Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 76.08
Liaison Tess Esposito
Submission Date March 1, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Dayton
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Is the institution an active member of a national or international sustainability network?:
Yes

The name of the national or international sustainability network(s):

Fair Trade Colleges and Universities -- Fair Trade Campaigns
Climate Leadership Network (Second Nature)
National Council for Science and the Environment
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
Association for Environmental Studies and Sciences
ReVolv Student Ambassadors
Catholic Relief Services Student Ambassadors (address Climate Change and Climate Refugees in their trainings, meetings, and outreach)
Food Recovery Network
American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment
Presidents United to Solve Hunger
Sustainable Endowment Institute


Is the institution an active member of a regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network?:
Yes

The name of the regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s):

Ohio Higher Education Sustainability Professionals network
Dayton Regional Green (local municipal governments, private sector)
Southwest Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE)
Sustainability Group (UD, Miami, Central State, Wright State)
Mid-Atlantic University Energy Leaders network
Archdiocese of Cincinnati Climate Change Task Force -- which includes area colleges and universities.
Confluence, Ohio River Valley Water Technology Innovation Cluster -- mix of public and private sector, and higher education
Partners for the Environment (Great and Little Miami watersheds)


Has the institution presented at a sustainability conference during the previous year? :
Yes

A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):

Rebecca Potter and Leah Ceperley. AESS 2017. Crusoe’s Island: Moving from Isolation to Environmental Action. A rhetorical and narrative analysis of these voters’ responses to environmental concerns about climate change are revealing: 1) Increased awareness about climate change and its causes is not shifting an entrenched group of “doubters.” Their doubt has changed from questioning whether climate change exists to questioning if anything can (or should) be done about it. 2) The failure of environmental activism to sway this large numbers of voters continues to be a communal narrative problem (in part). The persistence of “climate doubt” can be explained by the semiotic problem of a “footprint in the sand” that Robinson Crusoe finds as a castaway on an island where he thinks he is the only inhabitant.

Jablonski LM, R Brecha, R Potter & L Ceperley. Roundtable: Building Institutional Strength to Address Climate Change: Connecting Sustainability & Human Rights. For Conference: The Social Practice of Human Rights: Charting the Frontiers of Research and Advocacy. University of Dayton, Dayton, OH. November 8, 2017.
http://ecommons.udayton.edu/human_rights/2017/roundtableinstitutional/

Jablonski LM. Drawing Upon Our Roots and Charism to Address Climate Change and Build Bridges of Dialogue in Addressing Human Rights and Achieving an Integral Ecology. For Conference: The Social Practice of Human Rights: Charting the Frontiers of Research and Advocacy. University of Dayton, Dayton, OH. November 8, 2017.
http://ecommons.udayton.edu/human_rights/2017/roundtableinstitutional/

Matthew Worsham, NCSE 2017. Title: Carbon Lock-In: An Obstacle to Campus Decarbonization. Poster Abstract: We hypothesize that carbon lock-in will complicate many institutions’ efforts to meet their climate commitments. We provide an intuitive example of carbon lock-in on our campus, and provide a simple aggregate emissions scenario for eight institutions in Ohio through the year 2050. We assess their lock-in risks, and the financial challenges for offsetting these emissions.

Matthew Worsham, AASHE 2017. Title: Breaking Barriers to Facilities-Academic Collaboration Through Green Revolving Fund Projects at the University of Dayton. Poster Abstract: Beginning in 2016, the University of Dayton (UD) Green Revolving Fund (GRF) has been the primary source of funding for energy projects on campus. The purpose of the fund is twofold: to advance environmental and financial sustainability through investments that conserve energy and other resources, and to serve as a mechanism for engagement in campus sustainability issues for individuals across campus. Valued at $1 million at the beginning of its first year, the fund will continue to grow through loan repayments with interest, donations, and possibly other funding sources. It has also become a primary tool for initiating collaboration between academic units and facilities management partners. This work discusses UD's tracking and assessment program for the fund, as well as demonstrating past projects that have involved active collaboration between facilities personnel and students. It identifies project types that provide high returns both financially and from an educational standpoint, and suggests ways to maximize the educational benefit by leveraging academic expertise and facilities resources already present on campus.

Leah Ceperley, Student Sustainability Leaders Conference, 2017. Panel Discussion. Preparing for Graduate School.

Robert Brecha:
“Climate Change and Sustainability – What’s Working and Where Do We Stand?” Miami Univ. Physics Dept. Seminar, Oct. 25, 2017
“Using Residual Load Duration Curves to Understand the Challenges of High-Penetration Renewable Electricity Systems” Ciencia y Tecnología Por un Desarrollo Sostenible, Camagüey, Cuba (i), June 2017
“Climate Change and Energy Systems – Health Impacts” Dayton Regional Green luncheon keynote, Dayton, OH, Nov. 15, 2017
“Climate Change and Energy System Change: Challenges for Your Generation” Dayton Junior Council on World Affairs, Oct. 25, 2017
“Climate Change and Sustainable Solutions” Dayton Garden Club, Oct. 10, 2017
“Some Thoughts on Integrated Assessment Models and Mitigation Strategies” Climate Analytics, July 6, 2017
“Paris Agreement, Clean Power Plan, Pope's Encyclical, Brexit & Trump Presidency!” DRG Luncheon, Dayton, OH Feb. 15, 2017


Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to a sustainability awards program that is inclusive of multiple campuses? :
Yes

A list or brief description of the awards program(s) and submission(s):

Student leaders of our peer-to-peer student educators program submitted a case study in 2018 to AASHE's Student Sustainability Leadership Award. The team was a finalist for the award.


