University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

UW Oshkosh will educate all of its students on sustainability through required course in the University Studies program--the new general education program, which incorporates three "signature questions":
1) How do people understand and create a more sustainable world?
2) How do people understand and engage in community life?
3) How do people understand and bridge cultural differences?

The sustainability question states: "Knowledge of Sustainability and Its Applications is the ability to understand local and global earth systems; the qualities of ecological integrity and the means to restore and preserve it; and the interconnection of ecological integrity, social justice and economic well-being."

http://www.uwosh.edu/usp/signature-questions

Plan URL: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/curriculum-and-research

The first cohort of students began in the USP in the fall 2013 and will take assessment tests to measure their understanding of sustainability in 2016 or soon. From that time on, all students will take assessment tests as freshman and then again as seniors.

The University Studies Program and the Chancellor's Sustainability Fellow who reports to the Provost.

UW Oshkosh has committed to supporting faculty development focused on conducting sustainability-focused research by legitimizing sustainability research and building faculty interest, capacity, and participation in research efforts.
URL to plan section related to research: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/curriculum-and-research

Campus will hold workshops to encourage: participatory research (include stakeholders), trans-disciplinary research, knowledge-to-action oriented research all focused on sustainability.
Campus will begin a regular sustainability seminar series (bringing in outside speakers) focused on cutting edge research in sustainability and will provide incentives for faculty to do sustainability research by working with Faculty Development to provide special funds/incentives for faculty who submit proposals for sustainability related research. This may be modeled after the External Grants Expansion Program, where faculty get seed money to help them develop proposals that will be submitted to external funding organizations (e.g., National Science Foundation).
Campus will encourage collaborative faculty-student research programs focused on sustainability, work with new initiatives (e.g., REI, Veissmann partnership) to provide funding or other support for sustainability research by our faculty.

During the next five years we will track the following:
-number of grants won,
-dollar amounts of grant awards,
-number of faculty engaged,
-disciplines engaged,
-community partners engaged,
-publications and presentations,
-numbers of students involved.

Campus held its first workshop in June 2015 to gauge interest in expanding access to sustainability related research and to begin an inventory of all sustainability related research at UWO. The results of the workshop revealed a high level of interest in sustainability related research. Sustainability is also now being incorporated into the new campus strategic plan, which is being spearheaded through the Provost's Office.

Participating academic departments, Office of the provost, Office of Sustainability, Renewable Energy Institute, BioGas Programs, ERIC Lab, Office of the Endowed Chair in Sustainable Technology

http://www.uwosh.edu/rei
http://www.uwosh.edu/engineeringtech
http://www.uwosh.edu/eric
http://www.uwosh.edu/biodigester

UW Oshkosh seeks to engage all members of the campus community in sustainability understanding and action through a wide range of curricular and co-curricular activities.

Residence Life/Student Affairs
-To increase student understanding of sustainability across campus and connect sustainability knowledge to experiences outside of the classroom.

All governance groups and the administration have endorsed the plan.

Sustainability plan URL: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/co-curricular-and-residence-life

-Develop a sustainability pledge
-Have a campus-wide Sustainability Calendar that is easily accessible on and off campus
-Use major events (e.g., sports, graduation, homecoming, public lectures) to highlight sustainable practices
-Partner with facilities to develop waste management strategic programming that diverts waste generated during move-in/move-out days
-Develop materials and programs so that sustainability is a key component of first year experience and orientation.
-Expand and develop new programming with CAs in Residence Life building on the work of the Eco-Reps and Sustainability Advisers before them especially for the Green Rooms and Green Lifestyles programs, which target behavior change as it relates to resource use, waste reduction, landfill diversion, alternative transportation, and awareness of issues and campus events.
Sustainability Leadership Program
-Identify study abroad experiences related to sustainability and ensure learning outcomes reflect measurable gains in sustainability literacy
-Develop new study abroad courses focused on sustainability.
-Expand the Green Office program to all campus offices by 2018 which targets behavior change as it relates to resource use, waste reduction, landfill diversion, alternative transportation, and awareness of issues and campus events.

