Wells College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

The Wells College Vision Statement and Strategic Plan for 2015-2017, adopted October 24, 2015 Includes these sustainability-related goals/objectives/action items: 1. Focus on Academic Programs Strategy: Curriculum development Action Step #5 Integration of campus values into the curriculum (e.g. sustainability) Strategy: Faculty Support Action Step #1 Improve and diversity faculty recruitment and retention 2. Improve and Maintain the Condition and Appearance of Campus Strategy: Develop an overarching facilities plan Action step #7: Align plan with climate action plan; curricular initiatives and sustainable practice 5. Develop Additional Revenue Streams and Strengthen Regional Economic Activity Strategy: Use campus resources to benefit the region and increase the College's visibility Action step #1: Leverage academic centers to generate revenue, partnership and outreach. b. Center for Sustainability and the Environment

AC-1 Academic Courses Goal: Enhance student learning about sustainability from a variety of perspectives Objective 1: Increase # of sustainability-themed and sustainability-related courses Strategy: Provide resources and support to faculty to incorporate more sustainability content Timeframe: already begun; on-going Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Library; Strategy: Develop and deliver Finger Lakes Project sustainability curriculum development workshop; incent Wells faculty participation Timeframe: May 2016 then periodically from then on Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; participating faculty Objective 2: Increase enrollment in above courses Strategy: Work with Registrar to develop method to identify sustainability-related courses in on-line course catalog Timeframe: Spring 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Registrar; Provost’s Office Strategy: Promote sustainability-related courses during course enrollment periods Timeframe: already begun; on-going Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; respective faculty AC-3 – Undergraduate Program Goal: Increase student enrollment in sustainability undergraduate program Objective: Increase the number of declared Sustainability majors, Sustainability minors, Food System minors Strategy: Participate in all on-campus Admission recruitment events Timeframe: already begun; on-going Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; respective faculty Strategy: Work with Admissions to promote the Sustainability program to students in targeted schools (secondary and community colleges) Timeframe: already begun; on-going Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; respective faculty; Admissions AC-6 – Sustainability Literacy Assessment Goal: Enhance overall student learning of key sustainability concepts Objective: Institute pre- and post-testing in all required courses in Sus major and minor, using the same instrument, tracking changes in testing performance between different years and different cohort groups (science, business, social science) Strategy: Report assessment findings to faculty and work to increase sustainability knowledge content in courses in required courses Timeframe: implement in Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; relevant faculty

AC-10 - Support for Research Goal: Enhance faculty research related to sustainability Objective: Increase the number of faculty conducting sustainability-related research Strategy: Solicit internal and external resources for research development Timeline: already begun and on-going Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Office of Advancement; Office of the Provost Strategy: Solicit internal and external resources for funding for presentation of research at relevant conferences/meetings Timeline: already begun and on-going Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Office of Advancement; Office of the Provost AC-11 – Access to Research Goal: Make research products of Wells faculty and students freely available for reference Objective: Increase the number of student research projects/products available in the Library archives Strategy: Remind faculty and students making related thesis and internship presentations to submit their work Timeline: already begun and on-going Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; relevant faculty and students; Library Objective: Make faculty research available in an online repository Strategy: Work with Library staff to develop/subscribe to online, searchable research repository Timeline: Spring 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Library Strategy: Work with relevant faculty to make their research products available in the research repository Timeline: Spring 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; relevant faculty; Library

EN-6 Employee Educators Program Goal: Enhance employee engagement in campus sustainability efforts Objective: Increase employee adoption of sustainable practices Strategy: Develop and implement Green Office certification program Timeline: Fall 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; interested employees EN-8 Staff Professional Development Goal: Enhance employee knowledge about sustainable practices Objective: Increase number of employees educated about sustainable practices Strategy: Develop and offer annual sustainability training programs for all staff Timeline: Fall 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Staff Forum; all employees

