Colorado College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Ian
Johnson Sustainability Director Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in curriculum and/or research?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:
GOAL #1: Cohesion among dept./programs that address sustainability in the curriculum, coursework, research by building out the sustainability leadership through faculty representation in the academic division arm that would lead to a sustainability ‘institute’ that would support curriculum, coursework, research,
STRATEGY: Create a faculty-led academic arm of sustainability or ‘Sustainability Institute’ that supports curriculum development, learning outcomes and assessment, and research focused on sustainability topics
A. Identify current faculty leaders who might lead such an arm
B. Identify structure and placement, resources, etc.
STRATEGY: Academic Coursework - 100% of CC students engage in coursework and critical thinking that focus on sustainability addressing learning outcomes
A.Increase Identified Coursework by professors and across departments
a. Advertised as such on departmental websites and course catalog
Sustainability Course Tag
b. Identified on Transcripts
B. Classroom Integration
a. Increase opportunities to integrate sustainability into coursework
through lectures or discussions by 2% per year.
C. Faculty Workshop – reinvigorate the Sustainability Across the Curriculum workshop at CC or connect faculty to other AASHE workshops across the nation and fund/support attendance
D. Establish formal for credit coursework around sustainability topics
a. ISSP / Sus as a profession
b. GHG accounting
c. Eco Tourism
STRATEGY: Formalize institutional learning objectives that can be measured and are assessed.
A. Adopt one or more sustainability learning outcomes that apply to all students per STARS guidelines
B. Identify a measuring tool and tracking process to accurately assess degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability.
a. Work to achieve 100% of degree programs
C. Develop and conduct an assessment of sustainability literacy that focuses on knowledge of sustainability topics and challenges.
STRATEGY: Formalize, expand, and highlight sustainability research
A. Engage with faculty to increase number of employees engaged in sustainability research as well as number of department engaged
B. Track research across departments and share with stakeholders
a. Better catalogue research (e.g. - Dean’s Office research and scholarly work catalogue)
b. Publishing research across various accessible platforms (e.g. - publish an annual sustainability journal)
c. Partner with Faculty Research Support department to determine support needs in this area
Co-curricular & Professional Education
GOAL #1: Build capacity and increase opportunities to cc community to build and assess literacy in sustainability topics
STRATEGY: Peer-to-Peer Educators
A. Residential Experience Committee for Sustainability
a. track, monitor, establish – program with rlc partnership
B. NSO
a. Choose your own adventure sessions
b. Identify sustainability organizations that could be Priddy trip destinations
c. Conduct pre portion of pre/post sustainability literacy assessment (See Academics and Education section)
C. Green Programs
a. Examine expanding the current program to better leverage peer-peer learning and engagement beyond current checklist format
b. Better track impacts and outcomes
STRATEGY: OoS Offerings
A. Sense of Place
a. Reassess and identify new and timely topics
B. Excel @ CC
a. Reassess and identify new and timely topics
C. Internships and Volunteers
a. Reassess current positions, especially in light of this plan
b. Build capacity. See 5 year growth plan.
STRATEGY: Establish a Student Educators Program (Non-Credit)
A. Establish a Adjunct/Half-Block coursework for students
B. Intern Leads participate in this as a trainer or lecture
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address student, employee, or community engagement for sustainability?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:
GOAL #1: Exercise our position as a leader in areas of expertise to support sustainability efforts in a broader sense.
STRATEGY: Connect to COS, broader state impacts
A. QUAD partnerships to identify projects under a sustainability lens and.or better connect to SDS and or organizations and or climate action or impacts
B. Identify local conferences and forums to present best practices, challenges, lessons learned, strategies, and successes
STRATEGY: Increase collegiate partnerships specifically with institutions in COS, CO and other peer institutes
A. AASHE resource hub: Contribute through the OoS
B. Identify and present best practices, challenges, lessons learned, strategies, and successes at national conference venues.
C. Reinvigorate (possibly lead) CO sustainability institution network by coordinating communication, retreats, meetings, updates, etc.
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in operations?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
GOAL #1: Reduce Colorado College’s total greenhouse gas emissions by an additional X% from the 2008 baseline by 20XX. (% and dates still TBD by Board of Trustees)
STRATEGY: Reduce CC’s Scope 1 emissions by 25% by 20XX.
A. Fossil Fuel Free Commitment
B. Implementation of a Carbon Tax
C. Implementation of Shadow Pricing
D. Transition of Fleet to Electric
STRATEGY: Reduce CC’s Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 20XX
A. Implementation of a Carbon Tax
B. Pilot Voluntary Offset Program
Food & Dining
GOAL #2: Become a model for food & dining practices.
STRATEGY: Increase plant-based and sustainable-sourcing purchasing for food and beverage by 50% by 2025.
A. Develop a tracking system for food & beverage purchasing through Bon Appetit by 2022.
B. Track and monitor food & beverage purchasing over the next 3 years annually
C. Have an operational CC Farm with staff and operational budget supported by the college by 2023 with >50% going to food pantry and/or Bon Appetit
STRATEGY: Promote healthy food habits and advocation of access to healthy foods
A. Meal plan affordability
B. Create social opportunities around food
C. Skill preparing healthy meals
D. Connect CC clubs/organization to this strategy (e.g. CC Farm, Project Mush,EnAct, etc.)
E. Expand the Food Pantry options to include healthy and fresh foods
Waste at CC
GOAL #1: Become a Zero Waste Campus.