Track the following over the next five years:
-Residence hall rooms certified
-Students in residence halls signing green lifestyles
-Students from larger student body signing sustainability pledge
-Waste/goods collected during move in and move out
-Incoming freshman engaged during orientation
-Sustainability tours for incoming freshman during orientation
-Relevant study abroad offerings
-Student participants of relevant study abroad offerings
-Offices certified as Green Offices
-Signatures from Green Offices

Student Affairs, Office of Sustainability, Administrative Services, Residence Life

UW Oshkosh seeks to engage the larger campus community in sustainability understanding and action through a wide range of campus activities and outreach to advance sustainability beyond the campus.

-Expand programs that engage the public in the region and beyond through applied research
-Expand programs that engage the public in the region and beyond through classes, especially in the USP
-Use major events (e.g., sports, graduation, homecoming, public lectures) to highlight sustainable practices

-Track grants that support knowledge-to-action oriented applied research that engages community stakeholders
-Track dollar amounts of participatory knowledge-to-action oriented applied research
-Track community partnerships involved in participatory knowledge-to-action oriented applied research
-Track numbers of community members engaged in participatory knowledge-to-action oriented applied research
-Track community partnerships through classes
-Track numbers of community members engaged through classes
-Segment attendance at public events by the internal campus community and the external community where possible

Office of Sustainability, Campus Sustainability Council, Oshkosh Student Association, Student Affairs, Office of Volunteer Opportunities, USP

UW Oshkosh is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2025. At present, the campus is equipped to generate the equivalent of all of its electricity use through renewable energy projects. The campus will continue to move aggressively to add additional renewable energy installations on campus and in the region.
Campus will fully achieve its goal to become climate neutral by 2025.
URL to sustainability plan: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/construction-and-major-renovation
URL to CAP: http://rs.acupcc.org/cap/333/

-Double renewable energy production capacity by 2020
-Campus will expand the purchase of green energy credits to cover emissions that it will not be able to cover through its own capacity to generate green energy.
-Reduce the fossil CO2 emissions from the campus heating plant 30%, by 2019 -- Consider the implementation of geo-thermal heating and cooling to all future new construction and major renovation projects. Particular attention should be given to the installation of innovative hybrid geo-thermal systems that accommodate partial loads of facilities.
-Reduce the CO2 emissions/energy consumption from the campus central chiller plant -- Consider the installation of thermal ice storage technology, either at the central plant or at individual building sites.

Track annually over the next five years or until goal is achieved:
-Energy generated through campus-owned/operated green energy installations
-Renewable energy credits purchased by campus
-Carbon credits generated by the university's green energy installations
-GHG emissions by sq ft of total building space, by building, total campus per capita, per capita by building
-Energy saved through efficiency upgrades and behavior change to the extent possible

Office of Sustainability, Facilities Management, Admin Services

UW Oshkosh seeks to design, construct and renovate buildings to a rigorous, innovative sustainability standard seeking net-zero buildings over the long run.
URL to Plan: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/construction-and-major-renovation

-Continue to require Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for all new construction with the goal to meet or exceed criteria for Gold Certification
-Explore the potential to pursue a LEED Platinum and/or a net-zero energy building as opportunities arise with sufficient financing available
-Establish specific targets for credits within LEED categories that will result in high performance buildings
-Submit one pilot building for LEED Existing Building certification by 2014 to meet or exceed criteria for Gold Certification
-Require LEED Existing Building certification for 20% of all existing facilities by 2020
-Large renovation projects should at minimum comply with LEED Commercial Interiors or -New Construction criteria at the Platinum certification level
-Employ life cycle analysis (LCA) and full-cost accounting to evaluate all human and environmental costs and benefits (especially for negative externalities) over the entire life of each building project
-Monitor the development of other sustainability and energy efficiency related rating systems to include net-zero energy, Passive House. Adopt best practices regarding sustainable building design and construction as they develop

Annually assess the following:
-Number of LEED certified buildings
-Number of buildings that have achieved net zero energy performance
-Water consumption per building sq ft and per capita total and by building

Facilities Management, Office of Sustainability

Move campus to a food system that provides nutritious and healthy foods that are produced, delivered, prepared and processed in socially just and environmentally sound ways, and are as local as can be.
URL https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/food-systems
Note: all portions of the plan have been endorsed by all campus governance groups, all units, and the administration.

