STARS at CSUMB- The Ins and Outs of Institutional Self-Assessment and the Aftermath

1. STARS at CSUMB- The Ins and Outs of Institutional Self-Assessment and the Aftermath October 15, 2012 Daniel M. FernandezCo-Chair, Campus Sustainability Committee

2. Who am I? • Faculty member at CSUMB since 1996 (I teach physics). • Served as Senate Chair 2004-2007. • Currently serve as Chair of Div. of Science and Environmental Policy (since 2007). • Since 2010, I have served as Chair of our University-wide curriculum committee (as well as College wide and departmental curriculum committees). • co-Chair of our Campus Sustainability Committee (since 2009). • Also served on WASC accreditation and university-wide tenure and promotion committee for past 4 years.

3. TIMELINE 1994 Campus Vision Statement created 1995 – CSUMB campus opens on former Ft. Ord 2006 – Dr. Dianne Harrison becomes president of CSUMB 2007 – Dr. Harrison signs President’s Climate Commitment as an early signatory and forms Sustainability Committee. January 2010 – CSUMB Administration and Finance Vice President signs campus up for STARS, to be submitted January 2011 October 2010- Advisory Committee actively begins pursuit of STARS. December 2011 – Campus applies for 6-month extension. February 17- July, 2011 – Active engagement in STARS data gathering, faculty survey, and reflection. August 2, 2011 – Submission. December 2011 – Consultant hired to assist with CAP June 2012 – President Harrison moves to CSU Northridge, President Ochoa takes the helm November 2012 – CAP Review by President Cabinet

4. CSUMB Vision Statement (1994)(http://about.csumb.edu/vision-statement) …The education programs at CSUMB will: • Integrate the sciences, the arts and humanities, liberal studies, and professional training; • Integrate modern learning technology and pedagogy to create liberal education adequate for the contemporary world; • Integrate work and learning, service and reflection; • Recognize the importance of global interdependence; • Invest in languages and cross-cultural competence; • Emphasize those topics most central to the local area's economy and ecology, and California's long-term needs; • Offer a multicultural, gender-equitable, intergenerational, and accessible residential learning environment…

5. Important Player in our STARS work (staffer – Mark Lasnik, paid 50% time for 3 months)

6. Summary of score areas Education & Research 80.85% Operations 50.70% Planning, Administration & Engagement 58.97% Innovation 4.00 Total: 67.51

7. Identifying Areas for Improvement

8. Some High Points Faculty Survey on Curriculum/Research Service Learning Sustainability Infusion Our President’s Enthusiasm

9. Survey Questions • - Name: • - Department/division/school: • - E-mail address: • A course is focused on sustainability if a significant part of it explores the interplay between the environmental and the social and/or economic needs of current and future generations. A course may or may not be taught each semester or each year, and is identified by a single ''class code'' in CMS and a single ''course code'' in iLearn (e.g., ENVS 212). How many of your courses taught within the last 2 years are focused on sustainability? • - Provide Course prefix and number:

10. Survey Questions, ct’d Through which of the following activities are these elements addressed within this course? (Check all that apply) - Through case studies - Through readings on sustainability topics/ nature - Through lectures on sustainability - Through research - Through required projects or assignments - By personal example (going paperless, biking to class, etc.) - By inviting guest speakers - Through service learning or study abroad components - By providing information on co-curricular or community activities - Other (please specify) - None

11. Survey Questions, ct’d - Have you been engaged in research focused on sustainability in the past two years? - Please specify the name(s) of the research project(s) focused on sustainability and department(s) associated with those projects (assume projects you have worked on sometime over the past two years): - If you know of any other academic programs or initiatives at CSUMB that address sustainability in any way, please provide reference information (e.g., web links). Please also list any other sustainability activity that you are involved in or aware of (e.g., modeling and encouraging practices that promote sustainability):

12. “Service Learning is more than just a requirement at CSUMB – it's our way of life.” • All native students take it • At lower division • At upper division • Involves 30 hours of service learning work in community/semester plus class hours. • In 2009/2010 school year, nearly 60,000 hours of service learning work in the community (does not include general volunteer work).

