Cal Poly Humboldt
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Elements placed very early on in the Strategic Plan outline sustainability as an integral component of the mission, vision, and values of Humboldt State University. Specifically, the following points articulate explicit commitment to sustainability:
Mission... We serve [students] by providing a wide array of programs and activities that promote understanding of social, economic, and environmental issues.
Vision... We will be the premier center for the interdisciplinary study of the environment and its natural resources. We will be renowned for social and environmental responsibility and action.
Values... We believe individuals must be environmentally, economically, and socially responsible in the quest for viable and sustainable communities.

Furthermore, two of the four goals and related objectives laid out in the plan relate directly to sustainability. These are:
GOAL 1: Prepare students to be socially and environmentally responsible leaders
in a diverse and globalized world.
Objective 1.3- Incorporate environmental and social responsibility throughout the curriculum.
GOAL 4: Serve as effective stewards of the natural and built environment and the
University’s financial resources with a focus on sustainability.
Objective 4.3- Expand resources to support the University's mission, including identifying new resources, finding efficiencies, and being good stewards of existing resources.

HSU's Strategic Plan includes the following performance indicators and Action items relating to sustainability in curriculum:
For Objective 1.3 Incorporate environmental & social responsibility throughout the curriculum:
• Performance Indicator- Encourage and reward cross-disciplinary activities that engage staff and faculty in their role to support cultural competency, engaging pedagogy, writing and oral communication skills, and social and environmental responsibility
• Action Item- Include expanded interdisciplinary programs and incorporation of environmental and social responsibility as part of the Academic Strategic Plan.
• Performance Indicator- Ensure that General Education is integral to students developing a well-rounded education that prepares them for world citizenship
• Action Item- Expand and deepen linkages among sustainability, diversity, and social justice in the curriculum

HSU's Climate Action Plan includes section 5.5 dedicated to specific Curriculum, Research, & Student Engagement Strategies (starts page 16). Figure 12 lists Strategies to Integrate Sustainability into Academic and Campus Culture. Included here are those that specifically pertain to curriculum:
• Campus as a Living Laboratory: Expand the utilization of the campus as a context for learning across all disciplines (with a focus on sustainability)
• Encourage yearly sustainability projects showcase (e.g., gallery or fair)
• Develop a sustainability path in GE courses
• Update/expand courses identified as sustainability-focused or related
• Outstanding Sustainability Awards for faculty/staff/student/department/building
• Create a designated outdoor classroom
• Establish an Institute for Sustainability at HSU on the academic side
• Explore a sustainability learning outcome and assessment for seniors
• Develop a sustainability minor capitalizing on existing courses
• Pursue/explore a sustainability course or units requirement to graduate

In the HSU Climate Action Plan, several strategies encourage sustainability research and overlap with emphasis on integrating sustainability into curriculum. These are listed in section 5.5 Curriculum, Research, & Student Engagement Strategies (starts page 16) and Figure 12 Strategies to Integrate Sustainability into Academic and Campus Culture. They are:
• Campus as a Living Laboratory: Expand the utilization of the campus as a context for learning across all disciplines (with a focus on sustainability)
• Encourage yearly sustainability projects showcase (e.g. gallery or fair)
• Outstanding Sustainability Awards for faculty/staff/student/department/building
• Establish an Institute for Sustainability at HSU on the academic side

HSU's Strategic Plan includes the following performance indicators and Action items relating to integrating sustainability into campus engagement:
For Objective 2.2 Ensure that diverse perspectives, identities, and communities are acknowledged and taught throughout curriculum and provide a safe environment for everyone to explore a broad range of viewpoints and ideas:
• Performance Indicator- Ensure that instructional pedagogies reflect and respond to the diverse experiences and backgrounds of our students
• Action Item- Provide cohesive ongoing professional development for faculty, staff, and administrators in the areas of experiential learning, intercultural competence, anti-racist education, engaging pedagogy, written and oral communication, social and environmental responsibility, and other areas of learning and teaching aligned with campus needs and coordinated through a dedicated center