Become a “Real Food” campus to achieve or exceed the goal of 20% real food by 2020, and will strive to do its part in helping UWO become a zero organic waste campus also by 2020.
-Initiate a campus gardens/greenhouse program to grow herbs and other cost effective foods for campus dining facilities. Herbs are often a good choice because many are expensive to procure through vendors due to short shelf lives and are easy to grow. Examples include basil, cilantro, oregano, and parsley. Other foods may include garlic, greens, late-season crops and crops with long shelf lives like squash.
-Consider planting and landscaping using Permaculture techniques on campus that stack functions by creating food forests (trees, shrubs, herbs, and other perennial edible/medicinal plants) and serve to educate and feed students in the process.

Track annually:
-Source of all food with reference to types of farms and processors, location of farms and processors
Assess annually:
-Ingredients in processed foods, percent of all foods that are organic, percentage of all foods that are fair trade or equivalent certified, meat as percentage of all food, vegetarian and vegan offerings, percentage of beverages that are wholesome as opposed to soft drinks

Office of Sustainability, Oshkosh Student Association, Dining Services, Facilities Management

-Collect and disseminate data and information on campus energy use to enable better assessment and increase awareness in the campus community - Have all data obtainable through Johnson Controls Metasys® system by the end of 2016.
-Reduce energy consumption by establishing policies and educating the community about standards that encourage behavior change.
-Reduce energy consumption through the performance of renovations, upgrades and retrofits to existing building inventory.
-Coordinate efforts to reduce peak electrical demand energy use.
-Encourage energy conservation practices with incentives.
-Maximize building operational energy efficiency
URL: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/energy

-Add buildings to Metasys® on a continuing basis until all buildings and systems are accounted for.
-Measure energy consumption by: square feet/building, total square feet of campus, total campus per capita, per capita by building
-Total green energy generated
-Total green energy purchased
-Energy saved through performance upgrades
-Track behavior change programs.
-Track hourly energy use
-Track energy efficiency programs and assess performance.

Office of Sustainability, Facilities Management

Campus is committed to developing and managing a unique landscape that stresses sustainability, functional “working” grounds, safety, and aesthetics.
URL to sustainability plan: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/grounds-and-custodial-maintenance

-Form working groups to draft a sustainable campus master landscape plan and sustainable campus landscape management plan. Incorporate the following into all grounds plans:
-Maximize the use of locally sourced, native plant material that is well suited for the local environment. Such plant material will require less fertilizer, irrigation, or pesticide.
-Emphasis should be placed upon perennials rather than annuals
-Utilize the widest genetic base among individual species
-Eliminate existing invasive exotic species
-Include endangered, rare species to the extent possible
-Include useful plants (e.g., pest deterrents, nitrogen-fixing plants, edibles and medicinals) for pedagogical and practical purposes
-Reduce turf area and monocultures in favor of diverse native ground covers, tree canopies, prairies, understory trees and shrubbery
-Maintain and update the campus tree inventory on an annual basis. Continue to participate in Tree Campus U.S.A.
-Dedicate a significant portion of campus to fruit and vegetable production
-Consider a sugar maple stand along the river
-Integrate Permaculture thinking into grounds maintenance that focuses on biomimicry and ecological restoration - to include planting food, medicine, and other species that benefit insects, act as nitrogen fixers, provide habitat, and increase biodiversity and learning opportunities
-Create signage that provides students, staff, and visitors with opportunities to learn about plant species (uses, functions, details, etc.), as well as planting purposes.
-Create more natural prairie areas such as exist near Halsey Science Building, allowing for aesthetic considerations (e.g., more flowering plants) in some landscape designs
-Enhance wildlife habitat by providing artificial structures (e.g. bat and bird houses)
-Use organic fertilizers to the maximum extent possible
-Incorporate integrated pest management practices to deal with seasonal pests
-Work to minimize or eliminate toxic chemicals from landscape management
-Reduce the use of salt based “ice melt” from sidewalks
-Work with the biodigester and University partners to use created compost on university grounds.

