Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 39.69
Liaison April Thompson
Submission Date March 2, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Creighton University
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.75 / 4.00 Mary Duda
Chemical Coordinator
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
Yes

A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:

Of the 9 goals in the strategic plan, 2 goals explicitly mention sustainability as a guiding principle.

In the Thriving in Our Mission Goal, it states "Creighton University will advance its foundational Jesuit, Catholic mission on campus and in the wider community through three overarching, interrelated priorities: formation and culture, Catholic Social Teaching, and sustainability...One response [to achieving sustainability] is the development of a new degree program in sustainable international
development through the Institute for Global Studies. A second response will include planning with sustainable initiatives for our own campus facilities and life practices. A third response...will be a renewed commitment to promoting ecological
justice at Creighton and within society at large."

In the Global Partnerships goal, the strategic plan states: "Congruent with its mission, Creighton’s approach in this endeavor is one rooted in hope—instilling hope in students, faculty, and staff, and placing hope at the center point from which we pursue learning and seek solutions with regard to global harmony and sustainability, in all of its forms...
An Institute for Global Studies will advance Creighton to the next level of excellence in globally focused, interdisciplinary scholarship. This mission will harness and deepen Creighton’s expertise in order to deliver a world-class education through service-learning and other engagement pedagogies; develop a degree continuum in sustainable international development that uniquely integrates our Jesuit, Catholic mission and tenets of Catholic Social Teaching; and enable faculty, staff, and students to engage meaningfully in innovative research on pressing global issues and enduring social problems, most of which are linked to environmental deterioration. "

At this time, the strategic plan is only available online to those with a Creighton email address.


A copy of the strategic plan:
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The website URL where the strategic plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a published sustainability plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
No

A copy of the sustainability plan:
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The website URL where the sustainability plan is publicly available:
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Does the institution have a published climate action plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
Yes

A copy of the climate action plan:
The website URL where the climate action plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have other published plans that address sustainability or include measurable sustainability objectives (e.g. campus master plan, physical campus plan, diversity plan, human resources plan)? :
Yes

A list of other published plans that address sustainability, including public website URLs (if available):

The University has a "Utilities and Energy Management Master Plan," but this plant is not publicly available online.

Creighton has a "Digital University Strategy" that includes objectives for lowering the environmental impact of printing services, but this plan is not publicly available online.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum and the published plans in which each objective is included:

Section 6.2 of the Climate Action Plan outlines future plans for curriculum, including student on-boarding, curriculum, and research projects. One such item is a social-sciences based sustainability major which has already been achieved.

Further, pg. 32 of the Climate Action Plan outlines potential next steps of:
"Use outcomes from the sustainability curriculum team retreat
(January 2013) to identify opportunitiesforstudent
engagement in sustainability studies
2. Develop a list of all courses offered by Creighton that relate to
sustainability so students have a one‐stop shop to identify their
options
3. Begin stepsto integrate sustainability into the freshman
introductory and senior capstone programs
4. Begin discussion of integrating sustainability into core classesin
all colleges on campus."


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Research?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Research and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 33 of the Climate Action Plan sets the following research goals pertaining to renewable energy:
"1. Develop research project for Energy Technology students to
research thisstrategy further and evaluate various options  
2. Conduct pilot project/prototype in the “county building” in
2013‐2014; utilize findingsfrom pilot project to identify
additional opportunities."


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 33 of the Climate Action Plan includes a section titled "Outreach and Behavior Change" and sets the following goals:
"1. Develop an on‐line sustainability pledge to be rolled out in
August 2013
2. Review and evaluate optionsfor reporting energy usage to
departmentsIncentivize departmentsto participate in energy
savingsrealized by projects or programs  
3. Increase the signage around campusto encourage
conservation and educate about energy savings(e.g. plug load
management)
4. Identify programs to target harder to reach sectors of the
Creighton community such as off‐campus housing."


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 36 of the Climate Action Plan includes an objective relating to public engagement with Omaha Public Power District:
"Advocate for a Coordinate a Community Alliance group to
encourage OPPD to increase the amount of renewable energy
in its portfolio and meet the goals it has set." 2016 update: This Alliance has formed and is in contact with OPPD about their renewable energy goals.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 33 of the Climate Action Plan contains objectives that build on the "Building Re-commissioning/Tune-Up" section on pg. 24, where " testing, adjusting, and rebalancing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is to assure that a system is providing proper airflow with maximum occupant comfort at the lowest energy cost possible" is discussed. Objectives on pg. 33 are:

"1. Include re‐commissioning in the plan for the change of use of
the Harper Center
2. Review the deferred maintenance handbook and identify
opportunitiesfor incorporating re‐commissioning into the
identified projects
3. Develop a plan and schedule for conducting re‐
commissioning/tune‐up in all campus facilities."


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 32 of the Climate Action plans contains objectives for "Green Building and Capital Improvement Projects," including:
"1. Investigate the feasibility of new gifted buildings being climate
neutral or provided an endowment to become so;similar to
effortsto fund a maintenance endowment
2. Develop a Creighton Sustainable Building Policy
3. Develop a simple triple bottom line tool to use in evaluating
capital projects using environmental, community, and
economic factors
4. Apply policy and tool to deferred maintenance project list
5. Develop policy to require a sustainability/energy assessment for
all renovations and remodels
6. Develop approach to addressthe Architecture 2030 Challenge
for all buildings on campus.  (carbon neutral for all new
construction and 50% reduction by 2030."

pg. 33 of the Climate Action Plan contains objectives that build on the "Building Re-commissioning/Tune-Up" section on pg. 24, where " testing, adjusting, and rebalancing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is to assure that a system is providing proper airflow with maximum occupant comfort at the lowest energy cost possible" is discussed. Objectives on pg. 33 are:

"1. Include re‐commissioning in the plan for the change of use of
the Harper Center
2. Review the deferred maintenance handbook and identify
opportunitiesfor incorporating re‐commissioning into the
identified projects
3. Develop a plan and schedule for conducting re‐
commissioning/tune‐up in all campus facilities."


