University of Pennsylvania
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Penn President Amy Gutmann signed the "American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment" in 2007, the first Ivy League President to do so, and in doing so charged the development of a strategic plan outlining the University’s goals for carbon reduction. To carry out this mission, the "Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee" (ESAC), chaired by the Vice President of the Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services, was formed, and held its first meeting in May 2008. ESAC is a representative group of faculty, staff, and students who advise the President and senior leadership on environmental sustainability issues. This committee is comprised of senior administrators as at-large members, the Environmental Innovations Initiative reporting on academic sustainability, School and Center Sustainability Coordinators, the Sustainability Office, students, and representatives from six subcommittees: Civic Engagement & Outreach, Physical Environment, Utilities & Operations, Procurement, Strategic Waste, and Transportation. These subcommittees developed recommendations for short- and long-term actions that were incorporated into Penn's initial Climate Action Plan in 2009; the second iteration, the Climate Action Plan in 2014, and the third iteration, the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 in 2019. ESAC was given a new role after the launch of the University’s Climate Action Plan - and continues to meet once per semester, with each subcommittee meeting every two months to discuss current work, challenges, and achievements in each of the plan’s seven initiatives. These ongoing meetings ensure effective implementation of the plan and provide an opportunity to strengthen Penn’s initiatives through regular communication and collaboration.

In addition to the campus leadership and steering function provided by ESAC, Penn has many supporting committees and organizations that enhance sustainability at Penn through administrative decision-making, advocacy, research, and leadership. These committees include: * The Sustainability Coordinators, comprised of representatives from Schools and key Centers that work to align their work to the goals of Penn's CSAP 3.0. * Student Advisory Group for the Environment (SAGE) with student representatives advising on sustainability goals and projects. * The Bicycle Committee, with representatives from Penn's Divisions of Facilities and Real Estate Services, Business Services, and Public Safety, as well as other key campus stakeholder. * The University Council's Facilities Committee, which often includes campus sustainability as one of its annual charges. * Solid Waste Management Working Group, made up as volunteers from across campus collaborating on waste minimization efforts. * The Tree Advisory Committee, with representatives from the Morris Arboretum, the Office of the University Architect, and other key stakeholders, working to keep Penn's tree population healthy and to expand Penn's tree canopy on campus. 

Names of all members can be found here: https://upenn.box.com/s/kdqac1tz6a2vqv8kk6azxmwot8l17a26

The Sustainability Office has four main functions: setting sustainability goals, tracking & reporting sustainability metrics, educating & engaging the campus community, and supporting efforts throughout the campus to meet the "Climate and Sustainability Action Plan" goals. The Sustainability Office completes quarterly metrics tracking sustainability goals for senior leadership, organizes campus-wide awareness campaigns, oversees the work of outreach programs such as the Green Labs Program, and organizations such as Student Eco-Reps, School and Center Sustainability Coordinators, and provides support to and coordination with allied professionals, faculty, and administrators across the University working on sustainability issues. Some examples of recent progress include: * The completion of the largest solar development in Pennsylvania, providing 70% of Penn’s electricity from solar, expanding Penn’s off-campus move out donation collections, to hosting events like Creating Canopy Tree Giveaway, Climate Week, and Earth Week.

The Sustainability Director is responsible for Penn insuring the goals of the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 are met, and coordinating and managing programs in the Divisions of Facilities and Real Estate Services, the Division of Business Services, and in the Schools and Centers. The Sustainability Director, in collaboration with the Provost Office, also manages a number of programs supporting the advancement of sustainability in academics at Penn, including faculty support and student fellowship, internship, and support programs. The Sustainability Director, in collaboration with the Vice President of Facilities and Real Estate Services and University Architect, provides the strategic vision for campus sustainability design, operations, and planning, and oversees a staff of three responsible for goal-setting, developing and reporting key performance indicators, providing outreach, education, and engagement services, and collaborating with stakeholders to improve sustainability performance across campus. The Sustainability Director also serves as the university’s primary spokesperson regarding sustainability initiatives and performance. The Director is responsible for compliance with university membership requirements for the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, the Ivy+ Sustainability Collaborative, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and the Global University Leadership Forum’s International Sustainability Campus Network.

This position also serves as an advisor and manager to many groups across campus, including the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee (ESAC), the Sustainability Coordinators, and the Student Sustainability Association at Penn (SSAP). The Sustainability Manager reports to Penn’s Sustainability Director and helps oversee day-to-day functions of the office while contributing to institutional planning, strategic development, campus operations, and outreach initiatives for the University's Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0, an institutional framework for holistic sustainability.

Assist the Sustainability Director in implementation of the Climate Action Plan 3.0. As the primary data and metrics analyst, this individual collects and reports quarterly and annual sustainability performance metrics, contribute to Penn's sustainability communications efforts, and complete periodic updates of the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS). Additional duties include management of the Penn Green Fund, sustainability interns, Civic Sustainability Fellows, applying for awards, assistance with management of the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee, liaise with the School and Center Sustainability Coordinators, and serve as the point person for outside organizations such as the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, AASHE, and the Sustainability Endowments Institute.