Time horizons for between one and five years for the following:
-Track use of fossil fuels, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and potable irrigation water with all trending downward.
-Acres of turf reduced, acres of self-mulching beds established, and acres of working landscapes (i.e., with plants that produce usable products from vegetables to fruits, for example)
-Track numbers and kinds of plants planted over time.
-Measure percent canopy.
-Numbers of "energy-wise" plants planted over time
-Numbers of rare and/or endangered species cultivated on campus
-Assess value of wildlife habitat (e.g., monarch butterfly habitat)

Facilities Management, Office of Sustainability

To increase the number of sustainable purchasing policies for more than 50% of campus spending by 2019.
URL to purchasing section of the sustainability plan: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/purchasing

-Create and manage a Shop@UW folder for UW Oshkosh Preferable Supplies to promote and make it easier to purchase supplies that are energy star-rated, recycled-content, etc.
-Ensure proper training of individuals about the suggested “green” list of products
-Purchase recycled content paper with a preference of 100% recycled-content.
-When applicable, life cycle analysis will be included into new contracts in anticipation of ACUPCC requirements.
-When applicable, new contracts will include language about the provider using smart-size packaging that will help reduce packaging waste along with using recyclable packaging.
-When possible, track sustainable purchases and report this to the Sustainability office as well as to campus community annually. (This includes Fair Trade).
-Ensure that clothing, etc. is Worker's Rights Consortium approved. This applies to contracts for goods providers for campus retail (University Bookstore).

Track all purchases for sustainability criteria with an emphasis on paper (volume and % recyclable), electronics (EPEAT and/or Energy Star), appliances (Energy Star), cleaning supplies (Green Clean), gas mileage of vehicles, furniture (sustainable certified), fair/direct trade products, clothing, lab supplies, books, dining supplies, HVAC equipment, tools, building supplies, athletic equipment.

Administrative Services (purchasing unit), Facilities Management

Create a comprehensive Campus Transportation Plan to balance the needs of all commuters to campus and to reduce fossil fuel emissions and the campus carbon footprint associated with transportation.
URLs:
https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/transportation
http://www.uwosh.edu/parking/parking-master-plan

-Establish incentives for resident students to opt out of bringing a car to campus. (2008 plan)
-Establish a rent-a-car program for resident students.
-Increase awareness and education about means of alternative transportation such as OTI, Zimride, and vanpooling from Appleton/Neenah.
-Provide an online calculator for the true cost of car ownership in an effort to reduce students with cars on campus (resident students in particular). (Partnership with Admissions/Student Affairs/Res Life).
-Establish progressive goals for transforming campus fleet vehicles to fuel-efficient vehicles (hybrids, electric, biofuel, etc.).
-Increase the number and quality of bike facilities on campus to encourage students, faculty, and staff to bike to campus. These facilities should address factors such as different kinds of bikes and bike locks, inclement weather, and concentrated areas of use on campus.
-Create incentives for students, faculty, and staff that bike to campus.

Track annually:
-Use of rental bikes, rental cars
-Ridership on public transportation
-Bicyclists, walkers, bus-riders, carpooling to campus through campus commuter survey
-Events related to biking and alternative transportation
-Offsets purchased for any form and purpose of travel including study abroad
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Administrative Services, Facilities Management, Parking/Transportation Services, Admissions/Student Affairs/Res Life, International Education

Reduce production of municipal solid waste by 10% from 2012 levels by the end of 2017 and prioritize becoming a zero organic waste campus by 2017.
URL: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/waste-management

-Purchase a baler for plastic film to divert at least 75% of plastic wrap from Central Stores (shipping and receiving).
-Continue participation in Recyclemania waste competition. Provide resources necessary to increase promotion of this event.
-Provide ongoing education of the campus regarding the campus bio-digester facility.
-Encourage the segregation of organic waste for use in the Bio-Digester.
-Host educational movies on campus regarding waste such Plastic Planet.
-Utilize students to conduct waste stream audits. Publicize results.
-Encourage faculty and staff to select only electronic versions of magazines and trade publications.
-Encourage campus departments to produce only electronic versions of annual reports, brochures, or other correspondence.
-Create brochure regarding the surplus equipment program.
-Identify areas that are underserved and add additional recycling containers to campus facilities and grounds.
-Purchase and install organic food waste recycling containers.
-Continue to enhance recycling efforts during move-in and move–out days in campus residence halls.
-Support efforts to procure biodegradable plastics for waste bags and eating utensils to reduce the amount of contamination in the waste stream.
-Encourage faculty and staff to clean out offices. Recycle all discarded paper waste materials.

