Overall Rating Platinum
Overall Score 86.33
Liaison Lisa Kilgore
Submission Date March 1, 2024

STARS v2.2

Cornell University
EN-10: Community Partnerships

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Lisa Kilgore
STARS Administrator
Campus Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

1st Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
No

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership?:
Sustainability-related

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? :
Not Sure

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability:
Cornell was a founding member of the Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative (TCCPI) ​​​, an award-winning climate action and clean energy coalition in the Ithaca, NY area made up of community leaders from the education, business, local government, nonprofit youth sectors and citizens from all walks of life who advocate for key legislation and related ordinances tied to solar, wind, coal, natural gas, and other key topics.

The Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative (TCCPI), is a clean energy coalition of local community leaders who are committed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, greater energy efficiency, and the adoption of renewable energy.

Since the establishment of the TCCPI coalition in June 2008, we have helped to generate ideas and projects that have moved the county towards a more sustainable and climate resilient future, including the Tompkins Energy Conservation Corps, Get Your Greenback Tompkins,the EPA Climate Showcase Communities Project, Energize Ithaca, the Smart Energy Policy Initiative, and the Ithaca 2030 District.

TCCPI has three main goals:

1. Collaboration to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in Tompkins County and the City of Ithaca.

2. Creation of a peer-to-peer mentoring network that provides mutual support among the participants in addressing the problems and challenges involved in meeting the climate goals of the County and City.

3. Support development of the tools necessary for the community to monitor its progress through effective data collection and analysis, thus promoting transparency and accountability.

By pursuing these goals, TCCPI is creating a replicable process for building a clean energy economy and implementing climate protection in communities throughout the nation.

https://www.tccpi.org/

2nd Partnership

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Sga:t ędwatahí:ne Fellows Program

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
Sustainability-related

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (2nd partnership):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Launched in fall 2022, the Sga:t ędwatahí:ne Fellows Program seeks to build relationships between the university and regional community changemakers. Each year the Einhorn Center invites three people from Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) nations to serve as fellows.

At a time when Cornell is reckoning with its role in North American Indigenous land dispossession, the university community benefits from hosting and convening with principled, responsible, people-centered leaders equipped to affect change. Guiding these university-community relationships is the Two Row Wampum or Gaswéñdah (see below).

The fellows program expands community-engaged learning opportunities for Cornell students through their engagement with community-driven hands-on projects. Fellows aren’t asked to create new projects; rather, the Einhorn Center connects student interest with existing projects and activities led by fellows – or others in their communities – that would benefit from student participation.

The program seeks to:

Build relationships between the university and community changemakers
Connect students with community-driven projects on Haudenosaunee territories across New York state
Follow the principles set out in the Two Row Wampum of friendship, good minds and peace, continuously strengthening the Covenant Chain of Friendship that connects us


https://einhorn.cornell.edu/opportunity/sgat-edwatahine-fellows-program/

3rd Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Sustainable Tompkins

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Sustainability-focused

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (3rd partnership):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
The CTA helps create communities that are socially just, ecologically sound and that work for everyone.

We do this through our educational programs and by supporting system-changing projects with incubator and fiscal sponsorship services. Our projects work to transform the structures, as well as the habits of mind, that produce inequities in our communities, country and the world. Their courage, innovative thinking, and heart-centered approach show us what is possible.

CTA is an independent 501(c)3 organization affiliated with Cornell University since 1971.


https://www.centerfortransformativeaction.org/

Optional Fields 

A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
Cornell is involved in many sustainability initiatives with local, state, and global communities. The Office of Engagement Initiatives and The Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future are two important leaders at Cornell in providing support for community, sustainability initiatives.

Website URL where information about the institution’s community partnerships to advance sustainability is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://engaged.cornell.edu/
http://www.atkinson.cornell.edu/
https://einhorn.cornell.edu/opportunities-for-community-partners/

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.