HSU's Climate Action Plan includes section 5.5 dedicated to specific Curriculum, Research, & Student Engagement Strategies (starts page 16). Figure 12 lists Strategies to Integrate Sustainability into Academic and Campus Culture. Included here are those that specifically pertain to campus engagement:
• Integrate sustainability offerings into orientation programs and messaging
• Create an Eco-Rep program in the residence halls
• Provide annual sustainability orientation for current and newly hired faculty, including incorporation into ISS book circle
• Outstanding sustainability awards for faculty/staff/department/building

HSU's Strategic Plan includes the following performance indicators and Action items relating to integrating sustainability into public engagement:
For Objective 3.1 Strengthen relationships and engage with local Tribal Nations and communities through authentic actions, specific planning, accountability, and true collaboration.
• Performance Indicator- Cultivate a strong and healthy relationship between the University and local communities
• Action Item- Expand engagement and develop additional partnerships with local governments and nonprofits to serve the mutual interests of the regional population

HSU's Climate Action Plan includes section 5.5 dedicated to specific Curriculum, Research, & Student Engagement Strategies (starts page 16). One strategy listed specifically pertains to public engagement, which is:
• Develop directory of local sustainability practitioners that can be guest speakers

For HSU’s Climate Action Plan, stakeholders from across campus met to collaborate and develop strategies to reduce emissions and/or integrate sustainability and climate science into the curriculum and campus culture. They formed four topic-specific working groups in the areas of Natural Gas/Fleet Fuel/Electricity, Commuter & Business Travel, Solid Waste/Purchasing/Food, and as mentioned in other descriptions above, Curriculum/Research/Student Engagement. The group then developed 50 strategies over an eight-month period. Strategies generally aim at curbing Scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions to meet specific reduction targets. In addition, each strategy included evaluation and prioritization of unquantifiable co-benefits such as improved health, heightened sustainability literacy, and behavior change.
A sampling of strategies that would have direct air and climate impacts include:
Energy & Utilities:
• Install rooftop solar photovoltaic systems on campus buildings
• Switch to an electrical provider or purchase agreement with a climate friendly power content label
• Implement pool efficiency measures
Transportation-related Emissions:
• Develop a bike share and/or bike rental program
• Establish a dedicated parking/charging for electric vehicles
• Establish a carpool program

Several of the strategies developed for HSU’s Climate Action plan address sustainability in buildings directly. A sampling of strategies that address buildings include:
• Implement building HVAC and water heating upgrades and controls
• Develop building scheduling system to consolidate off-hour and summer classes into select buildings (as per EO 987)
• Eliminate hot water option in residence hall washing machines and conduct outreach campaign to educate residents on cold water washing
• Pilot heat pump technology in campus building to reduce natural gas used for space and water heating

Several of the strategies developed for HSU’s Climate Action plan address energy directly. A sampling of these strategies includes:
• Reduce energy consumption from campus computing through server virtualization, desktop power management and other efforts
• Implement high efficiency interior lighting guidelines for all renovation and new construction projects
• Increase energy awareness and action through better signage and outreach campaigns
• Upgrade exterior lighting systems to LED with appropriate controls
• Install rooftop solar PV systems on campus buildings through a PPA
• Encourage all divisions participate in the Green Workplace Assessment and Certification Program
• Begin planning and advocating for switch to an electrical provider with a climate friendly power content label

HSU's Climate Action Plan includes strategies related to Food in section 5.4 Solid Waste, Purchasing and Food Strategies (starts page 15). They include:
• Require events held on campus to be zero waste when feasible and practical
• Food Recovery: Work with vendors to divert non-perishable food past its sell-by date to the Food Pantry and/or local charities
• Formalize policy for HSU Dining and Catering to donate, when feasible, any perishable food left over at the end of an event or end of day

One strategy from HSU’s Climate Action Plan that incorporates sustainability into Grounds procedures is:
• Use renewable diesel (RD) fuel in diesel fleet vehicles
This will affect the type of fuel used by motorized grounds-keeping equipment.

