Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 62.11
Liaison Natalie Sobrinski
Submission Date June 16, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Muhlenberg College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.67 / 4.00 Kalyna Procyk
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Campus Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have current and formal plans to advance sustainability in the following areas? Do the plans include measurable objectives?:
Current and Formal Plans (Yes or No) Measurable Objectives (Yes or No)
Curriculum No No
Research (or other scholarship) No No
Campus Engagement Yes Yes
Public Engagement Yes Yes
Air and Climate No No
Buildings Yes Yes
Dining Services/Food Yes Yes
Energy Yes Yes
Grounds No No
Purchasing Yes Yes
Transportation No No
Waste No No
Water No No
Diversity and Affordability Yes Yes
Health, Wellbeing and Work Yes Yes
Investment No No
Other --- ---

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Curriculum:
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Curriculum plan(s):
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Curriculum plan(s):
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Research (or other scholarship):
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Research plan(s):
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Research plan(s):
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Campus Engagement around sustainability:

The Strategic Plan (2010-15) commits to the creation of an Office of Campus Sustainability, which would formally recognize and promote campus greening/ sustainability efforts. The Office will be staffed by the Sustainability Coordinator and the Director of Sustainability Studies, thereby formally linking academic, student life, and plant operations aspects of campus sustainability. The Office will also have a large web presence to further promote campus greening efforts. The Office of Campus Sustainability will bring together students, faculty and staff with a diversity of perspectives and areas of expertise to seek creative solutions for campus sustainability.


The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Campus Engagement plan:

Creation of office and related initiatives were publicly reported annually as part of Strategic Plan updates. The activities under this Strategic Plan to be completed by June 30, 2015.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Campus Engagement plan(s):

Office of Campus Sustainability, the Greening Committee


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Public Engagement around sustainability:

The Strategic Plan (2010-15) commits to the creation of an Office of Campus Sustainability, which would formally recognize and promote campus greening/ sustainability efforts. The Office will be staffed by the Sustainability Coordinator and the Director of Sustainability Studies, thereby formally linking academic, student life, and plant operations aspects of campus sustainability. The Office will also have a large web presence to further promote campus greening efforts. The Office of Campus Sustainability will bring together students, faculty and staff with a diversity of perspectives and areas of expertise to seek creative solutions for campus sustainability.


The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Public Engagement plan(s):

Plans to advance sustainability in public engagement were publicly reported annually as part of Strategic Plan updates. The activities under this Strategic Plan to be completed by June 30, 2015.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Public Engagement plan(s):

Office of Campus Sustainability. Kalyna Procyk, Sustainability Coordinator. Rich Niesenbaum, Director of Sustainability Studies and Professor of Biology, Kent Dyer, Treasurer.


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Air and Climate:
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Air and Climate plan(s):
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Air and Climate plan(s):
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Buildings:

The Strategic Plan includes numerous specific projects to reduce costs and improve sustainability in buildings including replacing existing steam to water converter system, conducting detailed energy audits for all major buildings, installing occupancy sensors, installing steam meters, completing ASHRAE Level II audits and implementing other building energy savings measures.


The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Buildings plan(s):

The Strategic Plan requires annual reporting and implementation between 2010-15.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Buildings plan(s):

Campus Planning. David Rabold, Capital Projects Manager


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Dining Services/Food:

The Strategic Plan commits to reducing bottled water use on campus.


The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Dining Services/Food plan(s):

Filtered water fountains will be installed across campus, the use of bottled water will be dis-incentivized. The Strategic Plan requires annual reporting and implementation between 2010-15.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Dining Services/Food plan(s):

Kent Dyer, Treasurer, Muhlenberg College, Co-Chair Greening Committee; David Rabold, Capital Projects Manager; John Pasquerello, Director, Muhlenberg Dining Services.


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Energy:

Muhlenberg's Strategic Plan details multiple energy sustainability projects : • Replace the existing steam to water converter system with a gas fired water heating system to provide heating of the Baker Center for the Arts year round.
• Conduct detailed energy audits for all major building on campus.
• Install occupancy sensors to turn off lights when people are not present.
• Install steam meters in buildings that use steam from the Boiler Plant.
• Analyze cost saving and revenue enhancing suggestions made by PPG and other members of the Muhlenberg community.


The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Energy plan(s):

Muhlenberg's Strategic Plan details extensive energy reduction plans. The Strategic Plan requires annual reporting and implementation between 2010-15.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Energy plan(s):

David Rabold, Capital Projects Manager


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Grounds:
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Grounds plan(s):
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Grounds plan(s):
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Purchasing:

The Muhlenberg College Strategic Plan states the intention to evaluate and propose applications and resources to ensure responsible use of consumables campus-wide (e.g, usage tracking and/or cost recovery of paper and toner). Implement sustainability applications already identified.


The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Purchasing plan(s):

The Strategic Plan addresses specific timelines and strategies. It is updated annually and must be completed between 2010-15.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Purchasing plan(s):

Director of Purchasing, Chief Information Officer


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Transportation:
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Transportation plan(s):
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Transportation plan(s):
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Waste:
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Waste plan(s):
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Waste plan(s):
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Water:
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Water plan(s):
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Water plan(s):
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Diversity and Affordability:
The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):

The Diversity Plan is a Presidential - level plan that has been approved by the Board of Trustees. There will be at least annual reporting of implementation.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):

Muhlenberg College’s Diversity Strategic Planning Committee (DSPC)


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Health, Wellbeing and Work:

The Strategic Plan commits to reducing bottled water use on campus, which includes encouraging students to drink healthy water.


The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):

Filtered water fountains will be installed across campus, the use of bottled water will be dis-incentivized. The Strategic Plan requires annual reporting and implementation between 2010-15.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):

Kent Dyer, Treasurer, Muhlenberg College, Co-Chair Greening Committee; David Rabold, Capital Projects Manager; John Pasquerello, Director, Muhlenberg Dining Services.


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Investment:
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Investment plan(s):
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Investment plan(s):
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in other areas:
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the other plan(s):
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Accountable parties, offices or departments for the other plan(s):
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The institution’s definition of sustainability:
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Does the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document include sustainability at a high level?:
Yes

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

Muhlenberg College created a strategic plan back in 2010 that set goals to be accomplished by 2015. This formal plan contains initiatives that cover multiple categories, one of them being sustainability. The initiatives include:
• Bottle Water Reduction
• Creation of the Office of Campus Sustainability
• Evaluate and propose applications and resources to insure responsible use of consumables campus-wide (e.g, usage tracking and/or cost recovery of paper and toner). Implement sustainability applications already identified.
• Target the percentage of EPeat Gold-rated desktop hardware purchased by the College to be at least 85% of total purchases.
• Replace the existing steam to water converter system with a gas fired water heating system to provide heating of the Baker Center for the Arts year round.
• Conduct detailed energy audits for all major building on campus.
• Install occupancy sensors to turn off lights when people are not present.
• Install steam meters in buildings that use steam from the Boiler Plant.
• Analyze cost saving and revenue enhancing suggestions made by PPG and other members of the Muhlenberg community.
There are multiple measurable objectives listed in the Strategic Plan.

http://www.muhlenberg.edu/committees/strategicplanning/Momentum-Approved.pdf

The Diversity Plan can be found at:
http://www.muhlenberg.edu/media/contentassets/pdf/president/initiatives/Diversity%20Strategic%20Plan%20-%20Final%20Approved%20Version.pdf


The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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