Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 73.25
Liaison Meredith Moore
Submission Date Feb. 25, 2022

STARS v2.2

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 4.00 Meredith Moore
Sustainability Programs Coordinator
Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in curriculum and/or research?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:

From the Illinois Climate Action Plan 2020:
1. Broaden the availability of sustainability education across the entire curriculum, beginning with first-year student orientation and continuing through commencement, with at least one of four proposed methods implemented by FY24.
2. Establish a comprehensive online repository for courses and academic programs with sustainability content.
3. Launch an undergraduate Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) that includes two week-long residential intensives, pre-professional workshops, visiting speakers, and field trips to Springfield and Washington, D.C.
4. Develop a sustainability internship program by partnering with businesses, nonprofits, local governments, and cultural institutions in Central Illinois. The total number of internships awarded will be reported each year.
5. Partner with The Career Center and potentially other career offices in FY22 to help students explore and discover career opportunities that are connected to professional interests and goals related to sustainability. Incorporate a sustainability component at a minimum of two events beginning in FY22.
6. Offer a new graduate certificate in sustainability by FY24.


Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address student, employee, or community engagement for sustainability?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:

From the Illinois Climate Action Plan 2020:
1. Enhance the overall culture of sustainability on campus, and increase the number of certifications issued through the Certified Greener Campus Program by 20% each year from FY20 to FY24.
2. The Illini Union and Illini Union Board commit to 80% of their events qualifying as sustainable by FY24.
3. Increase the visibility of campus sustainability efforts by joining the Green Sports Alliance through the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) by summer 2021.
4. Incorporate sustainability-related problem-solving in the GivePulse system for public engagement, and track local collaborations for sustainable solutions. Increase local collaborations by 10% per year from FY22 to FY24.
5. Support programs to develop a love of nature and sustainability among children, with an annual Youth Sustainability Summit led by local teenagers with guidance and mentoring from campus and community sustainability leaders.
6. Update the iCAP Portal on a monthly basis to report progress toward iCAP objectives.


Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in operations?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:

By FY24, develop a comprehen-sive energy planning document that includes a detailed strategy for meeting the FY50 net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emis-sions goal.
Reduce Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of university facilities from the FY08 baseline by: 45% by FY30, 50% by FY40, and 60% by FY50.
Improve efficiency of space use by minimizing the square foot-age per person and updating the Space Policy in the Campus Ad-ministrative Manual (CAM) by FY23
Reduce the total annual en-ergy consumption of each col-lege-level unit by at least 20% from an FY15 baseline by FY35
Use clean energy sources for 15% of total campus energy demand by FY30
Use at least 140,000 MWh/year of clean power by FY25
Use at least 150,000 MMBTU/year of clean thermal energy by FY30


Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address diversity, equity, and inclusion; sustainable investment/finance; or wellbeing?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:

From the Illinois Climate Action Plan 2020:
1. Develop a collaborative plan for environmental justice that will assess metro area resilience and actively address related issues. The plan will be written and publicized by FY24.
2. Take leadership in addressing the most pressing sustainability challenges in our local communities through collaboration with local governments and related community groups, by forming an advisory panel for coordinating efforts across jurisdictional boundaries. By FY24, select at least three major local sustainability issues to address and identify lead agency and key stakeholders.
3. Fully divest from fossil fuel companies by FY25.
4. Commit to a Sustainable Investing Policy by FY24.


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

The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
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Website URL where the institution’s highest guiding document is publicly available:
Which of the following best describes the inclusion of sustainability in the highest guiding document?:
Minor theme

The institution's sustainability plan (upload):
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Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
Yes

The formal statement in support of sustainability:
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The institution’s definition of sustainability:

Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.


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 ---
Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability ---
SDG Accord ---
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:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning efforts 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.