Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 66.29
Liaison Kevin Kirsche
Submission Date Dec. 22, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Georgia
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Jason Perry
Sustainability Specialist
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Support for Cyclists and Pedestrians 

Does the institution provide secure bicycle storage (not including office space), shower facilities, and lockers for bicycle commuters?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:
Bike racks are provided at every building on the UGA campus and covered bike parking is available at many of these locations as well. Shower facilities are provided at the Ramsey Center in the East Campus Village, Joe Brown Hall in North Campus, and the Forestry Building on South Campus. Bike lockers are installed at the UGA Health Center on East Campus. Bicycle parking is available at the Ramsey Student Center, where students and member employees can use the lockers and showers.

Does the institution provide short-term bicycle parking for all occupied buildings and makes long-term bicycle storage available for students who live on-site (if applicable)?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:
There are over 300 bicycle racks distributed throughout campus, and many student housing buildings have indoor long-term bicycle storage areas.

Does the institution have a bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy (or adhere to a local community plan/policy) that sets standards and practices for campus streets to enable safe access for all users?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy:
UGA's Design and Construction Standards (https://www.architects.uga.edu/sites/default/files/documents/standards/complete_uga_design_and_construction_standards_-_august_1_2016.pdf) Complete Streets section of the Site Campus Planning Principles: "Complete Streets design accommodations shall be included in all reconstruction, new construction, and capacity-adding projects that are under UGA planning jurisdiction. Opportunities to provide or enhance safety for pedestrians should be considered during the programming phase of Resurfacing, Restoration, and Rehabilitation (3R) projects. Roadway projects shall accommodate all users of the transportation system, including motorists, bicyclists, public transit vehicles and their passengers, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. Roadway projects shall make use of the latest and best design standards, policies, and guidelines. Roadway projects shall identify anticipated phases and key milestones of project development."

Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:
Bulldog Bikes, UGA’s campus bike share program, is a collaboration between UGA Libraries and the Office of Sustainability. Designed to encourage alternative transportation and promote health and wellness at UGA, Bulldog Bikes allows UGA students and employees to check out and return bikes at no cost to the individual. Eligible individuals may participate in the Bulldog Bikes bike share program by registering online at sustainability.uga.edu/bulldogbikes. Bikes are checked out from the libraries just like one would check out a book. The University is currently in the procurement process to convert to a thrid-party vendor to significantly expand bike share at UGA. There will be a minimum of 100 bike share bicycles available on campus by June 1, 2018, with the intention of future expansion on campus and throughout the surrounding Athens community.

Mass Transit Programs 

Does the institution offer free or reduced price transit passes and/or operate a free campus shuttle for commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the mass transit programs:
The University of Georgia Campus Transit System provides safe, reliable transportation throughout the University campus. Regular route services are available on a no-fare basis to all, and the UGA Campus Transit System carries the largest volume of passengers of any university transit system in the United States. Members of the campus community can also ride Athens Transit "The Bus" for free with a valid campus ID.

Guaranteed Return Trip Program 

Does the institution offer a guaranteed return trip program to regular users of alternative modes of transportation?:
No

A brief description of the guaranteed return trip program:
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Carpool/Vanpool Programs 

Does the institution participate in a car/vanpool or ride sharing program and/or offer reduced parking fees or preferential parking for car/vanpoolers?:
Yes

A brief description of the carpool/vanpool program:
UGA partners with the Clean Air Campaign, a program run through the state of Georgia to reduce the number of vehicles on the road to increase air quality and reduce air pollution and smog. The Clean Air Campaign and RideSmart offer a free service to help people in the state, including those who work and study at UGA, find potential carpool or vanpool partners using a database of more than 50,000 Georgia commuters interested in sharing the ride.

Car Sharing Program 

Does the institution participate in a car sharing program, such as a commercial car-sharing program, one administered by the institution, or one administered by a regional organization?:
No

None
A brief description of the car sharing program:
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EV Recharging Stations 

Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
UGA has Chargepoint Level 2 charge stations in three parking decks on the main campus.

Telecommuting and Condensed Work Week Programs 

Does the institution offer a telecommuting program for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the telecommuting program:
Telecommuting is handled independently by each College and department at UGA. Telecommuting is an arrangement whereby eligible personnel perform their job duties from home or another off-campus location. Field research is not considered telecommuting. Telecommuters will communicate with colleagues and clients via e-mail, instant messaging, phone, fax or other means of electronic communication. There are a large number of locations around campus where faculty and staff can implement telecommunications with each other, other campuses, other institutions, and private parties.

Does the institution offer a condensed work week option that reduces employee commuting (as a matter of policy or standard practice)?:
Yes

A brief description of the condensed work week option:
The University’s regular business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, some campus departments (i.e., Public Safety, Facilities Management) may have other work hours which differ to provide necessary services, including multiple shifts. Flextime is a work concept in which supervisors and employees develop a schedule that permits flexibility in the arrival and departure times of the day. UGA Flex Time: Working a flextime schedule is used to address business needs, is not an employee entitlement, and must be approved by the supervisor. Flextime schedules are not appropriate for all job situations and can be terminated by the supervisor. A flextime schedule is appropriate only when the work schedule is beneficial to the individual unit and to the University.

Other Strategies to Reduce the Impacts of Commuting 

Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
The UGA Health Sciences Campus is within walking, biking and bus distance from UGA main campus in Athens. The Health Sciences Campus includes residential facilities that provide convenient and comfortable living accommodations at an affordable cost to visiting scholars. Each residence features furnishings, air conditioning, high speed/wireless Internet access, cable television and window blinds. Common areas include kitchens, laundry rooms and living rooms. UGA offers family and graduate housing for students and their families, with amenities such as on-campus location, play areas for children, community garden and low costs. For more information: http://housing.uga.edu/family-graduate.

Does the institution employ other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting (e.g. preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles, cash-out of parking programs)?:
Yes

A brief description of other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting:
UGA Transportation and Parking Services offers the Alternative Transportation Program that provides up to two free days of parking per month for students and employees who otherwise commute using alternative transportation. http://www.parking.uga.edu/atp.aspx The UGA reCYCLE program provides refurbished bikes free of charge to students, faculty and staff in need of affordable transportation options. https://sustainability.uga.edu/operations/transportation/uga-recycle/

Optional Fields 

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