| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.58 |
| Liaison | Steve Mital |
| Submission Date | May 18, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Oregon
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.83 / 4.00 |
Steve
Mital Office of Sustainability Director Finance & Administration |
Does the institution have current and formal plans to advance sustainability in the following areas? Do the plans include measurable objectives?:
| Current and Formal Plans (Yes or No) | Measurable Objectives (Yes or No) | |
| Curriculum | No | No |
| Research (or other scholarship) | Yes | Yes |
| Campus Engagement | Yes | Yes |
| Public Engagement | No | No |
| Air and Climate | Yes | Yes |
| Buildings | Yes | Yes |
| Dining Services/Food | No | Yes |
| Energy | Yes | Yes |
| Grounds | Yes | Yes |
| Purchasing | Yes | Yes |
| Transportation | Yes | Yes |
| Waste | Yes | Yes |
| Water | No | No |
| Diversity and Affordability | Yes | Yes |
| Health, Wellbeing and Work | No | No |
| Investment | No | No |
| Other | Yes | Yes |
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Curriculum:
NA
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Curriculum plan(s):
NA
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Curriculum plan(s):
NA
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Research (or other scholarship):
The Institutional Hiring Plan includes 65 tenure-track faculty (TTF) searches across the schools and colleges for academic year 2017-18. The plan calls for two hires in the Energy and Sustainable Materials cluster, one hire in Environmental Philosophy, one hire in Environmental Humanities, two hires in the the Planning Department hire (one Transportation Planning and Policy specialist and one specialist in Public Engagement with Diverse Communities), one new law faculty who focuses in transportation and green development, one new Management school faculty who focuses in sustainable business, and one new Journalism school hire in environmental communication. Several additional planned hires could overlap with or focus squarely on recognized sustainability issues, but those determinations will have to be made after the hire is complete.
http://provost.uoregon.edu/sites/provost1.uoregon.edu/files/institutional_hiring_plan_6-26-17.pdf
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Research plan(s):
Successful hiring of faculty lines described above.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Research plan(s):
Provost's Office and Dean of College of Arts and Sciences
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Campus Engagement around sustainability:
The University of Oregon Division of Student Life's Strategic Plan supports teaching, research and community service. Sustainability is listed as one of the eight core values. "The Division of Student Life provides and promotes exceptional and transformative experiences that prepare students to be healthy, successful, inspired global citizens. Within collaborative and inclusive communities that embody the values of diversity, innovation, and social justice, we actively facilitate experiential learning and engage students in meaningful and deliberate activities, programs, and services."
The complete strategic plan can be found at: https://studentlife.uoregon.edu/strategic-plan
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Campus Engagement plan:
Several programs help Division of Student Life meet the strategic plan's broad goals. These include:
1. The Student Sustainability Fund - managed by the Student Sustainability Center, the program distributes approximately $35,000 annually. Additional details are available here: https://calendar.uoregon.edu/event/student_sustainability_fund_application_due_spring_2017
2. Academic Residential Communities (ARCs) offer students with shared academic interests, creative passions, or majors an opportunity to live together in a residential learning environment that interweaves in- and out-of-class engagement with faculty, advisors, tutors, and peer mentors. The curriculum and pedagogy of each ARC is uniquely designed by the sponsoring academic department and college, and students typically co-enroll in one course each term throughout their first year. Each ARC has a designated faculty director who collaborates with the instructors of the ARC courses, and partners with the live-in student and professional staff of Residence Life to dovetail co-curricular programming with course content. The Community for Environmental Leaders and Community for Social Activism are two ARCs that engage students interested in sustainability. For more information see the ARC webpage:
https://housing.uoregon.edu/academics
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Campus Engagement plan(s):
Student Sustainability Center
Office of Sustainability
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Public Engagement around sustainability:
The Community Education Division offers sustainable leadership workshops and a certificate program, which offers community members the chance to learn more about sustainability.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Public Engagement plan(s):
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Public Engagement plan(s):
Office of Sustainability
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Air and Climate:
Climate Action Plan:
"Climate Action Plan:
By signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), the University of Oregon (UO) is committing to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions. "
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Air and Climate plan(s):
"Current targets for the University of Oregon are:
2010: Stabilize and begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
2020: Achieve greenhouse gas levels 10% below 1990 levels
2050: Climate Neutrality"
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Air and Climate plan(s):
Steve Mital, UO Director of Sustainability
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Buildings:
Oregon model for Sustainable Development:
ENERGY GOAL: Net Zero Increase in Campus Energy Use from New Development
Advanced Energy Threshold (AET)
All new development projects must fund and meet the Advanced Energy Threshold (AET), which is defined as 35% more efficient than the Oregon Energy Code requirements (compared to the SEED requirement of 20% more efficient).*
The AET will ramp up to a higher standard over time as recommended by a small council of knowledgeable individuals led by Campus Planning and Real Estate.