STRATEGY: Reduction of waste generated on campus by 25% per weighted campus user from the 2008 baseline by 2025 & increasing waste diversion 40% to compost, recycle, and e-waste
A. Develop waste hauling contract that services CC needs (e.g. - cust. service, optimization of locations and pickup schedule, onboard weight totaled daily)
B. Create institutional waste planning & purchasing guidelines
a. Examine supply chains to identify opportunities
C. Move guidelines to policies instituted at the institutional levels around consumptions and waste diversion on campus
D. Developing accountability in construction waste – tracking, monitoring, and reporting
E. Develop routine waste auditing to proactively address ‘ hot spots’ waste issues through education & support
F. Infrastructure of waste bins & signage throughout campus
a. Academic & Administrative Buildings
b. Residential Buildings
c. Community Events
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address diversity, equity, and inclusion; sustainable investment/finance; or wellbeing?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:
In the 2018/2019 academic year, Colorado College underwent an external review on racism and pledged to become an anti-racist institution.
The External Review of Racism is posted here:
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/presidentsoffice/pres-announcement/final-report-external-review-of-racism.html
The goals highlighted in the plan:
- Establish antiracism, equity, and inclusion as foundational to
our community expectations
- Invest in student antiracism resources and efforts
- Support and engage all faculty and staff in antiracism work
- Make antiracism a central value in CC’s academic and cocurricular programs
- Increase compositional diversity of CC community
- Make antiracism central to CC’s communication
More information on the goals and progress can be found at: https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/antiracism-commitment/
Colorado College's Mental Health and Wellness Action Plan outlines the following actions:
1. External expertise to help guide the college
2. Mental health and wellness task force
3. External review of our mental health services
4. Denison & other college reviews of best practices
5. Healthy minds designation
6. Suicide prevention collaborative of El Paso county
7. New and exciting resources for students, faculty, and staff
8. Hiring a new AVP for wellness
9. Peer-to-peer resources
10. Additions to counseling staff
11. Children's hospital partnership with NCAA athletics
12. Mental health & suicide prevention training for faculty & staff
13. More varied staff for sexual assault response & counseling
14. Assess EAP
15. Stress due to the block plan
16. New absence guidelines for mental health issues
17. Anonymous reporting tool for students
18. Faculty induced constraints on students' time
19. Communications
20. Health & wellness website review
21. New ways for the president and the cabinet to listen and engage with campus
22. Cascading, human communications vs. digital
More information and measurable outcomes for the above actions can be found at:
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/basics/welcome/leadership/mentalhealth/
Investment finance goals:
GOAL #1: Divestment
STRATEGY: Establish transparency of CC’s investments
A. Research other institutions that have committed to divestment to determine pathways, timelines, obstacles, etc.
B. Work with groups across campus to put together proposal with investment club, ccsga, etc.
C. Connect investments to anti-racism work that is being done on this campus
STRATEGY: Identify ESG investments
A. Set guidelines and criteria in partnership with BOT, SUS, Investment Club , etc.
B. Identify opportunities to submit shareholder resolutions, proxy votes, and/or impact investing
C. Connect investments to anti-racism work that is being done on this campus
GOAL #2: Impact Investing
STRATEGY: Shareholder Resolutions and Activist Investing
A. Identify opportunities for activism resolutions in line with CC’s investment philosophy and social/environmental commitments
B. Determine what information is needed
C. Submit a shareholder resolution
D. Connect investments to anti-racism work that is being done on this campus
STRATEGY: Proxy voting capacity increase from ~30% to 100%
A. Transparency on investments to receive proxy voting notices
B. Identify student and CC community involvement group and build capacity to review and submit votes
Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
Website URL where the institution’s highest guiding document is publicly available:
Which of the following best describes the inclusion of sustainability in the highest guiding document?:
The institution's sustainability plan (upload):
Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
The formal statement in support of sustainability:
The institution’s definition of sustainability:
The Colorado College mission commits us to providing the finest Liberal Arts education in the country by embodying our core values. Among our core values are to live with integrity; serve as stewards of the traditions and resources of Colorado College; nurture a sense of place and an ethic of environmental sustainability; encourage engagement and social responsibility at local, national and global levels; and seek excellence, constantly assessing our policies and programs. Sustainability isn't optional for the Colorado College community; it's who we are and how we have defined ourselves. We aspire to make Colorado College a model for campus and community sustainability - an academic village that instantiates a commitment at all levels to a sustainable and desirable future, not only for the human economy but for the larger ecosystem in which it is embedded.
Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| The Earth Charter | No |
| The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) | No |
| ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter | No |
| Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability | No |
| SDG Accord | No |
| Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment | Yes |
| The Talloires Declaration (TD) | No |
| UN Global Compact | No |
| Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) | No |
A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning efforts 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.