University of San Diego
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

USD's Office of Sustainability is currently preparing an update to the university's 2016 Climate Action Plan (CAP), which will include sustainability-related policies and programs for the entire campus. Specifically, the updated CAP will address the following areas: Energy, Transportation, Materials Management, Food, Water, DEI & Community Engagement, Academics, and Land Management.

Two strategic initiatives funded internally created organizations and committees that have increased academic and community-driven sustainability efforts. The Environmental and Social Justice Leadership Hub in the School of Leadership and Educational Sciences has created programs and resources focused on climate change, resilience planning, and support for NGOs and community groups working on local and regional issues. The Environmental Integration Lab has brought together faculty across multiple academic units (Natural Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering, Business), staff and administrators (Mulvaney Center, Changemaker Hub, San Diego Regional Climate Collabrative, Tribal Liason) and students to focus on creating new courses, research projects, student advocacy opportunities, and community action.

The University of San Diego is officially designated as a "University of Laudato Si" which requires a 7 year commitment to the principles of Care for Our Common Home. The committee shaping the University's response and implementation plan includes students, faculty from multiple areas (Environmental & Ocean Sciences, Business, Engineering, Sociology, Theology & Religious Studides), administrators (Mission Integration, Sustainability). The co-chairs for this work come from Mission Integration and Care for Our Common Home Strategic pathway providing central support and direct connections to our Mission, Vision, and Values.

In 2021, the President and the Board of Trustees appointed a committee to review and update USD's investment policy. The committee was co-chaired by the Katy Roig (Vice Prident for Finance and CFO) & the Board Chair of the Investment Committee (Leo Festino) with participation from faculty, administrators, and students. After a comprehensive review of all investment policies, the committee recommended increased and dedicated investment in ESG funds/companies, inclusion of climate change language and the 3 main principles from Laudato Si, and a plan for divestments from fossil fuels by 2035. The resolutions were adopted unanimously in Fall 2021.

CAP update Steering Council:
John Alejandro, Director of Sustainability
Milena LaBarbiera, Sustainability Coordinator
Bill McLeod, Climate and Energy Manager
Michel Boudrias, Director, Care for Our Common Home
Scott Anders, Director, Energy Policy Initiatives Center
Regina Dixon-Reeves, Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Andre Hutchinson, Associate Vice President, Facilities Management
Julia Cantzler, Co-Chair, Environmental Integration Lab
Darbi Berry, Director of Climate and Environment Programs, Nonprofit Institute
Emily Young, Executive Director, Nonprofit Institute
Abby Berk, Professor, Knauss School of Business
Simon Croom, Professor, Knauss School of Business
Caroline Baillie, Professor, Shiley Marcos School of Engineering
Mark Peters, Director for Mission
Sahmie Wytwa, Tribal Liaison
Katie Roig, Vice President for Finance
Andre Mallie, Vice President for Student Affairs

To note, several individuals in this list are also participants of the various committees mentioned above.

The Office of Sustainability was formed in Fall 2009, stemming from the first cycle of Strategic Initiatives proposed by President Mary Lyons. Currently, the Office has four full-time staff positions: Director, Sustainability Coordinator, HVAC Automation Controls Specialist, and Climate and Energy Manager. The Office also employs seven (7) student assistants (both graduate and undergraduate). This staff is tasked to plan and implement programs and practices to educate employees and students about sustainability and improve campus operations and engagement. This office also advises the Sustainability student club and the Associated Student Government Sustainability Chair.

The University of San Diego Office of Sustainability is the primary institution-wide coordinating body regarding sustainability on campus. The Office of Sustainability is led by the Director of Sustainability who oversees environmental mitigation and adaptation strategies in infrastructure as well as focusing on the social and economic impacts of a comprehensive campus policy. The following list describes the activities and substantive accomplishments over the previous three years:

ENERGY MASTER PLAN: Building off the goals made through the 2016 Climate Action Plan (CAP), USD’s President Harris set a more ambitious GHG reduction target of zero by 2035. With the continued support from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) Local Institutional Energy Efficiency Partnership (LIP), USD set forth to create a 15-year Energy Master Plan (EMP) that reduces energy consumption and GHG emissions through recommendations aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. Through the collaboration of USD staff, faculty, students, and a team of consultants, the 2021 EMP reflects the culmination of experiential learning opportunities, research, analysis, and a strategic roadmap towards ensuring USD remains a leader in sustainability.