The Oregon Model for Sustainable Development requires all new construction be 35% more energy efficient that required under state code and achieve LEED Gold certification. Additionally, new buildings will stimulate efficiency upgrades in existing building stock such that no additional energy will be required to power campus buildings despite expected growth in building square footage.
http://cpfm.uoregon.edu/files/policy_10_campus_plan_3rdedition_2014.pdf
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Buildings plan(s):
The Oregon Model for Sustainable Development requires all new construction be 35% more energy efficient that required under state code and achieve LEED Gold certification.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Buildings plan(s):
Campus Planning, Design, and Construction
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Dining Services/Food:
NA
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Dining Services/Food plan(s):
University Dining Services offers the following:
1. Our dining venues and University Catering focus on in-season goods and local products. They are currently using products from over 25 local farms.
2. Recycled content such as non-bleached paper napkins are used in lieu of harmful bleached products whenever available.
3. We use compostable service ware such as coffee cups, drink cups, utensils, plates, and napkins. These items are collected and turned into compost at a local commercial composting site.
4. Mulitple water refill stations have been installed to encourage students to refill a reusable bottle.
5. Biodiesel fuels are created from spent fryer oils.
More information is available at:
1. https://housing.uoregon.edu/sustainability
2. https://housing.uoregon.edu/sustainable-dining
3. https://housing.uoregon.edu/nutrition-dietary-needs
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Dining Services/Food plan(s):
NA
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Energy:
The Oregon Model for Sustainable Development requires all new construction be 35% more energy efficient that required under state code and achieve LEED Gold certification.
http://cpfm.uoregon.edu/files/policy_10_campus_plan_3rdedition_2014.pdf
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Energy plan(s):
The Oregon Model for Sustainable Development requires all new construction be 35% more energy efficient that required under state code and achieve LEED Gold certification.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Energy plan(s):
Jeff Madsen, UO Campus Energy Engineer, Capital Construction Department
Christine Thompson, Campus Planner, Campus Planning and Real Estate
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Grounds:
Integrative Pesticide Management (IPM) Plan.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Grounds plan(s):
Reduce pesticide applications and reduce water use are among the goals. Inflicting minimal hazards on the environment, insuring minimal human exposure to health risks, and evaluating the effect of the IPM practices are other objectives.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Grounds plan(s):
Phil Carroll - Landscape Maintenance Supervisor
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Purchasing:
All paper purchased must be at least 30% post-consumer recycled content. Note: University of Oregon had a long-standing recycled paper purchasing policy. However, a recent effort to re-organize the vast number of institutional policies resulted in the recycled paper policy being absorbed into the Comprehensive Environmental Policy. While this housekeeping work takes place, we cannot reference this in our policy statements. However, the long-standing policy to purchasing 30% post consumer recycled paper content remains in effect.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Purchasing plan(s):
All paper purchased must be at least 30% post-consumer recycled content. Also, new commodity codes have been implemented to track several environmentally preferable purchases.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Purchasing plan(s):
Purchasing and Contracting
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Transportation:
The university will support alternatives to commuting by single occupancy vehicles and encourage students, employees and guests to use alternatives that minimize environmental impact.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Transportation plan(s):
Several programs are in place that incentivize and support alternatives to driving a single occupancy vehicle to campus. (see link below for list and description of programs.)
A commuter survey is conducted annually to track success of these programs; results from most recent survey are in link below. Emissions from business travel are also estimated annually.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Transportation plan(s):
Department of Parking and Transportation
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Waste:
The Zero Waste construction standard requires recycling infrastructure to be made available in all existing and new buildings. Below is the last formally adopted Construction Standard from 2011.
https://cpfm.uoregon.edu/sites/cpfm2.uoregon.edu/files/campus_design_standards.pdf
Additionally, updates to the standard are initiated by the Campus Operations Zero Waste Program Manager. The standard is currently being updated and reviewed. Many improvements, including a pilot building-level composting program in approximately 10 percent of UO building, have already been adopted in practice. We expect the policy update to be finalized no later than December 2017.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Waste plan(s):
Visible recycling infrastructure in all buildings. For new construction, recycling infrastructure must be available at time building is open to public.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Waste plan(s):
Karyn Kaplan, UO Zero Waste Program
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Water:
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Water plan(s):
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Water plan(s):
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Diversity and Affordability:
Inclusion, Diversity, Evaluation, Achievement and Leadership (IDEAL) is a plan to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion among faculty, staff, administrators, and students.
