| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.11 |
| Liaison | Elizabeth Malcolm |
| Submission Date | Jan. 19, 2023 |
Virginia Wesleyan University
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.50 / 3.00 |
Elizabeth
Malcolm Director of Sustainability Earth and Environmental Sciences |
Is the institution currently a member of a national or international higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the national or international sustainability network(s):
1)Second Nature
2)Intentional Endowments Network
Does the institution actively participate in a regional, state/provincial, or local higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s):
Virginia Wesleyan University is a member of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC), which hosts a VFIC Environmental & Sustainability annual meeting for schools to share best practices and support each other's sustainability initiatives. We are also active participants in their Heat Mapping Collaborative Research Project which used citizen science to measure the urban heat islands on campus and in the local community and fund a tree planting campaign in the local community to mitigate the heat.
Has the institution presented at a higher education sustainability conference during the previous year?:
A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):
2022 Higher Education Leadership Summit: "Working with an Investment Firm: Making Your ESG Intention Actionable" and "Virginia Heat Watch: Heat Mapping to Assess Vulnerability and Address Inequity in VA Communities"
2022 Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education: "Institutional Change Through Guiding Principles and Honors College Vision”
Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to an external higher education sustainability resource center or awards program?:
A list or brief description of the sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s):
We submitted a case study to the 2020 Race to Zero Waste (https://blog.nwf.org/2020/09/campus-race-to-zero-race-2020-case-studies/).
The case study focused on efforts to reduce solid waste and increase recycling through our residence hall competition, which includes educational programming, and implementation of green-colored bags for recycling.
Has the institution had employees or students serving on a board or committee of a sustainability network or conference during the previous three years?:
A list or brief description of the board or committee appointment(s):
VWU President Scott D. Miller serves on the Second Nature Board of Directors.
Does the institution have an ongoing mentoring relationship with another institution through which it assists the institution with its sustainability reporting and/or the development of its sustainability program?:
A brief description of the mentoring relationship and activities:
Has the institution had employees or students serving as peer reviewers of another institution’s sustainability data and/or STARS submission during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the peer review activities:
A brief description of other inter-campus collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year :
Our Director of Sustainability, Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm, participated on a Pursuit Team for Second Nature's 2021 Climate Action Pursuit. This peer group of sustainability staff from four universities met regularly throughout the year to support each others sustainability efforts and share best practices.
Website URL where information about the institution’s inter-campus collaborations is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.