Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 66.33
Liaison Brad Spanbauer
Submission Date Jan. 29, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Brian Kermath
Sustainability Director
Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
Yes

The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:

1. The Campus Sustainability Council was established in 2007 by the Chancellor to advise the UW Oshkosh administration on matters related to sustainability. The Council also helps with writing and updating the Campus Sustainability Plan, which calls for wide-ranging, coordinated efforts to advance sustainability across all operations and functions at the university, helps with sustainability reporting, and contributes to the timely promotion and communication of campus sustainability to campus and external stakeholders and the outside world.

Responsibilities
The Sustainability Council reports to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, assists the Sustainability Director, and provides leadership on special issues (such as the curriculum).

Members
Campus Sustainability Council membership is determined by the Vice Chancellors for Academic Affairs and Administrative Services. Faculty, staff, and students representing academics, operations, and student affairs share the leadership of the Council.

Co-chairs are expected to serve two-year renewable terms.

The council makes recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs on:

- priorities for sustainability plan goals
- campus-wide sustainability procedures and policies
- sustainability in the curriculum
- educational events on campus
- membership in off-campus sustainability organizations or initiatives.

2. The Sustainability Leaders Group is a subset of the Council that meets periodically with the Provost and occasionally the Chancellor and other VCs to advise the administration on Council affairs and to discus campus priorities and changing circumstances.

3. The Sustainability Institute Steering Committee was assigned to advance the development of a sustainability institute at UW Oshkosh.


Members of each committee, including affiliations and role (e.g. staff, student, or faculty):

1. Campus Sustainability Council

Co-Chairs:
Kevin Crawford, Chair and Professor of Chemisrty and member of the Sustainability Institute Steering Committee
Chuck Hermes, Director, Facilities Operations and Management

Staff:
Keven Boldt, Information Technology
Brian Klinger, Purchasing
Brian Langolf, Biogas Programs Manager
Kate McQuillan, Chancellor's Staff
Lisa Mick, Supervisor, Grounds
Benjamin Richardson, Parking and Transportation Services Director
Kevin Schuman, Facilities Management
Marty Strand, Assistant Director of Dining Operations
Madeline Werley, Residence Life

Faculty/Instructional Academic Staff:
Melissa Bublitz, Professor of Marketing
Kevin Crawford, Chair/Professor, Chemistry
Marcel Dijkstra, Professor of Engineering Technology
Jim Feldman, Director/Professor, Env. Studies
Samara Hamze, Science Outreach Coordinator
Ana Kapelusz-Poppi, Professor History and Latin American Studies
Gregory Kleinheinz, Endowed Chair, Sustainability Technology, Director Engineering Tech
Brian Kermath, Sustainability Director
Maureen Muldoon, Geology Professor
Brad Spanbauer, Sustainability Coordinator, Biology Instructor

Students:
Ryan Deloge
Casandra Fowler
Hunter Hart
Emily Husar-Martin
Rachel Novak
Erin Seidler
Kasey Stewart
Cody Umentum

2. Sustainability Leaders Group includes:
Provost Lane Earns
Kevin Crawford, Sustainability Council Chair
Jim Feldman, Env. Studies Director
Chuck Hermes, Facilities Director
Brian Kermath, Sustainability Director
Greg Kleinheinz, Endowed Chair in Sustainability

3. The Sustainability Institute Steering Committee membrs are:

Elizabeth Barron, Professor of Geography barrone@uwosh.edu
Eric Brunsell, Professor of Education brunsele@uwosh.edu
Melissa Bublitz, Professor of Marketing bublitzm@uwosh.edu
Kevin Crawford, Professor of Chemistry and Chair Campus Sustainability Committee crawfork@uwosh.edu
Steve Dunn, Professor of Business Management dunns@uwosh.edu
Jim Feldman, Professor of Environmental Studies and History, Director of Environmental Studies feldmanj@uwosh.edu
Douglas Haynes, Professor of English haynesd@uwosh.edu
Brian Kermath, Sustainability Director, Office of Sustainability
Greg Kleineinz, Viessmann Professor Sustainability Technology and Director Engineering Technology Program kleinhei@uwosh.edu
Michelle Lehr, Professor of Nursing lehrm@uwosh.edu
Martha Libster, Professor of Nursing libsterm@uwosh.edu
Maureen Muldoon, Professor of Geology muldoon@uwosh.edu
Tracy Slagter, Professor of Political Science slagtert@uwosh.edu
Stephanie Spehar, Professor of Anthropology spehars@uwosh.edu
Cathy Toll, Professor of Education tollc@uwosh.edu


Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee?:
Yes

A brief description of each sustainability office:

Located in the Oviatt House, the Office of Sustainability has an open door for those looking to further their understanding of sustainability and to become active in sustainability through organizations, internships, and projects.