13. Sustainability Infusion – Service Learning • SCCC and change to GE model • Incorporation of the word “sustainable” into one of Service Learning’s GE outcomes (at both lower and upper division): Multicultural Community Building/Civic Engagement Students learn from and work responsively and inclusively with diverse individuals, groups and organizations to build more just, equitable, and sustainable communities.

14. The Enthusiasm of our Past President

15. From the Focus the Nation web site: http://www.focusthenation.org/f2a “I applaud the leadership development piece being included and recommended by Focus the Nation and hope that CSU Monterey Bay can play a role as a model of best practices.” - Dr. Dianne Harrison President, Cal State University Monterey Bay

16. Innovation Credits Focus the Region(You’re invited! Feb. 26, 2012) Chinatown Renewal Project Electric Vehicle Efforts TRIPwise Alternative Transportation

17. Focus the Region- Systems and Sustainabilitynext event: February 26, 2013

18. Focus the Region web site http://sustainability.csumb.edu/focus-region

19. Chinatown Renewal Project

20. Electric Vehicles • GHG’s and Vehicle Emissions • Incentivizing Zero Emissions • Collaboration with Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Association • Implementation of Charging Stations • Getting Students Involved, Infrastructure Study • Fleet Management, NREL, and the Right Tool for the Job

21. Recognition for charging station installation

22. Alternative Transportation • Brand Identity • Policy, Planning, Programs, and Outreach

23. Case Stories • How our VP of A&F and Foundation CEO turned “green” and how that helped our STARS work.

24. The REAL Group REAL = "Regional Education for Achievement in Leadership“ group of MPP (mid level managers). Idea suggested during a WASC review: Let’s have the REAL Group pursue a project around sustainability. Not so easy…..

25. California State University Monterey Bay

26. Project Context Sustainability is one of the eight ideals of CSU Monterey Bay: • Partnership • Innovation • Sustainability • Community • Diversity • Service • Vision • Excellence These ideals provide an important and influential foundation for a young and dynamic university.

27. Project Context On June 12, 2007, CSUMB President Dianne Harrison signed the Presidents Climate Commitment, making CSUMB a charter signatory and leader among college campuses dedicated to reducing their carbon impact and eventually becoming completely climate neutral.

28. Sustainability • “Meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987) • “Colleges and universities must exercise leadership in their communities and throughout society by modeling ways to eliminate global warming emissions, and by providing the knowledge and the educated graduates to achieve climate neutrality.” (ACU Presidents’ Climate Commitment)

29. Sustainability Triple Bottom Line “The triple bottom line (TBL) focuses corporations not just on the economic value they add, but also on the environmental and social value they add—and destroy.” (source: SustainAbility)

30. Project Challenge • Although our University has launched several initiatives to become a leader among college campuses in modeling sustainability, many members of the campus community lack awareness and the commitment necessary to fully support these initiatives. • Our cohort was charged with creating a project that addressed sustainability and furthered the university’s commitment to this ideal.

31. Project Focus • Identify university sustainability initiatives, achievements, influential personnel, key departments, and community resources. • Determine how to best share this information with the university community. • Enhance awareness of, and engagement with, the President’s Campus Climate Commitment and university sustainability ideals.

32. Desired Outcomes • Increase awareness of sustainability within the CSUMB campus community. • Reinforce sustainability as an important foundational ideal of the university. • Empower members of the university community to make choices and to take action to create a more sustainable campus and to incorporate sustainable practices into their daily lives.

