Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.84
Liaison Lisa Kilgore
Submission Date Feb. 27, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Cornell University
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Robert Bland
Sr. Director
Energy & Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Published Plans That Address Sustainability 

Strategic Plan

Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
No

A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:
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A copy of the strategic plan:
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The website URL where the strategic plan is publicly available:
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Sustainability Plan 

Does the institution have a published sustainability plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
Yes

A copy of the sustainability plan:
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The website URL where the sustainability plan is publicly available:
http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan

Climate Action Plan 

Does the institution have a published climate action plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
Yes

A copy of the climate action plan:
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The website URL where the climate action plan is publicly available:
http://climateaction.cornell.edu/

Other Published Plans 

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):
Cornell Master Plan: https://masterplan.cornell.edu/ Diversity Initiatives & Planning Framework https://diversity.cornell.edu/institutional-initiatives https://diversity.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/uploaded-files/TND%202016-17%20FINAL%20May%20revision.pdf Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future Strategic Plan https://www.atkinson.cornell.edu/Assets/ACSF/docs/attachments/ACSF-StrategicPlan-2013.pdf Engaged Cornell https://engaged.cornell.edu/about/

Measurable Sustainability Objectives 

Curriculum

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:
The Climate Action Plan 2016 update report, Options for Achieving a Carbon Neutral Campus by 2035, includes objectives for creating a culture of sustainable behavior and advancing climate literacy for all students, faculty and staff, and ensuring that all students graduate with a basic understanding of climate literacy https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/options-carbon-neutral-campus 2013 Campus Sustainability Plan - https://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan Climate Action Plan - http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Research 

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:
The University's Radical Collaboration Sustainability Initiative includes these four high level objectives, more information is available online at http://provost.cornell.edu/academic-initiatives/radical-collaboration/sustainability/ 1. Focus interdisciplinary research on SDGs, with an initial focus on the equitable distribution of food, energy, and water for a growing human population as this focus builds on existing Cornell strengths; 2. Fill critical intellectual gaps and enhance Cornell’s interdisciplinary intellectual community with coordinated hires of senior faculty with experience in bridging disciplines relevant to the system of systems approach necessary to achieve the SDGs; 3. Educate the next generation of sustainability professionals by creating a university-wide graduate program in sustainability administered by the Atkinson Center; and, 4. Create organizational structures in the Atkinson Center to support large, long-term interdisciplinary research programs that are co-created with other universities and especially non-academic organizations whose mission is to change sustainability products, practices or policies. One of the milestones for 2017 in the Atkinson Center Strategic Plan is to develop two or more enduring strategic collaborations with external partners for interdisciplinary research and practical application. Focus areas in the Atkinson Center Strategic plan include research in energy transitions such as research in grid integration, energy efficiency, new materials, societal adaptation, economic markets, and policy frameworks, research in one health which emphasizes the connections between human health, animal health, and ecosystem health to promote, improve, and defend the health and well-being of all species, and research in new materials to find more sustainable materials. Details on Cornell's plans to advance sustainability research can be found in the 2013-2017 Strategic Plan of the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future http://www.acsf.cornell.edu/Assets/ACSF/docs/attachments/ACSF-StrategicPlan-2013.pdf

Campus Engagement 

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:
90% of Freshman are engaged by the EcoReps program 10% of campus offices are certified Green Offices The College Engagement Program expands to at least 2 more colleges Sustainability is fully integrated into the annual performance management processes for all staff New guidelines for performance management are developed and released New sustainability tools for managers are developed and released Achieve a 2-5% reduction in energy use by changing use behaviors Campus Sustainability Plan - https://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan Climate Action Plan - http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Public Engagement 

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:
The Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future strategic plan includes these objectives: 1) Build strong, comprehensive, strategic collaborations with external organizations that have common aspirations and complementary capabilities in one or more of the Center’s new focus areas. 2) Develop two or more enduring strategic collaborations with external partners for interdisciplinary research and practical application. 3) One or more high-profile innovations associated with ACSF and a partner will significantly, measurably improve sustainability and well-being for humans and the planet’s flora and fauna. Cornell Outdoor Education was highlighted as a strong engagement-related partner with Cornell and focuses on promoting land stewardship and conservation. Cornell's overarching strategic plan to increase community based research and teaching, and broader public engagement, including sustainability topics, are detailed in the Engaged Cornell Plan. https://www.giving.cornell.edu/docs/Engaged%20Cornell%20Abridged%20Proposal_1_15_15.pdf In addition Cornell's Cooperative Extension has a long history of sustainability initiatives in communities all across New York State. These initiatives are detailed here: http://cce.cornell.edu/Nutrition/Pages/SustainabilityandCCE.aspx Goals are included for Climate Literacy Outreach and Climate Adaptation Planning which are focused on public engagement and community collaboration online at http://climateaction.cornell.edu.