UWO’s sustainability initiatives are guided through diverse departments and offices. The Sustainability Office supports these efforts with expert guidance, staff time, encouragement, oversight, and reporting assistance. The Sustainability Director, a part-time coordinator, six student interns, and working groups of the Council advance Plan initiatives.

The Director also advises the Student Green Fund Committee on matters of proposed and awarded green fund projects.

The Office houses the Director of Sustainability for the student government--The Oshkosh Student Association, which represents all students on issues and policies relating to the academic and non-academic affairs of students at UWO.

UWO’s sustainability initiatives are guided through diverse departments and offices.


Full-time equivalent (FTE) of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
3.50

Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Yes

Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Brian Kermath, Director; Brad Spanbauer, Sustainability Coordinator (part time)

Does the institution have a mechanism for broad sustainability coordination for the entire institution (e.g. a campus-wide committee or an officer/office responsible for the entire campus)?:
Yes

A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:

With input from the Sustainability Council, the Sustainability Office wrote a Campus Sustainability Plan that calls for wide-ranging, coordinated efforts to advance sustainability across all operations and functions at UW Oshkosh. The Plan is periodically evaluated for progress and to prioritize annual planning.

The University developed a new Strategic Plan that places sustainability at the center of the university’s Mission, Vision and Values, and among the Plan’s four Foundational Elements. http://strategicplan.uwosh.edu/

As part of the strategic planning process, the university now has:

• A funding mechanism in place to provide grants to competitive initiatives that by design must include some aspect of sustainability. http://strategicplan.uwosh.edu/strategic-plan-implementation-process/
• A planning process to establish a sustainability institute at UW Oshkosh. The draft mission reads: “The Sustainability Institute (SI) at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh engages stakeholders from Wisconsin and beyond to build healthy communities, inclusive economies, and ecologically sound environments through inquiry, education, and action.”
• A structure in place to stimulate sustainability related research.

Campus also:
• Revamped recycling on campus to transition from segregated recyclable materials to single-stream recycling in summer 2015. http://www.uwosh.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/waste-reduction-1
• Developed a recycling strategy in summer 2016 for Titan Stadium, where the UW Oshkosh football team and many community teams play throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
• Developed an EPEAT purchasing policy for IT based on current practices in 2016.
• Opened a renovated classroom building in fall 2015 that is in review for LEED certification (submitted at silver).
• Opened a new alumni and convention center and in spring 2014 that earned a LEED gold certification.
• Began reconstructing two buildings, the student union and a residence hall, both of which are being guided by the LEED process and will be submitted for certification.
• Achieved the “Monarch Watstation” designation from Monarch Watch for a monarch friendly campus.
• Achieved the wildlife friendly designation from the National Wildlife Federation for an animal feindly campus.
• Earned the “Tree Campus USA” designation each year since 2010.
• Established a stdent green fund in 2015 that has approved 9 student projects to date.
• Launched a new and innovative general education program called the University Studies Program that requires all students to explore three signiture questions: 1) How do people understand and engage in community life? 2) How do people understand and bridge cultural differences? And 3) How do people understand and create a more sustainable world? http://usp.uwosh.edu/about-usp/signature-questions/


Job title of the sustainability officer position:
Director of Sustainability

Job description for the sustainability officer position:
---

Job description for the sustainability officer position:

Provide leadership, guidance, and support to broadly advance sustainability at UW Oshkosh in operations, administration, teaching, research, student affairs, outreach, reporting, and promotion. Teach sustainability courses as appropriate. Report data to relevant sustainability organizations, such as AASHE, Second Nature, the UW System, and others. Serve as the point of contact for outside organizations, municipalities, and firms as appropriate. Present finding and progress to relevant audiences as appropriate. Advise the administration on matters concerning sustainability. Train stakeholders. Coordinate relevant events.


Job title of the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Sustainability Coordinator

Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
---

Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):

Support the Director in the above responsibilities under Director job description.


Job title of the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Sustainability Interns (currently 6)

Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
---

Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):

Support the Director in the above responsibilities under Director job description.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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.