University of Minnesota, Morris
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

The UMN Morris Strategic Vision (developed in 2019/2020) articulates that sustainability will be integrated into our academic programs. Our AASHE STARS reporting shows that we continue to make measurable progress at growing sustainability courses across disciplines.

UMN Morris also aligns with the UMN MPACT Goal Setting: Commitment 3: Build a Fully Sustainable Future. Specific ACTIONS we are expected to take include: Demonstrate state and worldwide leadership in sustainability and ENVIRONMENTAL TEACHING, research, and convening power.

The new Sustainability Leadership minor, launched in 2019, is indicative of a specific and measurable goal we achieved to improve our sustainability-themed educational opportunities, connected to the goal-setting identified above.

https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/sustainability-leadership-minor

https://president.umn.edu/sites/president.umn.edu/files/2020-04/MAY%20SSP%20PPT%20FINAL.pdf

http://www4.morris.umn.edu/sites/morris.umn.edu/files/strategicplanandvision-spring_2021.pdf

The UMN Morris Strategic Vision articulates that sustainability will be part of our engagement work. For example: Strategic Commitment 4, Aspiration 7, and Priority 16.

4. ENGAGING WITH THE REGION, STATE, AND BEYOND

ASPIRATION 7: We aspire to ensure that UMN Morris is a leader in environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

Priority 16: Become a national model for comprehensive rural sustainability and develop a plan to showcase our progress


The Morris Sustainability Snapshot (linked above in the Sustainability Plan section) also outlines high level and sub-level goals at UMM in many areas of campus life, including engagement with the community.

For example:
In the Transportation section: Establish an e-bike program on campus
In the Waste section: Improve recycling and compost education to eliminate improper disposal and communicate efforts
In the Land Use and Wildlife section: Earn yearly recognition as a Tree Campus school (which requires a campus-community tree team) AND
Conduct Morris campus biodiversity survey, soil health survey, and tree canopy survey.

UMN Morris is also a signatory of the Second Nature Climate Commitment -- which commits us to joint campus-community resilience planning, which is an ongoing effort. More can be learned at the Second Nature website about our planning progress and goals.

https://reporting.secondnature.org/dashboard/dashboard/?next=/##2105

See our Second Nature reporting. This includes several carbon neutrality goals related directly to our campus operations.

For example, this includes a goal of a 50% reduction in SCOPE 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2021. Or, a 50% reduction in Stationary Combustion Emissions by 2025, relative to baseline emissions in 2006 (these can be viewed under the Climate Action Plan section).

https://reporting.secondnature.org/institution/detail!2105##2105

The UMN Morris Strategic Vision articulates equity, diversity and inclusion goals. For example: Strategic Commitment 2, Aspiration 5, Priority 6-9.

Strategic Commitment 2: EXCELLENCE FOR EVERYONE

ASPIRATION 5: We aspire to provide full accessibility to all of UMN Morris’s teaching, living, service, and learning spaces and technologies to
create an inviting and usable environment for everyone on our campus.

Priority 6: Recognize the unique obligation and opportunity at UMN Morris for greater equity in education for Native American students
fostered by the history of this place; provide indigenized support for student learning, health, wellbeing, and success; and produce
graduates from all backgrounds who have a greater understanding of and appreciation for Native American history, cultures, and lifeways.

Priority 7: Enhance the liberal arts education opportunity for students from all backgrounds, especially those from diverse, first-generation,
and low-income populations.

Priority 8: Increase access through the use of universal design to make the physical campus visually welcoming and physically accessible for
people of all abilities to participate actively in our liberal arts mission.

Priority 9: Strive to provide greater availability of high-quality mental and physical health services, recognizing the importance of all aspects
of health for the success of everyone in the community.

The UMN President's Office released the UMN Systemwide Strategic Plan/MNPact plan. We have a specific aspirational goal to build a fully sustainable future (pg. 8). This includes updated Climate Actions Plans, making progress on Times Higher Education Goals, and earning AASHE STARS Gold (pg. 31).

GOAL:
Build a fully sustainable future.
• Demonstrate state and worldwide leadership in sustainability and
environmental teaching, research, and convening power.
• Develop system leadership and governance coordination for
sustainability initiatives.
• Establish next-generation systemwide Climate Action Plan for 2030.

https://president.umn.edu/systemwide-strategic-plan-mpact2025


The University of Minnesota Board of Regents passed a policy on sustainability in 2004. There have been subsequent sustainability planning initiatives since then.

https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/policies/Sustain_Energy_Efficiency.pdf

Sustainability is a continuous effort integrating environmental, social, and economic goals through design, planning, and operational organization to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

UMN Morris is one of the only schools in Minnesota to have signed the full Second Nature Climate Commitment -- which commits us to doing carbon neutrality planning and campus-community resilience planning. We have won statewide and national awards in both of these areas.