| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.33 |
| Liaison | Maria Dahmus |
| Submission Date | Nov. 30, 2023 |
University of St. Thomas
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Maria
Dahmus Director Office of Sustainability Initiatives |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1. Measurable sustainability objectives
Academics
Yes
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:
The University's 2025 Strategic Plan includes our "Live and Work Sustainably" Strategic Priority with the following measurable objective related to academics:
-By 2025, 20 percent of all undergraduate courses offered by the university will include sustainability components.
In the summer of 2019, the University of St. Thomas published a five-year Sustainability Strategic Plan, which includes the following measurable objectives related to academics:
Foster understanding of how education contributes to a more sustainable world:
We will work toward a goal of 50% of all degree programs adopting sustainability learning outcomes by collaborating with each academic unit’s appropriate curriculum committee. We will also develop the expertise to integrate sustainability into courses and programs through these aspirations:
· Build to 20% of all courses offered by the institution being sustainability courses
· Build to 90% of academic departments offering at least one sustainability course
Become a campus of research excellence in sustainability:
We will support the expansion of sustainability research across all disciplines through increased donor funding, as well as the free and widespread sharing of such research knowledge, to achieve the following milestones:
· 75% of departments have at least one faculty member engaged in sustainability research.
· 15% of scholarly articles published by faculty and staff are deposited in an open access repository.
· 15% of faculty and staff are engaged in sustainability research.
-By 2025, 20 percent of all undergraduate courses offered by the university will include sustainability components.
In the summer of 2019, the University of St. Thomas published a five-year Sustainability Strategic Plan, which includes the following measurable objectives related to academics:
Foster understanding of how education contributes to a more sustainable world:
We will work toward a goal of 50% of all degree programs adopting sustainability learning outcomes by collaborating with each academic unit’s appropriate curriculum committee. We will also develop the expertise to integrate sustainability into courses and programs through these aspirations:
· Build to 20% of all courses offered by the institution being sustainability courses
· Build to 90% of academic departments offering at least one sustainability course
Become a campus of research excellence in sustainability:
We will support the expansion of sustainability research across all disciplines through increased donor funding, as well as the free and widespread sharing of such research knowledge, to achieve the following milestones:
· 75% of departments have at least one faculty member engaged in sustainability research.
· 15% of scholarly articles published by faculty and staff are deposited in an open access repository.
· 15% of faculty and staff are engaged in sustainability research.
Engagement
Yes
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:
The University's 2025 Strategic Plan includes our "Live and Work Sustainably" Strategic Priority with the following measurable objective related to student and employee engagement for sustainability: By 2025, 60 percent of students and 25 percent of employees will be served by a sustainability peer educators program.
In the summer of 2019, the University of St. Thomas published a five-year Sustainability Strategic Plan, which includes the following measurable objectives related to engagement:
Create a coherent sustainability culture for students outside of the classroom:
We will foster student leadership, awareness and education by incorporating sustainability into new student orientation, Welcome Days and other onboarding activities. We will develop an undergraduate student peer educator program, provide advising support for the Undergraduate Student Government Sustainability Coalition and create a sustainability certificate/pathway in Tommie Link.
Support employee peer-to-peer education:
We will pilot and evaluate an Employee Educators Program focused on implementing sustainability practices in the work environment. By 2024, 25% of all employees will be directly targeted by a peer-to-peer sustainability education program.
To increase awareness of sustainability as a strategic priority for new employees, we will incorporate sustainability information into new employee orientation and onboarding activities, with a goal of reaching 85% of all new staff employees.
In the summer of 2019, the University of St. Thomas published a five-year Sustainability Strategic Plan, which includes the following measurable objectives related to engagement:
Create a coherent sustainability culture for students outside of the classroom:
We will foster student leadership, awareness and education by incorporating sustainability into new student orientation, Welcome Days and other onboarding activities. We will develop an undergraduate student peer educator program, provide advising support for the Undergraduate Student Government Sustainability Coalition and create a sustainability certificate/pathway in Tommie Link.
Support employee peer-to-peer education:
We will pilot and evaluate an Employee Educators Program focused on implementing sustainability practices in the work environment. By 2024, 25% of all employees will be directly targeted by a peer-to-peer sustainability education program.
To increase awareness of sustainability as a strategic priority for new employees, we will incorporate sustainability information into new employee orientation and onboarding activities, with a goal of reaching 85% of all new staff employees.
Operations
Yes
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:
The University's 2025 Strategic Plan includes our "Live and Work Sustainably" Strategic Priority with the following measurable objective related to sustainability in operations: Obtain a minimum of LEED silver certification for new buildings larger than 25,000 square feet; Reduce annual carbon emissions by over 50 percent below our baseline while working toward a goal of carbon neutrality by 2035; Achieve a solid waste diversion rate of 70 percent by 2025 and explore strategies to work towards a zero-waste goal.