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy and the published plans in which each objective is included:

The university has a goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, with a 40 percent reduction below baseline emissions by 2028.

More specific energy goals can be found in sections titled "Energy Conservation Measures" on pg. 32 and "Renewable Energy - Electric" pg. 33, respectively:
"5. Conduct more detailed energy assessments of each campus
facility
6. Prioritize efficiency upgrades based on assessments and
building EUIs
7. Set standards for energy conservation (purchasing and use) for
computers and peripherals across campus."

"1. Identify priority projectsfor next round of rooftop solar PV
installation implementation; integrate this action into the
Energy Technology Program course development for Fall 2013  
2. The first priority will be to develop projects on campus.  
Secondarily, develop a guide/processfor how to consider and
evaluate future land donationsfor renewable energy
installations."


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining and the published plans in which each objective is included:
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Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds and the published plans in which each objective is included:
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Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 35 of the Climate Action Plan has a section titled "Purchased Goods" and sets the following objectives:
"a. Develop approach for reducing amount of purchased
goods(paper, office supplies, electronic equipment).  
b. Freecycle program
c. Purchase more environmentally friendly optionsto
reduced associated GHG emissions
d. Local food picnic next fall to promote wellness and
local food economy
e. Increase the role of gardens on campusto support the
local food economy (student gardens, community
gardens, etc.)"


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 34 of the Climate Action Plan contains over a dozen objectives for "Reduced Commuting" and "Reduced University Financed Travel," including:

"10. Evaluate options  to reduce parking on campus:
a. Promote alternativesto  freshman to avoid bringing a
car to campus; alternatively supply them with a bus
pass and/or accessto a bike
b. Examine parking fee structure to incentivize alternative
commuting
c. Create a “sustainability credits” program where
faculty/staff can receive pointsfor taking alternative
transportation to work (biking/walking, bus, carpool) to
be exchanged forsubsidized bus passes, healthy dining
dollars, etc.
11. Evaluate optionsto remove Creighton shuttle system and
instead increase Metro service to/from campus
12. Dedicated motorcycle parking
13. Incentivize campus community to drive more sustainable
vehiclesto campus
14. Develop the Virtual Student Concierge to provide students a
single point of accessto information and potentially support
the reduction of student commuting."

"1. Evaluate optionsfor increasing video conference options on
campus
2. Set targetsto reduce the number of university financed trips by
faculty and staff if video/tele‐conference options are available; offer guidelines and alternatives when the options areidentified."


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 35 of the Climate Action Plan contains a "Waste Management Section" with the following objectives:
"2. Waste Management
a. Evaluate optionsfor joining EPA WasteWise
b. Increase recycling and compost activities on campus
c. Addressfood waste (reinstate service to distribute
leftover food to community and compost remaining
food waste)
d. Build off reusable bag program at Follett bookstore to
reduce plastic bag and other disposable product use on
campus
e. Identify a role for Sodexo in the implementation of
waste management strategies identified in the CAP."


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Water?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Water and the published plans in which each objective is included:
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Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability and the published plans in which each objective is included:

The University's strategic plan includes a goal titled "Diversity and Inclusion," which includes the statement:

"An inaugural vice provost for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion will bring focus and energy to this important work. [W]e will administer a campus climate survey to students and will investigate the administration of subsequent surveys to faculty and staff."

The Inaugural Vice Provost for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion will begin Feb. 19, 2018.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 35 of the Climate Action Plan includes a section titled "Carbon Offsets," with the following objectives:
"1. Pursue private investmentsthat invest in sustainable energy
projects
2. Determine which approach will be taken to address offsets
(purchasing or owning)."


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work and the published plans in which each objective is included:

pg. 26-27 provide objectives for "Reduced Commuting"
"Develop and encourage policies for faculty and staff that encourage telecommuting and
teleconferencing when feasible. Evaluate options for alternative-schedule workdays for any relevant faculty/staff."

According to Creighton's "Flexible Work Schedule" policy (No. 2.2.23.; 2008), wellbeing is enhanced through a flexible work agreement "can result in improved morale, increased productivity and decreased absenteeism." Source: https://www.creighton.edu/fileadmin/user/GeneralCounsel/docs/2.2.23._Flexible_Work_Schedule_-_issued_9-17-08.pdf


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas (e.g. arts and culture or technology)?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas and the published plans in which each objective is included:

From the University's "Digital University Strategy," which includes a focus area:

"Continuous Improvement, Workflow and Automation – Support continuous improvement initiatives and improve our stewardship of resources and sustainability by developing IT workflows and automated IT solutions."


Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body (e.g. a mission statement that specifically includes sustainability and is endorsed by the Board of Trustees)? :
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The formal statement in support of sustainability:
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The institution’s definition of sustainability (e.g. as included in a published statement or plan):
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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
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) ---

A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:

The university signed the ACUPCC in 2009 and has maintained that commitment ever since.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.