Has the institution had staff, students or faculty serving on a board or committee of a sustainability network or conference during the previous three years? :
Yes

A list or brief description of the board or committee appointment(s):

Social Practice of Human Rights 2018 Planning Committee: Youssef Farhat & Joel Pruce

Council of Environmental Deans and Directors: membe (RP)

NCSE Ohio Member institutions planning committee for Student Sustainability Leaders Conference: Bob Brecha, Matthew Worsham, Charlotte Shade

Dayton Regional Green: Economic Team co-chair (FF); Executive Advisory Committee Co-Chair (KH); Dayton Green Expo Planning Committee

Hall Hunger Initiative (network of colleges, civil society, private sector addressing Food Insecurity of Dayton region): Local Growers Groups co-chair (FF)

American Community Development Society: Communications and Publications Committee co-chair (FF; SDGs from a community development perspective)

Dayton Food Summit: Planning Committee member (FF)

Partners for the Environment Steering Committee Member (LK)
Five Rivers MetroParks Foundation Board Member/Vice President (LK)
Member of Miami Valley Leave No Child Inside Initiative (LK)
Bike Miami Valley Board Member (LK)
Little Miami Watershed Network Steering Committee (LK)
Regional River Summit 2008-2017: Planning and Organizing Chair (LK)


Does the institution have an ongoing mentoring relationship with another institution through which it assists the institution with its sustainability reporting and/or the development of its sustainability program?:
Yes

A brief description of the mentoring relationship and activities:

Association of Marianist Universities: University of Dayton is working with Chaminade University and St. Mary's University to develop collaboration surrounding the care for creation and water/watersheds. The program engages students and faculty from each institution with the goal to establish further sustainability course collaboration and cooperation between students.

Dayton Regional Green: a UD-DRG on-going relationship and internship program assists DRG in developing sustainability programs for the Montgomery County municipalities. Green Building Certification, Kevin Hallinan: UD professor Kevin Hallinan assists DRG with the Green Building Certification Program, helping to provide businesses with an energy audit to identify areas of improvement. An energy audit is a necessary step for businesses to become Green Building Certified.

Andrew Chiasson, Building Energy Center: The center operates the Ohio Lean Buildings program, providing low-cost energy assessments, project management and financing assistance by leveraging co-funding from the state of Ohio.

Kelly Kissock, Industrial Assessment Center: Sponsored by the Department of Energy to conduct free energy audits for small to midsize industries. Members of the IAC (students and faculty) determine energy savings opportunities for companies to implement.

Documenting and reporting City of Dayton's energy effectiveness of its buildings. (KH)

A Faculty member (KK) serves as a visiting faculty with Dalian University of Technology and helps them implement China's building energy metering requirements.


Has the institution had staff, faculty, or students serving as peer reviewers of another institution’s sustainability data (e.g. GHG emissions or course inventory) and/or STARS submission during the previous three years?:
No

A brief description of the peer review activities:
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Has the institution participated in other collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year, e.g. joint planning or resource sharing with other institutions? :
Yes

A brief description of other collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year:

As part of the Billion Dollar Green Challenge, UD staff periodically share data and review data with other institutions to share ideas for improvement and implementation for energy efficiency and Green Revolving Fund projects.

Prior year effort (2017): UD's Sustainability and Energy Coordinator initiated a collaboration with one of our two sister institutions, St Mary's (San Antonio, TX) Facilities Management (Operations and Construction Services). This collaboration will mutually assist sustainability practices and reporting between UD and St Mary's.

Prior year effort (2017): UD is collaborating with its two sister universities (St. Mary's University, San Antonio, TX and Chaminade University, Honolulu, Hawaii) on an interdisciplinary, inter-institutional, and student exchange program centered on Marianist approaches to environment, diversity and place with an emphasis on water. The four overall major objectives are: 1) Learn from the richness of diversity, both cultural and ecological at each institution, the initiatives undertaken in all parts of campus life and understand the assets and challenges of each locale; 2) Develop our understanding and articulation of Catholic and Marianist approaches to addressing environmental sustainability in view of Laudato si and the Characteristics of Marianist Universities (CMU), to inform our communication and future updates and application of the CMU document; 3) Support one another in implementing environmental sustainability & cultural diversity practices; and 4) Develop a collaborative interconnected curricula with student and faculty exchange experiences between campuses, especially around the themes of water and climate change.

Urban Watershed Collaborative - partnership with City of Dayton, Biology Department and Rivers Institute
City of Dayton - RiverMobile Outreach
Miami Conservancy District - RiverMobile outreach and Watershed Action Plan Development
Little Miami Watershed Network

UD's Industrial Assessment Center provides energy audits to manufacturers and our Ohio Lean Buildings program provides energy audits to commercial buildings.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Additional collaboration:
- Two UD students/River Stewards sitting on Dayton Environmental Advisory Board
- Two students/RiverStewards on planning committee for Dayton Children's Water Festival


Additional collaboration:
- Two UD students/River Stewards sitting on Dayton Environmental Advisory Board
- Two students/RiverStewards on planning committee for Dayton Children's Water Festival

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.