In the summer of 2019, the University of St. Thomas published a five-year Sustainability Strategic Plan, which includes the following measurable objectives related to operations:
Continue to reduce carbon emissions
In support of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, we are on pace to reduce annual carbon emissions by 19% below the fiscal year 2018 emissions by 2024.
We will adopt a policy for sustainable construction and ensure that all new buildings larger than 25,000 square feet will be designed and constructed to achieve a LEED Silver certification or better.
Continue broad focus of sustainable operations and maintenance
We will develop and implement a Sustainable Facilities Operations and Maintenance program that has a focus on waste minimization, responsible land care, formalized policies on indoor air quality, green cleaning and reducing energy and water consumption. We also plan to minimize waste through recycling, reuse, reduce and donation processes, and implement a campus-wide organics collection system to support a goal of diverting 65% of materials from solid waste by 2024 and 80% by 2030. We will adopt an integrated pest management program for all campus grounds, and adopt policies that result in a 10% reduction of water and energy consumed on campus by 2024.
Increase the percentage of commuters using sustainable modes of transportation
Within the next five years, we will work to reduce single occupancy vehicle commutes to St. Thomas. Through increased awareness, assistance and access we will increase the number of students (by at least 7%), and employees (by at least 3%), using sustainable modes of transportation.
In the summer of 2019, the University of St. Thomas published a five-year Sustainability Strategic Plan, which includes the following measurable objectives related to operations:
Continue to reduce carbon emissions
In support of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, we are on pace to reduce annual carbon emissions by 19% below the fiscal year 2018 emissions by 2024.
We will adopt a policy for sustainable construction and ensure that all new buildings larger than 25,000 square feet will be designed and constructed to achieve a LEED Silver certification or better.
Continue broad focus of sustainable operations and maintenance
We will develop and implement a Sustainable Facilities Operations and Maintenance program that has a focus on waste minimization, responsible land care, formalized policies on indoor air quality, green cleaning and reducing energy and water consumption. We also plan to minimize waste through recycling, reuse, reduce and donation processes, and implement a campus-wide organics collection system to support a goal of diverting 65% of materials from solid waste by 2024 and 80% by 2030. We will adopt an integrated pest management program for all campus grounds, and adopt policies that result in a 10% reduction of water and energy consumed on campus by 2024.
Increase the percentage of commuters using sustainable modes of transportation
Within the next five years, we will work to reduce single occupancy vehicle commutes to St. Thomas. Through increased awareness, assistance and access we will increase the number of students (by at least 7%), and employees (by at least 3%), using sustainable modes of transportation.
Administration
Yes
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:
The University has a DEI Strategic Plan: The Path Forward to Equity. This plan serves as our roadmap for the collective DEI work at St. Thomas. Community inputs, a diversity and equity climate survey and a DEI audit and mapping informed the plan.
In the summer of 2019, the University of St. Thomas published a five-year Sustainability Strategic Plan, which includes the following measurable objectives related to administration:
Assess all staff on sustainability competency:
Sustainability was added as a component to the Integrity competency in the Performance Assessment process. All staff (full-time and part-time) will have sustainability included in performance reviews.
In the summer of 2019, the University of St. Thomas published a five-year Sustainability Strategic Plan, which includes the following measurable objectives related to administration:
Assess all staff on sustainability competency:
Sustainability was added as a component to the Integrity competency in the Performance Assessment process. All staff (full-time and part-time) will have sustainability included in performance reviews.
Part 2. Sustainability in institution’s highest guiding document
Yes
The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
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?:
Major theme
Optional Fields
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:
The Board of Trustees approved a university commitment to divest our endowment from fossil fuels.
The institution’s definition of sustainability:
The University of St. Thomas Sustainability Council charter includes the following definition of sustainability:
"The most commonly held definition of sustainability is 'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' Sustainable systems preserve and advance social equity, economic prosperity, and the healthy functioning of ecological systems now and in the future."
"The most commonly held definition of sustainability is 'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' Sustainable systems preserve and advance social equity, economic prosperity, and the healthy functioning of ecological systems now and in the future."
Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| The Earth Charter | No |
| The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) | No |
| ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter | No |
| Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability | No |
| SDG Accord | No |
| Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment | Yes |
| The Talloires Declaration (TD) | No |
| UN Global Compact | No |
| Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) | Yes |
A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
The University is a signatory of the U.S. Catholic Climate Declaration, a public expression of support by the Catholic community in the United States for action to address climate change. https://catholicclimatecovenant.org/us-catholic-climate-declaration
In 2008, St. Thomas past President Father Dennis Dease signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).
In 2008, St. Thomas past President Father Dennis Dease signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).
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:
We have included both our Campus Sustainability Strategic Plan and the University's 2025 Strategic Plan, which includes our Live and Work Sustainably Strategic Priority.
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.