HSU's Climate Action Plan includes strategies related to Purchasing in section 5.4 Solid Waste, Purchasing and Food Strategies (starts page 15). They include:
• Write single-use water container ban into formal policy that requires compliance from all State and non-State entities on campus
• Online posting systems, supplies, and equipment to encourage inter-departmental and campus community re-use of durable goods
• Require paper towel composting while phasing out paper towels for hand dryers

HSU’s Climate Action Plan includes section 5.3 dedicated to Commuter and Business Travel (starts page 14). A sampling of those related to transportation include:
• Expand the Bicycle Learning Center on campus to host bike repair workshops, bike tours of campus and community and other events like the National Bike Challenge
• Transportation Demand Management Plan to improve bike/pedestrian infrastructure and accessibility to/from and on campus
• Explore developing a bike share and/or bike rental program
• Establish dedicated parking/charging for electric vehicles
• Encourage limits to business travel by expanding use for video/teleconferencing technologies

HSU's Climate Action Plan includes strategies related to Waste in section 5.4 dedicated to Solid Waste, Purchasing and Food Strategies (starts page 15). A sampling of those related to Waste include:
• Require and enforce increased construction and demolition debris recycling from contractors
• Standardize recycling, compost and landfill bins, colors, and signage across campus
• Require paper towel composting while phasing out paper towels for hand dryers
• Convene Zero Waste Purchasing Group, work to minimize packaging waste of purchasing across all State and non-State entities on campus

HSU's Climate Action Plan includes just a few strategies related to water in the Utilities (Figure 9) and the Waste/Purchasing/Food section (Figure 11). They include:
• Implement pool efficiency measure as per Pool Energy management Group recommendations
• Eliminate hot water option in residence hall washing machines and conduct outreach campaign to educate residents on cold water washing
• Write single use water container ban into formal policy that requires compliance from all State and non-State entities on campus

Goal 2 of HSU’s Strategic Plan speaks directly to addressing issues of diversity and affordability, which is: Foster meaningful relationships across differences, including diverse cultural communities, identities, and competencies. While the plan includes the many performance indicators and action items relating to diversity & affordability, only one seems to call out the link between these themes and sustainability:
Objective 2.2 Ensure that diverse perspectives, identities, and communities are acknowledged and taught throughout curriculum and provide a safe environment for everyone to explore a broad range of viewpoints and ideas:
• Performance Indicator- Ensure that instructional pedagogies reflect and respond to the diverse experiences and backgrounds of our students
• Action Item- Provide cohesive ongoing professional development for faculty, staff and administrators in the areas of experiential learning, intercultural competence, anti-racist education, engaging pedagogy, written and oral communication, social and environmental responsibility, and other areas of learning and teaching aligned with campus needs and coordinated through a dedicated center

It is important to note another specific strategy to address salary equity. Objective 2.1 is: Recruit retain, and support faculty, staff, and administrators from diverse backgrounds that reflect our student and state demographics.
• Performance Indicator- Address salary equity, including inversion, compression, and market adjustment, for faculty and staff
• Action Item- Assess salary inequities and develop a multi-year plan to address them

Goal 4 of HSU's Strategic Plan states: Serve as Effective stewards of the natural and built environment and the university’s financial resources with a focus on sustainability. While there are several performance indicators and action items that will most likely have peripheral effects relating to sustainability, only one speaks directly to sustainability. It is:
Objective 4.3 Expand resources to support the University’s mission, including identifying new resources, finding efficiencies, and being good stewards of existing resources:
• Performance Indicator- Incorporate HSU’s focus on environmental sustainability fully into the operations of the University
• Action item- Establish a formalized and recognized locus for sustainability activity on campus extending beyond facilities to incorporate and integrate curriculum and program