EN-12 Community Service Goal: Increase the amount of community service performed by the Wells campus community Objective: Increase the number of students engaged in community service activities and the number of hours of community service hours performed by students Strategy: Devise method(s) and systems for students to report community service hours Timeline: Spring 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Student Leadership and Involvement, Athletics, involved students Objective: Increase the number of employees engaged in community service activities Strategy: Develop supportive policies to support release time for employee community service Timeline: Spring 2016 Accountable parties: Human Resources EN-15 Trademark Licensing Goal: Increase the amount of “sweat-shop-free” clothing and soft goods sold on campus or purchased for campus use Strategy: Develop a student internship project in collaboration with the Sullivan Center for Business & Entrepreneurship to study the costs/benefits of participation in the Workers Rights Consortium and/or Fair Labor Association and of participating in WRCs Designated Suppliers Program. The internship would explore costs of possible “sweat-shop-free” products for the Campus Store, Athletics, Student Activities, and any other departments purchasing soft goods for campus use. The internship would research supportive policies/procedures for purchasing certified products. Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship; interested student intern; faculty sponsor.

OP-1 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Goal: Increase emissions reductions to exceed original Climate Action Plan interim target (10% by 2020 relative to 2009 baseline) Strategy: Adopt a policy to allow voluntary purchase of offsets for employee and student travel Timeline: Summer 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Sustainability Advisory Committee; Cabinet

OP -4 Building Design and Construction Goal: Enhance high-performance sustainable design standards for new buildings and major renovations in order to reduce energy and water resource use Strategy: Adopt a policy requiring an acceptable LEED standard for construction/renovation Timeline: Summer 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Sustainability Advisory Committee; Cabinet

OP-8 Building Energy Consumption Goal: Minimize the negative environmental impacts from heating, lighting and powering campus facilities Objective: Reduce building electricity consumption Strategy: Increase the percentage of spaces on campus using LED lighting Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Facilities Maintenance; Chief Financial Officer Strategy: Increase the percentage of spaces on campus utilizing occupancy/vacancy sensors Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Facilities Maintenance; Chief Financial Officer Strategy: Adopt an Energy Star certification standard for aquisition of any applicable equipment Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Sustainability Advisory Committee Strategy: Implement a new vending contract requiring energy efficient equipment and utilization of all feasible energy conservation methods Timeline: Summer 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Chief Financial Officer; vending contractor OP-9 Clean and Renewable Energy Goal: Minimize the negative environmental impacts from purchased electricity from non-renewable sources Objective: Increase the amount of purchased electricity derived from renewal sources Strategy: Investigate establishing a contract for electricity generated from solar power through a Power Purchase Agreement. Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Office of Facilities Operations & Services; Chief Financial Officer.

OP-6 Food and Beverage Purchasing Goal: Reduce the negative environmental impact of food and beverages consumed on campus Objective: Increase the percentage of sustainable foods and beverages purchased and served Strategy: Work with the management of Wells Dining and the Grind Café to develop on-going systems to capture spending on sustainable products Timeline: Spring 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Wells Dining; Grind Café management team Strategy: Develop a student internship project to study the costs/benefits of more sustainable food/beverage procurement and seek alternate sources of supply for more sustainable products. Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Wells Dining; Grind Café management team OP-6 Low Impact Dining Goal: Reduce the negative environmental impact of food and beverages consumed on campus Objective: Increase percentage of low-impact animal products Strategy: Work with Dining and the Grind Café to develop systems to capture expenditures of low-impact products (e.g. vegan foods, Marine Stewardship Council certified seafood, organic meats/dairy/eggs; humanely raised, pasture raised, grass-fed) Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Wells Dining; Grind Café management team Strategy: Develop a student internship project to study the costs/benefits of low-impact animal or food products in food/beverage procurement and seek alternate sources of supply for such products. Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Wells Dining; Grind Café management team

