| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 50.03 |
| Liaison | Mike Evans |
| Submission Date | May 28, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Williams College
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.80 / 2.00 |
Does the institution provide secure bicycle storage (not including office space), shower facilities, and lockers for bicycle commuters?:
A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:
There are a number of bike racks around campus including many covered options. There are a few bike lockers available near the Class of 1966 Environmental Center as part of the Living Building Challenge. The athletic facilities/gym has showers that can be used for bike commuters.
Does the institution provide short-term bicycle parking for all occupied buildings and makes long-term bicycle storage available for students who live on-site (if applicable)?:
A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:
We have short-term bike parking next to many buildings.
And we have a few areas with long-term bike parking - but not near all residence halls.
Does the institution have a bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy (or adhere to a local community plan/policy) that sets standards and practices for campus streets to enable safe access for all users?:
A brief description of the bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy:
Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:
The Purple Bike Coalition (PBC) is Williams College’s free bike service organization. Run and staffed by students, the program offers free bike repair and free rental services to students, faculty and staff during the school year and summer. It is also a place to learn how to repair your own bike and build new skills.
Does the institution offer free or reduced price transit passes and/or operate a free campus shuttle for commuters?:
A brief description of the mass transit programs:
Williams operates a free weekly shuttle bus to several local retail operations, including the grocery store, food co-op, mall, and Wal-Mart.
It also collaborates with the local public bus company to provide daily free runs for students during the academic year.
Does the institution offer a guaranteed return trip program to regular users of alternative modes of transportation?:
A brief description of the guaranteed return trip program:
Williams College does not, but it is available through MassRIDES, a free program of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) designed to help reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality and mobility.
They provide GRT to faculty and staff who sign up for their free program.
Does the institution participate in a car/vanpool or ride sharing program and/or offer reduced parking fees or preferential parking for car/vanpoolers?:
A brief description of the carpool/vanpool program:
Williams Students Online and Switchboard maintains an online ride-share board open to students, faculty and staff that can be used to coordinate rides to and away from campus. It is not often used for daily commutes, but can be.
Does the institution participate in a car sharing program, such as a commercial car-sharing program, one administered by the institution, or one administered by a regional organization?:
A brief description of the car sharing program:
Williams participates in ZipCar, and has four ZipCars available on campus for student, faculty, and staff use. Williams also allows students, faculty, and staff to borrow college owned vehicles for free when they are available for college related events.
Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
Does the institution offer a telecommuting program for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
A brief description of the telecommuting program:
Does the institution offer a condensed work week option that reduces employee commuting (as a matter of policy or standard practice)?:
A brief description of the condensed work week option:
Faculty and staff in some instances can work a condensed work week to reduce travel to the campus. This is an informal policy and must be negotiated with the employee's supervisor. This does not apply to all positions.
Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
The College makes subsidized mortgages available to eligible faculty and administrative staff in order to assist them in acquiring homes in the greater Williamstown area.
Does the institution employ other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting (e.g. preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles, cash-out of parking programs)?:
A brief description of other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting:
There are preferred parking spots for HEV (high efficiency vehicles) and employees can request a sticker to be eligible to park in those spots.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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.