Air & Climate 

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:
Carbon neutral Ithaca main campus by 2035 http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Buildings 

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

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings and the published plans in which each objective is included:
1) All new buildings and major renovations create high performance buildings - 50/150 kbtu/sq ft for offices/labs, and achieve at least LEED Silver http://climateaction.cornell.edu via https://fcs.cornell.edu/cornell-design-standards 2) Integrate space scheduling with HVAC scheduling software, revise the capital planning process and architect/engineer contracts to incorporate space planning http://climateaction.cornell.edu 3) Perform energy studies for 20% of campus buildings http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Energy 

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:
Obtain 100% of the campus' energy needs from renewable sources by 2035 Additional details can be found in the Campus Sustainability Plan and the Climate Action Plan http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Food & Dining 

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

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Decrease food waste through consumer education and food recovery partnerships with the food bank system. Additional details can be found in the Campus Sustainability Plan and the Climate Action Plan http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Grounds 

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

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds and the published plans in which each objective is included:
1) Integration of green infrastructure across campus 2) Use of the SITES sustainable landscape certification system for additional sites. Additional details can be found in the Campus Sustainability Plan and the Climate Action Plan http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Purchasing 

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:
1) Establish energy-efficient standards based upon Energy Star certification for new purchases and bids. https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/campus-initiatives/buildings-energy/building-standards 2) Utilize “Fast Tracks” in Cornell’s online Procurement Gateway to facilitate purchasing of sustainable office equipment and supplies, recycled paper, remanufactured toner, EPEAT certified computers, etc., and to limit the availability of less sustainable products. https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/about/connect/news/cornell-purchasing-advance-b-corp-sustainable-purchase-tracking 3) Consider sustainability criteria, including locality and GHG emissions, in the vendor selection process to reduce the environmental footprint of Cornell’s supply chain. https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/campus-initiatives/materials-management/sustainable-purchasing Additional details can be found in the Campus Sustainability Plan and the Climate Action Plan http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Transportation 

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:
1) Increase outreach and education about existing Transportation Demand Management programs. 2) Allocate financial resources and draft RFP for a Campus Bike/Pedestrian Master Plan. 4) Develop a deployment plan for EV-charging stations on campus and regionally. 5) Develop and launch an optimized strategy to convert the campus fleet to alternate fuel vehicles Additional details can be found in the Campus Sustainability Plan and the Climate Action Plan http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Waste 

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:
1) Develop a comprehensive university waste policy 2) Expand residential composting pilot program 3) Support development of the SWEEP standard Additional details can be found in the Campus Sustainability Plan and the Climate Action Plan http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Water 

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

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Water and the published plans in which each objective is included:
1) Continue to support installations of water bottle filling stations on campus 2) Support energy-efficient water conservation projects Additional details can be found in the Campus Sustainability Plan and the Climate Action Plan http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/pages/ithaca-campus-sustainability-plan http://climateaction.cornell.edu

Diversity & Affordability 

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:
Cornell's Diversity and Inclusion initiatives include -Build a culture that values transparency, accountability, and communication around issues of diversity and inclusion. -Develop visible institutional statements and symbols of our priorities, and policies that are well-aligned with them. -Provide diversity education to all stakeholders. -Increase faculty diversity and foster faculty commitment to diversity. -Enhance the student experience to support social belonging and wellness -Create more opportunities for intergroup interaction -Recruit and retain a diverse staff workforce -Partner with the surrounding community on issues of diversity and inclusion More information online at http://diversity.cornell.edu/institutional-initiatives Unit level objectives are detailed in the Toward New Destinations website Toward New Destinations Planning Document: Annual Initiatives 2016-2017 https://diversity.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/uploaded-files/All.B%202016-17%20Initiatives.pdf Toward New Destinations Planning Document: Annual Initiatives Outcomes 2016-2017 http://diversity.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/uploaded-files/TND%202016%202017%20Outcomes.pdf

Investment & Finance 

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

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

Wellbeing & Work 

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

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Cornell's Human Resources team strives to care for all the dimensions of wellbeing to enable employees to be their best at work and beyond. Wellbeing is a multifaceted and continually changing process. Many resources are available to the Cornell community that support all the dimensions of wellbeing defined as Mental > Relationships > Physical > Cultural > Environmental > Occupational > Financial More information online at https://hr.cornell.edu/wellbeing-perks/seven-dimensions-wellbeing Strategic Plan for staff http://recreation.athletics.cornell.edu/wellness/strategic-plan-annual-report

Other Impact Areas 

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas (e.g. arts and culture or technology)?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas and the published plans in which each objective is included:
Cornell's Institute for Computation Sustainability is dedicated to the vision that Computer scientists can — and should — play a key role in increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the way we manage and allocate our natural resources, while enriching and transforming Computer Science. The ICS goals include to inject Computational Thinking into Sustainability that will provide: new insights into sustainability questions;new challenges and new methodologies in Computer Science (analogous to Computational Biology) To establish a new field, Computational Sustainability: Focused on computational methods for balancing environmental, economic, and societal needs for a sustainable future. https://computational-sustainability.cis.cornell.edu/ The Cornell Botanic Gardens strategic plan focuses on connecting plants and peoples. Objectives are to engage with communities and peoples to save plants and their habitats by raising awareness, inspiring action, and sowing messages of hope. https://www.cornellbotanicgardens.org/strategicplan

Optional Fields 

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)? :
No

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):
As a world leader in sustainability, Cornell University is a committed steward of the Earth and its people. From innovation to public engagement, Cornellians are balancing today’s economic, environmental, and social issues with related needs of the future.

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) No

A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
Cornell is a signatory of the Second Nature Carbon Commitment with a goal of achieving carbon neutrality on its main Ithaca campus by 2035.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/

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.