OP-10 Landscape Management Goal: To reduce the negative environmental impacts of traditional landscape practices Objective: Increase the amount of campus acreage managed under a sustainable landscape master plan. Strategy: Develop, adopt and implement a sustainable landscape master plan Timeline: Summer 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities Grounds

OP-12 Electronics Purchasing Goal: To reduce the negative environmental impact of electronics purchasing Objective: Increase the percentage of EPEAT-certified electronics (computers, monitors, televisions, printers, thin clients, servers) acquired for campus use Strategy: Adopt and implement an EPEAT procurement policy Timeline: Spring 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Information Technology Strategy: Identify EPEAT-certified product replacements (especially printers, tablets, televisions) Timeline: Spring 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Information Technology OP-13 Cleaning Products Purchasing Goal: To reduce the negative environmental and human health impacts of janitorial cleaners and paper products Objective: Increase the percentage of GreenSeal or EcoLogo certified janitorial cleaners and paper products purchased for use on campus Strategy: Identify alternative cost-effective, effective cleaning products that are GreenSeal or EcoLogo certified Timeline: Spring 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities Services OP-14 Office Paper Purchasing Goal: To reduce the negative environmental impacts of virgin office paper procurement Objective: In increase the percentage of office papers purchased that contain a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content Strategy: Work with Staples to include relevant paper products on the campus Sustainable Office Products list and promote that list to campus office supply purchasers Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Strategy: Conduct cost/benefit analysis for switching the bulk office use paper purchase to 100% post-consumer recycled content paper Timeline: Summer 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Office of the Provost; Chief Financial Offier

OP-18 Campus Fleet Goal: To reduce the negative environmental impacts of a conventionally-fueled vehicle fleet Objective: To increase the percentage of vehicles in the campus fleet that are sustainably powered Strategy: Develop and adopt a sustainable fleet policy, identifying cost-effective, appropriate vehicles for future replacements Timeline: Summer 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Office of Facilities; Campus Safety Strategy: Explore cost-effectiveness of conversion of current diesel vehicles to utilize biodiesel Timeline: Summer 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Office of Facilities; Strategy: Explore the cost-effectiveness of installing EV charging stations Timeline: Summer 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Office of Facilities; Campus Safety OP-21 Support for Sustainable Transportation Goal: To reduce the negative environmental impacts of conventional modes of transportation Objective: To increase use of bicycling as a commuting mode for employees Strategy: Develop a bike support infrastructure plan and explore external sources of support to provide better infrastructure for bike commuters (bike racks near buildings, bike lockers for commuters) Timeline: Summer 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Student Life; Facilities; Campus Safety; Office of Advancement Objective: To increase the use carpooling and ridesharing as modes of transportation Strategy: Develop a Wells College portal for rideshare connections in the Zimride Tompkins system and promote use of the portal to the campus and local community Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment Objective: To reduce greenhouse gas emissions from daily commuting Strategy: Develop and adopt telecommuting and condensed work week policies for employees Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Human Resources; Cabinet

OP-22 Waste Minimization Goal: To minimize the amount of waste produced on campus Objective: To increase percentages of recyclable materials diverted from landfill trash Strategy: Develop procedures and protocols to capture actual measurements of tonnage of diverted materials Timeline: Spring 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities Strategy: Identify alternative streams for disposal of materials (e.g. furniture, mattresses) Timeline: Spring 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities Objective: Increase the percentage of organic food waste diverted from landfill trash Strategy: Develop a food waste composting program Timeline: Summer 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities; Wells Dining OP-24 Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion Goal: To minimize the negative impacts of C&D disposal on campus Objective: To reduce the amount of C&D waste collected Strategy: Develop language to be incorporated in construction/renovation contracts to require proper C&D separation and disposal as a contractor responsibility Timeline: Summer 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities;