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):
Each pillar of IDEAL has its own strategy (i.e. Inclusion strategy, Diversity strategy, Evaluation strategy, Achievement strategy, and Leadership strategy).
https://inclusion.uoregon.edu/sites/inclusion2.uoregon.edu/files/ideal_2-pager_may_2016.pdf
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):
Office of Equity and Inclusion
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Health, Wellbeing and Work:
University of Oregon Employee Health Plan(s)
All eligible UO employees receive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. The University of Oregon expresses this commitment in its comprehensive benefits plan.
All covered employees (the vast majority) are required to participate in the Oregon Health Employment Model (HEM). This includes a required annual survey that employees must complete regarding their health status. When completed, a report with several health improvement suggestions is sent to the employee. Employees must also verify that they have completed at least two health actions from a qualifying list. Additionally, employees are charged $25/month if they smoke, which incentivizes workers to not smoke. Link to the UO health care page and HEM page are below.
https://hr.uoregon.edu/hr-programs-services/benefits/uo-group-insurance
Additionally, the University of Oregon offers a range of Wellbeing and Work programs. Participation is not mandatory, however. The link with more detail is below.
https://hr.uoregon.edu/hr-programs-services/benefits/wellness-programs
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):
Required annual HEM survey is conducted each October and yields many measurements used to track staff health and modify program options going forward.
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):
University of Oregon Human Resources Department
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Investment:
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Investment plan(s):
NA
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Investment plan(s):
NA
A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in other areas:
The Oregon Model of Sustainable Development guides the University's policy on stormwater. The University of Oregon will improve the quality of campus stormwater emitted into the region’s waterways campus-wide by focusing on areas that contribute the most to the degradation of water quality—campus streets and parking lots. New development projects will be required to treat the equivalent amount of stormwater runoff as required by city code; however, some of the area treated will be shifted outside the project site to address campus areas with relatively low water quality—streets and parking lots.
http://cpfm.uoregon.edu/files/policy_10_campus_plan_3rdedition_2014.pdf
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the other plan(s):
"All new development projects will treat stormwater run-off from a portion of an existing street or parking area instead of treating the equivalent amount of relatively clean on-site, impervious surfaces, primarily defined as pedestrian surfaces such as sidewalks (especially those that do not drain directly into a stormwater pipe). The same amount of impervious surface will be treated, but the dirtier surfaces will receive greater attention.
For example, if a project site has 1,000 square feet of sidewalks that must be treated, the project would not be required to treat this area; instead, it would be required to fund 1,000 square feet of stormwater treatment for an existing campus street or parking lot.
The cost to treat existing streets and parking areas will be determined by establishing an average cost/square foot. The project is not responsible for implementing the off-site stormwater measures. Funds will be deposited into a central fund earmarked for stormwater treatment measures. Campus Operations will manage the fund and appropriately implementat measures needed to equal the required stormwater treatment from new development projects.
Projects should be designed to accommodate the potential to treat all of their stormwater in the future.
This goal will require coordination with the city (and in some cases may preclude implementation of this policy)."
Accountable parties, offices or departments for the other plan(s):
Campus Planning Design and Construction
The institution’s definition of sustainability:
Sustainability is about meeting our current resource needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Because our economy and society are dependent on a healthy environment, sustainability requires balancing economic success with environmental conservation, and social equity, also known as the triple bottom line.
Does the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document include sustainability at a high level?:
A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:
The UO Academic Plan makes several references to environmental stewardship. Important examples include:
Page 2 of the Academic Plan:
Respectful Stewardship – "We are guided by the humble recognition that we have been entrusted with human and natural resources that we must sustain and manage for posterity. This sense of stewardship, inspired and renewed by the extraordinary beauty of the region and reflective of the broader public trust extended to us by the state of Oregon, underlies the environmental commitments of many of our colleagues, students and staff. It shapes our research, teaching and our practices. We cherish a campus life and a curriculum that publicly fosters our keen sense of the aesthetic, and champions creative and artistic expression within a rich and beautiful natural environment."
From Page 3:
Oregon's Future - "We honor our commitment to a bright future by contributing to the economic and human development of Oregon. We educate Oregonians to take leadership roles in business, education, law, arts and multicultural communities across the state, and around the world. The comprehensive excellence of our University serves to attract the best and brightest from around the globe. In their artistic, professional and scholarly achievements our students and faculty serve the state of Oregon within an increasingly global environment. The knowledge created in our academic core furthers humanity's ability to prosper, at peace with our neighbors and our environment."
From page 6:
Natural Environment - "As we enter the second decade of the twenty-first century, environmental concerns play an ever larger role in local and global public discourse, and are of particular relevance for us, given our commitment to sustaining our natural resources. Moreover, we belong to a distinctive region of the United States: the Pacific Northwest. Our goals and plans should capitalize upon our setting."
The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Another website where information about the institution's sustainability planning is available: http://cpdc.uoregon.edu/policies-and-documents
Another website where information about the institution's sustainability planning is available: http://cpdc.uoregon.edu/policies-and-documents
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.