SDG&E PARTNERSHIPS: The Director of Sustainability works closely with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) to bring funding incentives to USD to fund energy efficiency studies, programs and educational opportunities for the campus. The SDG&E Partnership is rooted in energy efficiency and conservation programs to reduce campus energy usage.

2021 STARS GOLD RATING: Since the creation of the Director of Sustainability position in 2010, sustainability coordination has increased on campus, improving programming and infrastructure changes to reduce resource consumption and raise awareness of environmental and social issues. This is reflected in the Gold Rating designated to USD by the STARS program in 2021 (following on the Gold rating received in 2017).

PRINCETON REVIEW RANKS USD A TOP 50 GREEN COLLEGE: The University of San Diego ranked 18th nationally in the 2021 Princeton Review Green Honor Roll.

GENERAL PURPOSE: The Director of Sustainability oversees the management, implementation, and development of a comprehensive sustainability program with the mission to minimize USD’s environmental footprint, supports new initiatives for sustainable development, supports and promotes program integration and collaboration with USD’s academic, research and educational programs, and realizes meaningful operational cost savings through efficiency programs. This position plans, directs, manages, administers and evaluates the university energy management and utility budget. The Director is responsible for the development of a strategic long-range plan for sustainability for the University of San Diego that focuses on the triple bottom line, i.e. the environmental, financial and social impacts. Program initiatives span multiple program areas including energy, water, waste and transportation and reach multiple audiences. SUPERVISION RECEIVED: The Director reports to the AVP for Facilities, with considerable latitude and independence of action. This reporting structure demonstrates the high priority sustainability plays in USD’s strategic initiative going forward.    SUPERVISION EXERCISED: The Director supervises the Sustainability Coordinator, Climate and Energy Manager, and student workers.

The Climate and Energy Manager develops, manages and continuously improves processes and implements projects that lead to energy savings and reduced Greenhouse Gas emissions for the University of San Diego (USD). This includes tracking of utilities, the creation and continuous revision of institutional standards and policies related to climate and energy management, and the ongoing identification and implementation of projects to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption on campus. The Climate and Energy Manager also develops and maintains a set of key performance indicators for utility consumption to assess progress toward efficiency and renewable energy goals. The Climate and Energy Manager coordinates USD’s energy efficiency programs, including: energy conservation and efficiency; demand management; building performance, benchmarking and retro-commissioning; consumption and cost forecasting for utility purchasing. This position works in cooperation with various departments of Facilities Management. The Climate and Energy Manager also helps inventory USD’s progress in its climate initiatives including annual GHG reporting and other sustainability reporting including the STARS ratings from AASHE. SUPERVISION RECEIVED: The Climate and Energy Manager is supervised by the Director of Sustainability. SUPERVISION EXERCISED: The Climate and Energy Manager works closely with the HVAC Automation Controls Specialist to develop, track and report on Demand Response efforts, and has opportunities to supervise student interns as needed.

Reporting to the Director of Sustainability, this role coordinates the day-to-day operations for the Office of Sustainability. This includes budget and financial management, leading the creation and development of sustainability related programs, student supervision and guidance, and various campus responsibilities as it pertains to sustainability issues. This role is also responsible for on-campus partnership development and various committee meetings to ensure a strong sustainability presence throughout the facets of the campus. The Sustainability Coordinator works proactively to resolve potential sustainability issues presented by students, faculty and staff. The Sustainability Coordinator is authorized to plan special events on campus and in the community, create educational programming, and oversee development of marketing materials. This position also attends various professional development and sustainability related conferences and works directly with the Director of Sustainability as it relates to sustainability growth at the university.

Note that a new position, the Director for the Care for Our Common Home Strategic Pathway, was created in Sept. 2019.