UÂ鶹´«Ã½'s 2020 - 2021 Annual Sustainability Report
Take a look at UÂ鶹´«Ã½'s sustainability and environmental performance for the 2020-2021 year!
2020-2021 Campus Sustainability Performance Report here.
Past Annual Sustainability Reports.
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Performance Summary
We do not intend these indicators as a showcase of “success” as we might have in past years. Rather, the University is interested in looking at these numbers as a baseline for what might be achieved with behavioral changes. FY2020 allows us to examine campus impact without excess user inputs; ie., here, we can see, more or less, the energy, water and waste required for our buildings at low to no occupancy. The CSO will use these
numbers in the next round of institutional sustainability planning to set goals that reflect performance improvements based on behavioral changes in the campus community
Remote Teaching and Learning
FY2020 forced the University to adapt to the changing demands of the pandemic, including the transition to cross-campus online learning. Sustainability learning continued online throughout the year, with faculty altering their classes as required to meet the needs of the student population. The University developed many resources to help students and faculty through this year, including the Remote Teaching, Learning, and Research Hub. As online learning continues to be the reality for FY2021 and beyond, the CSO looks forward to working with faculty creating new opportunities for remote sustainability education.
Student Engagement
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CSO worked to keep students connected to professional development opportunities on campus and in the wider community. This included the Student Sustainability Leadership Program (SSLP). The SSLP hosted monthly workshops for 12 student participants to learn skills and knowledge related to environmental issues, social sustainability, community organizing, and more. Participants were placed with a community organization where they volunteered approximately 10 hours per month. These placements gave students real-world understanding of the four spheres of sustainability (environmental, social, economic, and cultural) in our local communities.
Facilities at Work
The facilities department missed our student population as they worked through FY2020 on an empty campus. However, facilities staff were able to take advantage of the low campus population to complete several large scale sustainability efforts over the year. This included refinishing walls and floors, installing new LED lighting, and other behind-the-scenes infrastructure updates that were long overdue. This work was in addition to ongoing projects to minimize energy losses, such as updating insulation and renovating aging infrastructure, as is currently planned for the Centennial Hall library.