HSU's Climate Action Plan recommends the following mechanisms for investment in (i.e. implementation of) the many strategies listed throughout the plan. Section 5.6, called Catalysts to Facilitate Implementation of Strategies, lists the following modes for moving projects forward:
• Identify funding and resource requirements needed for implementation of proposed strategies
• Facilitate prioritization of strategies based on initial costs, funding, estimated payback period and other factors

Goal 2 of HSU’s Strategic Plan is: Foster meaningful relationships across differences, including diverse cultural communities, identities, and competencies. Accordingly, many (if not all) of the objectives, performance indicators, and action items under Goal 2 summarize mechanisms to promote well being throughout HSU as a workplace and learning environment.
A few examples include:
Objective 2.1 Recruit, retain, and support faculty, staff, and administrators from diverse backgrounds that reflect our student and state demographics.
• Performance Indicator- Develop and implement strategies to improve the retention of faculty and staff of color.
• Action Item- Update and complete the implementation of the Action Plan for Workplace Diversity.
Objective 2.2 Ensure that diverse perspectives, identities, and communities are acknowledged and taught throughout curriculum and provide a safe environment for everyone to explore a broad range of viewpoints and ideas.
• Performance indicator- Reduce bias on campus
• Action Item- Provide resources and training for faculty, staff, and administrators that draw on best practices.

The HSU Strategic Plan begins with a letter from the Co-Chairs and names a few additional impact areas for strategic plan implementation. The Co-chairs name the following areas that will most likely help bring sustainability to the forefront at HSU:
• Provide sustainable academic programs with adequate funding, staffing, and that meet student interests and provide a means for securing meaningful jobs
• Create a sustainable governance structure
• Grow and prioritize through data-driven decisions
• Maintain sustainable budgets

As a member of the California State University (CSU) system, Humboldt State University is bound by policies adopted by the CSU Board of Trustees. During a joint meeting of the CSU Board of Trustees’ Committees on Educational Policy and Campus Planning, Buildings, and Grounds in May of 2014, the Board adopted a revised version of the CSU Sustainability Policy.

The policy “aims to not only reduce the university’s impact on the environment and educate our students, faculty, and staff on sustainable practices, but also to incorporate sustainability principles and climate science in our educational offerings” (CA State University Sustainability Policy Proposal, page 1).

The policy summarizes goals and intent in the first four numbered points, sub-titled “University Sustainability”:
1. The CSU will seek to further integrate sustainability into the academic curriculum working within the normal campus consultative process (14-new)
2. The CSU will develop employee and student workforce skills in the green jobs industry, promote the development of sustainable products and services, and foster economic development (14-new)
3. The CSU will pursue sustainable practices in all areas of the university, including:
a. Business operations such as procurement; information technology; student service; food services; facilities operations; design and construction; and
b. Self-funded entities such as student housing, student unions, parking, children’s centers, and auxiliary operations (14-new)
4. Each CSU is encouraged to designate a sustainability officer responsible for carrying out and/or coordinating campus sustainability program efforts. (14-new)

The policy goes on to call out objectives in the following subject areas: Climate Action Plan, Energy Independence and Procurement, Energy Conservation and Utility Management, Water Conservation, Waste Management, Sustainable Procurement, Sustainable Food Service, Sustainable Building Practices, and Physical Plant Management.

The CSU Sustainability policy may be downloaded here: http://www.calstate.edu/cpdc/sustainability/policies-reports/

Additional information about the CSU commitment to sustainability may be found here: https://www2.calstate.edu/sustainability

The most recent definition assembled by Humboldt State came from the Sustainability Steering Committee during Fall 2012, at which time the group informally recorded the following definition:
• Sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The relevant dimensions to examine include the environment, society, and economy and their interconnections.
This definition has not been formally adopted but it is anticipated that the reconvening of a Sustainability Committee in Spring 2017 will require the formalization of such a definition as a priority item.

In January 2016, President Lisa Rossbacher signed the Second Nature Climate Commitment on behalf of Humboldt State University.

The Office of Sustainability website is http://www2.humboldt.edu/sustainability/ and houses much information and additional resources about sustainability planning at HSU.