OP-26 Water Use Goal: To reduce the amount of water used on campus Objective: Track data about building level water use. Strategy: Upload data that exists for existing water meters into Portfolio Manager Timeline: Spring 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities; Strategy: Identify opportunities for and seek external funding to install water meters on all campus buildings Timeline: Summer 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities; Office of Advancement Strategy: Identify opportunities for and seek external funding to increase integration of water conserving fixtures Timeline: Summer 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities; Office of Advancement Strategy: Adopt procurement standards and construction/renovation contract language specifying WaterSense certified fixtures and integration of maximum water conserving technologies Timeline: Summer 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities; OP-27 Rainwater Management Goal: To replacement use of potable, treated water with rainwater where feasible Objective: To increase the number of ‘green infrastructure’ practices employed on campus Strategy: Identify opportunities for and seek external funding to integrate “green infrastructure” (rain barrels, rainwater harvesting systems, vegetated roofing, rain gardens, using retention/detention water for irrigation instead of potable water, permeable paving) Timeline: Summer 2016 and ongoing thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Facilities; Office of Advancement

PA-7 Support for Future Faculty Diversity Goal: To further enhance understanding of diversity within the Wells College community Objective: To increase the percentage of faculty self-reporting as from an underrepresented group Strategy: Develop and seek external funding support for a faculty fellowship program to support promising scholars committed to diversity in the academy in order to better prepare them for tenure track appointments within liberal arts institutions. Fellows will deliver courses related to their doctoral studies that additionally embed diversity considerations. Timeline: Fall 2016 and thereafter Accountable parties: Office of the Provost; Office of Advancement

PA-13 Committee on Investor Responsibility Goal: The College employs an investment strategy that reflects the ethics of the Wells campus community and considers both financial return and social good. Objective: Adopt a sustainable investment policy Strategy: Establish a subcommittee of the Sustainability Advisory Committee to conduct research into sustainable investment policies and practices; develop and recommend a sustainable investment policy to the Board of Trustees for approval. Timeline: Fall 2016 Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Sustainability Advisory Committee PA-14 Sustainable Investment Goal: The College employs an investment strategy that reflects the ethics of the Wells campus community and considers both financial return and social good. Objective: Increase the percentage of investments in the College’s endowment investment portfolio that meet the criteria for sustainable investments. Strategy: Develop criteria/screens for investment fund managers to follow to reduce College exposure to unsustainable investments; monitor adherence to policy and track financial performance. Timeline: Spring 2017 Accountable parties: Chief Financial Officer; investment fund managers PA-15 Investment Disclosure Goal: The College’s sustainable investment policy and practices are transparent and the impacts communicated to the campus community. Objective: Increase the amount of regular reporting on college investments to the college community. Strategy: Create a filing/reporting system by which college investment records are accessible to interested members of the campus community. Timeline: Spring 2017 Accountable parties: Chief Financial Officer; investment fund managers

PA-9 Employee Compensation Goal: All College employees should earn at least the minimum income necessary to meet their basic needs given the local cost of living. Objective: Assure that all college employees earn at least a “living wage”. Strategy: Develop and implement a locally appropriate “living wage” standard for campus employment. Timeline: Summer 2016 and thereafter Accountable parties: Center for Sustainability and the Environment; Human Resources

The Technology Advisory Plan includes Theme 4: IT Infrastructure Sustainability. Goal 1: Establish Sustainable Life Cycle Rotation of Technology on Campus Objective 3: Implement Green Purchasing Policies. In furtherance of this policy goal and objective, the IT department developed its own IT Procurement policy which has been appended to the college's Sustainable Procurement Policy. IT Theme 4 : IT Infrastructure Sustainability Goal 2L Develop a plan for continued support and enhancemen to all systems at Wells College. Obkective 5: Continue to improve and simplify printing for all areas of campus. Strive for more cost-effective pringing on campus to reduce both cost and volume printed.

Sustainability is a decision-making framework for continuous improvement that mindfully considers the human, environmental, and economic impacts of choices.