Track annually:
-Total landfill-bound waste by weight
-Total recyclable materials by weight
-Total organics diverted to the biodigester

Office of Sustainability, Facilities Management, BioGas Program

Reduce campus wide fresh water consumption by 20% (per sq. ft.) from 2012 levels by 2019. Divert storm water for irrigation use and comply with DNR storm water permit requirements.
URL to the water section of the sustainability plan: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/water

-Embrace latest water saving technologies.
-Reduce reliance on potable water for irrigation.
-Educate faculty, staff and students regarding fresh water conservation and storm water management.
-Continue efforts to comply with Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit requirements.

Track annually during next five years:
-Water consumption
-Installation of water conservation devices
-Acres of established plant materials that do not require supplemental irrigation
-Behavior change programs for res halls for water conservation

Office of Sustainability, Facilities Management

UW Oshkosh seeks to achieve a student body and workforce that resembles the makeup of the state of Wisconsin through its Diversity and Inclusiveness initiatives by 2020.
UW Oshkosh is committed to ensuring that its high quality education is accessible to all of Wisconsin's residents.
URLs:
Sustainability plan section related to said point: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/human-resources
Strategic plan url: http://www.uwosh.edu/strategicplan13/key-operational-plans/inclusive-excellence-plan/

Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Council is charged to provide leadership, education and advocacy that will cultivate an equitable, inclusive, diverse, and supportive climate for people traditionally marginalized from and within the campus community.

More specifically, the IE Council will meet the following needs:
Promote the hiring of faculty and staff who reflect the diversity within the student population;
Investigate how to retain effectively diverse faculty and staff;
Promote curriculum infusion of diversity and the development of inclusive pedagogical strategies in the Colleges;
Increase the support available for diverse students to achieve success on campus;
Educate the campus community about the importance of making the integration of inclusion and diversity central to all levels of the University concerned with academic affairs;
Create multiple channels and forums through which diverse individuals and groups can communicate both their positive and negative experiences of the campus climate;
Engage the campus in on-going discussions about strategies for achieving the goals of Inclusive Excellence;
Facilitate the investigation of how and why those diverse students who are successful on campus (for example, International students) achieve such success;
Investigate why diverse students who are not being retained leave the University;
Investigate the challenges and obstacles to success for those diverse students who are not successful on campus;
Create and empower collaborative groups of faculty, staff, and students that will work in innovative ways on inspiring change around and promoting dialogues on diversity;
Advocate to ensure an environment of safety, equity, and respect for people of diverse races, ethnicities, religions, abilities, ages, classes, sexualities, sexes and genders;
Establish modes of assessing the effectiveness of efforts to integrate inclusion and diversity into all levels of the University concerned with academic affairs;
Work with departments across campus to develop materials and communication strategies that accurately depict existing diversity on campus while underscoring the commitment to increase diversity both on campus and in the extended community;
Facilitate efforts to ensure that the campus community actively seeks speakers, board members and volunteers from diverse backgrounds;
Collaborate with other offices and committees across campus committed to these outcomes including the Center for Academic Support and Diversity, the Race and Ethnicity Council, the LGBTQ Education and Advocacy Council, the Gender Equity Council, the LGBTQ Resource Center, the COLS Diversity Committee, the Office of Equity and Affirmative Action, Disability Services, Undergraduate Advising Resource Center, the Registrar’s Office and the Division of Student Affairs Inclusive Excellence Committee.

Affordability:
-Keep costs down by optimizing efficient operations, winning grants, providing scholarships, and keeping tuition increases to a minimum.
-Nearly 100 state and higher education leaders from Wisconsin and around the United States will gather at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh on Oct. 16 to help solidify the future of Wisconsin’s four-year, public, regional institutions and end the student affordability crisis without jeopardizing quality and access.