33. Project Overview Establish a ‘one-stop,’ user-friendly website to inform viewers of: • University sustainability ideals • Current campus initiatives, events, and accomplishments • Actions individuals and campus departments can take to improve sustainability impact • Resources to assist with the above

34. Organizing Information We organized sustainability information and initiatives into 10 areas: • Energy Conservation • Food • Water • Waste Reduction (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) • E-Waste • Facilities • Transportation • Purchasing • Learning in the Classroom • Learning Outside the Classroom

35. Website Design • Create a dynamic design with active (constantly cycling) images, videos, and information. • Develop and maintain a visible presence on the University’s home page with an iconic image that links to the Sustainability Landing Page. • Integrate sustainability information currently available throughout the CSUMB website into a user friendly, easy to access and navigate, series of webpages with links to existing source pages.

36. Website Design After consultation with our Strategic Communications department, we are in the process of developing the following series of websites: • A Sustainability Landing Page • A page showcasing campus leadership in the area of sustainability • Linked web pages to Sustainability Focus Areas including Learning, Energy Conservation, Food, Water, Waste Reduction, Transportation, and Facilities.

37. Webpage – Campus Leadership This webpage will showcase and link to more information regarding: • The Presidents’ Climate Commitment • Campus Sustainability Committee • The Associated Students Environmental Committee • Campus departments, leaders, and individuals who are modeling the sustainable way through initiatives and actions on- and off-campus

38. Webpages – Focus Areas • Learning • Energy Conservation • Food • Water • Waste Reduction • Facilities • Transportation

39. Webpages – Focus Areas Each of the focus area webpages will feature: • Campus initiatives and accomplishments related to that focus area • Cycling primary photos and linked interactive photos • Embedded videos • An engaging “Did You Know” – fast facts/quiz • Tips for being more sustainable at work and at home • Campus and community resources and links or references for more information

40. Website Maintenance • Develop a system so the web pages can be easily maintained/updated by the Campus Climate Committee (or staff as assigned) with the support of Strategic Communications. • Provide procedures where information and images of future campus sustainability initiatives can be easily added to the Sustainability website(s).

41. Sharing Information In addition to the website, sustainability information can be shared in different formats to different target audiences • New Student Orientation • New Faculty and Staff Orientation • Alumni • Visitors • Donors • Community Partners • Colleagues

42. Next Steps Next steps can include initiatives that measure impact or increase action • Feedback regarding university progress • Pledges • Competitions • Incentive Programs • Triple Bottom Line Decision Making • Sustainability Audits • Honoring Sustainability Leaders • Developing a Sustainability Promotions Team

43. CSUMB REAL Cohort • Henry Simon • Tamberly Petrovich • Bill Musselman • Christin Strang-Lopez • Veronica Flores • Stephanie Duke • Veronica Chukwuemeka • Paula Carter • Bob Brown • Tim Bills

44. Quotations from REAL participants Personally, our work in the REAL group sensitized me about how I was a part of the problem; e.g., buying bottled water in crates, printing documents for convenience, or having too many electronic gadgets in IAR (printers for example.) At the end of our project, I had a meeting with my staff and asked that we audit our office and return duplicate machines to IT and that we be more sensitive to printing just for the sake of it. At my home, I completely stopped purchasing bottled water and bought a Brita water filter. In general, I am more into protecting the environment since participating in the REAL project than before. Did I mention that I also put a stop to ordering bottled water in IAR?

45. Another REAL member’s quote I had a similar experience and Veronica C and stepped up efforts to think more strategically about the work we do or can do towards sustainability goals.  Since then I have worked with our team here in Enrollment Services to measure the progress we have made moving paper processes to online processes.  We determined we are saving almost 4 trees a year and that rate will continue to grow based on current projects in the queue.

46. What next? The CAP, of course… • Due January 2013 • CSC Expanded by invitation from our VP for Admin. & Finance based on a list developed by the Steering Committee.

47. What, no sustainability office!?

50. 5 working groups, 5 names • TRANSCEND (Transportation and Ascend put together) • Energy and Utilities • SCARF (Supply Chain and Recycling Functions) • CV-SEEDS (Community Vibrancy, Social Equity, Engagement, Diversity & Sustainability). • COAL (Communications Outreach Analysis and Liaison).