Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.95
Liaison Parker Long
Submission Date July 24, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Virginia Commonwealth University
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Erin Stanforth
Director of Sustainability
Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee, office, and/or officer that focuses on sustainability broadly and covers the entire institution?:
Yes

A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the committee(s), office(s), and/or officer(s) during the previous three years:

Within the past 3 years, VCU has created a Sustainability Certificate within the Environmental Studies department, available to all undergraduate students. VCU Sustainability has also created a full-time Community Garden Coordinator position to run the MCV Community Garden and implement the new Learning Garden on the MPC campus. Additionally, VCU has partnered with VCU Ram Pantry and the Richmond Center for High Blood Pressure to donate healthy, fresh, produce from the Community Garden to those in need in our community.

+ Date Revised: Aug. 5, 2015

Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
Yes

The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:

Sustainability is the goal of maintaining a good quality of life for those who presently experience it, while expanding that quality of life to those who lack it; understanding and respecting the needs of future generations and the limits of natural systems within which quality human lives are necessarily embedded and dependent.
Sustainability includes, but is not limited to:
* The recognition of threats to the climate system inherent within the continued introduction of carbon into the atmosphere by human activity, especially through carbon-based energy production and consumption, necessitating action to reduce human carbon footprints, both at the individual, community and institutional levels.
* The identification and reduction of negative impacts from human activity upon human health (e.g., air and water pollution, other exposures to hazardous substances — both long-term and immediate, stress impacts, etc.).
* The identification and reduction of negative impacts from human activity upon ecosystem health (e.g., lost habitat, biodiversity, ecosystem function, etc.).
* The recognition of the finite nature of our resource base; necessitating the reduction, reuse and recycling of materials, the identification and development of renewable resources, and increased efficiency in our use of all resources.
* On-going dialogue among experts, lay-people, leaders and citizens for the purpose of learning more about the nature of these challenges, both from a technical and a human value-based perspective.
Adopted by VCU Sustainability Committee, July 22, 2009


Members of each committee, including affiliations and role (e.g. staff, student, or faculty):

Chair 1 Dr. Beverly Warren - Interim Provost & VP for Academic Affairs
Chair 2 Dr. David Hanson - VP for Finance & Administration
Ms. Barbara Judy - Degree Audit & Edit Administrator
Dr. Catherine Howard - Vice-Provost Psychology, Assoc Prof
Dr. Lynn Pelco - Dir of Service-Learning Program Education, Prof
Mr. Camden Whitehead - Interior Design, Associate Professor
Dr. Van Wood - Marketing, Professor
Dr. Jacqueline McDonnough - Teaching and Learning, Assistant Prof
Dr. Jody Davis - Social Psychology, Associate Professor
Dr. Meghan Gough - Urban Studies & Regional Planning, Assistant Prof
Dr. Jason Levy - Homeland Security/Emergency Preparedness, Assoc Prof
Dr. Clifford Fox - Assistant Director of Center for Environmental Studies
Ms. Nicole Anderson Ellis - Focused Inquiry, Assistant Prof
Ms. Katharine Rosemond - Exec Dir of Health Sciences Resources & Planning
Dr. Mark Cooper - Chair of Dept of Patient Counseling
Ms. Leyla Peachy - Dept of Human & Molecular Genetics Lab/Research Spec
Mr. John Nantz - VCUHS Sustainability Manager/Stericycle
Ms. Katia Sears - Event Management Assist
Mr. Tom Diehl - Director of Recreational Sports
Mr. Paul Jez - Associate VP for Business Services and Treasurer
Ms. Diane Reynolds -Director of VCU Business Services
Ms. Tamara Highsmith - Manager of VCU Dining Sales & Services
Mr. Paul Walker - Manager of VCU Parking and Transportation
Mr. Brian Ohlinger - Associate VP for Facilities Management
Ms. Joyce Foster - Interior Design Project Manager
Mr. Carl Purdin - Assistant Director of Design Services
Mr. Russell Uzzle - University Planner
Mr. Ed Bennett - Executive Director of PPD/Deputy for FM
Mr. Carl Beckelheimer - Energy Manager
Mr. Jerry Helton - Director of Support Shop & Special Projects
Mr. Steve Heinitz - Recycling & Reuse Coordinator
Mr. Paul Thrift - Superintendent of Grounds
Mr. Jacek Ghosh - Director of Sustainability
Mr. Fayez Dajani - Green Building Services Manager
Ms. Parker Long - Sustainability Assistant
Ms. Jordan Starbuck - Sustainability Coordinator
Mr. Brantley Tyndall - Sustainability Assistant
Ms. Cynthia Andrews - Executive Director for Human Resources
Mr. Ed Gibbs - Director of Procurement & Payment
Ms. Betty Lowther (Alt) -Director of University Purchasing
Mr. Mark Willis - Chief Information Officer
Mr. Samuel Kennedy (Alt) - Assistant Director
Dr. Napoleon Peoples - Assoc Dean of Student Affairs/Dean, Student Affairs MCV
Ms. Allison Patel - Housing Manager
Ms.Leila Ungincius - Public Relations Specialist/Social Media Manager
Ms. Pamela Mason - Center for Environmental Studies, Program Support Tech
Mr. Michael Newsome - Assistant VP for Research
Mr. Benjamin Marshall Brown - Student, MCV Campus
Mr. Wyatt Carpenter - Student, MP Campus
Ms. Kaelyn Considine - Student, MP Campus
Ms. Rachel Elves - Student, MCV Campus
Mr. Mark Hill - Student, MP Campus
Ms. Melissa Lesh - Student, MP Campus
Ms. Alex Little - Student, MP Campus
Ms. Melanie Savia - Student, MP Campus


The website URL where information about the sustainability committee(s) is available:
Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee?:
Yes

A brief description of each sustainability office:

VCU recognizes the importance of sustainability for our quality of life today and for future generations, and protecting the limits of natural systems. In April 2008, VCU’s president Emeritus Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D., signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, joining more than 600 college and university presidents in a commitment to neutralize greenhouse gases emitted on their campuses. As a signatory, VCU is working to reduce emissions in all areas of campus life — from educational programs and facilities to dining and residential life — as part of its plan to become climate-neutral by 2050.


Full-time equivalent (FTE) of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
6

The website URL where information about the sustainability office(s) is available:
Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Yes

Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Erin Stanforth

A brief description of each sustainability officer position:

Staff VCU Sustainability Committee; lead campus efforts to meet requirements of ACUPCC; develop and maintain VCU Sustainability website; work with VCU Recycling to improve recycling; work with VCU Energy Manager and VCU Steam Plant Manager to reduce energy usage across the campuses; participate in Recyclemania and Earth Day; act as advisor and resource to students groups and other VCU departments on sustainability efforts; lead effort to develop and monitor VCU Climate Action Plan; review all construction projects to ensure that the project is being designed to LEED Silver standards; develop signage/information package for all LEED certified buildings; engage organizations external to VCU to encourage their participation in sustainability activities; grantsmanship


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