Office of Sustainability, Human Resources, Diversity and Equity, Student Affairs

To ensure that practices regarding campus health and safety are compliant with the best and most recent standards.
URL to plan: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/environmental-health-and-safety

Ensure that training for hazardous waste and biohazard waste is performed regularly and properly
Develop a better inventory of chemicals across campus (use "the cloud" system).
Assess and address adequate sharps containers in bathrooms/sporting events
Promote Health/Risk assessments for all employees
Develop a better reporting process for accidents and hazards (potentially using some kind of app or social media). Ensure better follow-up on accident reporting and prevention. (Risk Management Team collaboration)
Partner with Ignite, a student organization, to promote healthy choices and educate the campus about tobacco use.
Look into the use of ductless fume hoods and the appropriateness of their implementation
Increase the number of students with health insurance (estimated 30-35% uninsured)
Promote the Family Planning Waiver - (for females: women's health needs, reducing unplanned pregnancies, for males: STD testing)
Assess and address the UW-Oshkosh shooting range in the basement of Polk (Pb ammunition/problems associated with cleanup and disposal)
Partner with the City of Oshkosh to establish an on-campus "Drug Drop" for the campus community to properly dispose of medications, drugs, etc.
Increase awareness of counseling and mental health advocacy on campus
Increase the number of flu shots given
Increase students awareness and utilization of the "health advocates" on campus

Office of Sustainability, Health Services, Environmental Health and Safety Committee

The UW Oshkosh Foundation has demonstrated a high level of commitment to sustainable investing. Approximately 1/2 of the Foundation's financial resources currently are directly in renewable energy and community improvement investments and only about 2-3% of its stocks are tied to fossil fuels. The Foundation is committed to furthering its sustainability performance to reflect the campus commitment to sustainability.

The Foundation:
-Has proposed a 1:1 match to student raised money for a sustainability investment portfolio.
-Is committed conceptually to ensuring the success of its current renewable energy projects.

Office of Sustainability, Administrative Services, Foundation, Foundation Board, Oshkosh Student Association (Climate Campaign Group), Campus Sustainability Council

Human Resources:
To achieve sustainability understanding in 100% of campus faculty and staff by 2019.
URL: https://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/campus-sustainability-plan/human-resources

Include sustainability language in appropriate position descriptions for all departments on campus.
The Office of Sustainability will draft language to be included into appropriate position descriptions, which will be approved by the HR Director and the head of the department.
Include sustainability language in Core Competencies so that every employee exhibits an understanding of the campus’ definition of sustainability.
The Office of Sustainability will draft sustainability language to be included into Core Competencies, which will be approved by the Administration and the HR Director.
Continue to improve and expand health programs designed to empower its employees to take charge of their personal health and wellness. (Well Oshkosh, Healthy Titans, Weight Watchers, etc.)
Provide UW Oshkosh job applicants and finalists with marketing materials which convey the University's position as a sustainability campus. Use these marketing materials in all recruiting efforts.
Incorporate sustainability awareness and education in New Employee Orientation and On-boarding practices for new University Staff, Academic Staff, and Faculty.

Human Resources, Sustainability Office

Sustainability is a societal condition wherein people live quality lives, meeting their needs in ways that permit other people to do the same now and into the distant future. Sustainable communities are nurturing places where people prosper and cultures thrive; they maintain capital stocks including environmental services; they are characterized by a diversity of ideas, economic activities, and landscapes; and they seek social justice and equity, while maintaining freedom and opportunities for citizens.

The sustainability path involves the merging of the historically distinct and often conflicting goals of development and conservation, which requires that societies work to:

-create opportunities where people may realize their full potentials, find productive livelihoods, and prosper;
-protect and enhance human health and encourage wellness;
-restore and preserve nature's life-support systems and evolutionary potential;
-derive benefits from natural capital without diminishing stocks for future generations;
achieve social justice;
-design livable, resilient and secure communities.

The path to sustainability occurs through the process of establishing appropriate institutions, policies, strategies, and technologies in a just transition that moves society toward the proper state.

Sustainability is also the emerging science that seeks to understand the issues at the interface between society and nature and to find solutions to the associated problems so that people may thrive into the distant future. Sustainability science employs transdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary thinking in addressing the complex interactions between natural and human systems.

With a deep sense of responsibility and the increasingly common vision of resilient, prosperous communities, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is committed to progressively reducing its ecological footprint in its operations, and through its academic mission to fashion a durable and better world for all.