 2011-12, the Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, again as a subset of EPAC members, helped develop the 2012 Adaptation Amendment as a separate section of the CAP, with a focus on resilience goals and targets. The members of EPAC continue to ensure that the objectives set forth in the Climate Action Plan are being carried out as planned.
The Carbon Reduction Working Group promotes and develops energy conservation initiatives to achieve UConn's goals of carbon neutrality by 2030 and carbon zero by 2040. Their focus thus far has been on expanding renewable infrastructure, solar canopies on parking lots, and decreasing the footprint of university buildings. It has several senior administrators working to increase transparency of initiatives and gage student input.
Amongst faculty, there is more coordination to find academic and operational synergies, which has culminated into the organization linked below.
https://cleanearth.engr.uconn.edu/

Patrick McKee is the Interim Director of the Office of Sustainability. The director reports to the Institute of the Environment and works with senior administrators, students, faculty, and staff to set and achieve sustainability goals for the university in the areas of climate action and resilience, energy and buildings, waste reduction and diversion, water resources, food and dining, grounds, purchasing, transportation, open space and natural resource stewardship, and the intersection of these issues with environmental and social justice.

•Develop new and lead existing educational, outreach, and engagement programming, including support for regional campuses
•Assist with evaluation of programs and activities to achieve the objectives of the Office of Sustainability.
•Prepare presentations for meetings with key stakeholder groups, and represent the Office of Sustainability at University events including speaking to student groups
•Manage the sustainability.uconn.edu webpage, digital sustainability monitors/dashboards, and social media accounts.
•Monitor media performance, provide updates/and or analysis, and suggest improvements.
•Draft sustainability-related publications such as newsletters, blogs, progress reports, and strategic plans.
•Assist with publicity and fundraising activities including developing promotional materials for sustainability activities and programming.
•Support recruitment of interns and participants in the EcoCaptain program that enhances performance with regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
•Coordinate volunteer events (including occasional activities during evenings and weekends).
•Supervise interns and volunteers at outreach events.
•Provide administrative support for event planning and coordination.