Sustainability in the Board Room: Perspectives from a Provost & CFO

1. Sustainability in the Board Room:Perspectives from a Provost & CFO ASSHE Annual Conference Nashville TN October 7, 2013

2. Strategic Importance to Appalachian • It is the right thing to do • All University divisions are involved • Important to our students – as good citizens, for job creation, etc. • Focus of fund raising campaign • Cost Savings and Efficiency Improvements

3. Strategic Importance to Appalachian • Good for faculty and staff morale • Connects with our Quality Enhancement Program • Provides excellent opportunities for new program development • The foundation for our strategic plan; ingrained in our culture

4. Statement of Sustainability • Sustainability at Appalachian State University is not a trend, it is a tradition. We are active stewards of our State’s interconnected financial, cultural and natural resources. Through engaged scholarship, we balance critical, creative and global thinking in a living laboratory, transforming theory into practice and fostering responsible citizenship. 

5. Strategic Planning Process • Framework of the plan is based on the broad theme of Sustainability • Mission Statement includes sustainability: • Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as engaged global citizens who understand their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all…. • We embrace our obligation to help create healthy, just, and sustainable societies by equipping our students to live with knowledge, compassion, dedication, humility, and dignity.

6. Strategic Direction 1: Creating the Transformational Educational Experience • Draft Strategic Initiatives • Develop mechanism to broaden campus discussion for “sustainability” as key learning principle by connecting students to demonstrated depth in curriculum and faculty research • Develop local to global connections around curricular, co-curricular and research endeavors that promote sustainability principles.

7. Strategic Direction 3: Engaging the State, Region & World • Draft Strategic Initiative • Enhance national efforts to promote Appalachian’s leadership in sustainability.

8. Strategic Direction 6: Building a Responsive Infrastructure for a Sustainable Campus • Draft Strategic Initiative • Live our commitment to sustainability in our program, academic offerings, and facilities

9. Initiatives to Create a Good and Sustainable Campus • Integration with Academics • Sustainability-Focused Majors/Programs: • BS, MS - Appropriate Technology • BS, MS - Building Science • BS – Environmental Science • MS – Renewable Energy Engineering • BS, BA, MA – Sustainable Development • Many sustainability-related majors and programs • Sustainability-related first-year Seminar offerings

10. Initiatives to Create a Good and Sustainable Campus • Integration with Academics – Continued: • Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics (RIEEE) • AppalAIR • Office of Sustainability reports to the CFO with dotted line reporting to the Provost • Monthly meetings with CFO, Provost, and Director of Sustainability

11. Initiatives to Create a Good and Sustainable Campus • Engaged, Active Student Involvement • Great success with EPA P3 Grants • Renewable Energy Initiative (REI) • Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) • The BIG Sale • Sustainable Development Teaching and Research Farm • Recycle at The Rock • Solar Decathlon

12. Initiatives to Create a Good and Sustainable Campus • Energy and other Operating Initiatives: • Appalachian Energy Summit • Strategic Energy Reduction Plan • Energy Savings Performance Contracts • Water Usage • Composting Facility • MinibinSystem • Appalachian Food Services

13. Questions? Contact Information • Greg Lovins, CFO. lovinsgm@appstate.edu • Lori Gonzalez, Provost. gonzalezls@appstate.edu