Dickinson College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Dickinson Strategic Plan III The Dickinson Student Experience Strategic Goal A Objective 3. The study of sustainability has become a distinctive element of our program, and we have already established a leadership position in this arena. We need to push this initiative by identifying Dickinson’s unique approach to sustainability, defining more fully the place of sustainability in the curriculum and taking full advantage of sustainability’s potential for enhancing active learning by tying curriculum to operations, service and the wider world. One definite focus for us must be melding our international and sustainability initiatives to create a global sustainability dimension unique among American colleges and universities. Most immediately, we must fully endow the Center for Sustainability Education. - P. 14

Dickinson Strategic Plan III The Dickinson Student Experience Strategic Goal A Objective 4. Dickinson places a premium on active learning; across the curriculum, students are already asked to search out, question, re-conceive and create knowledge. We must enhance our efforts in this arena. Key elements include: student research and creative performance, independently and with faculty; internships; field study; and service learning. We need to advance the concept of the campus as a “living laboratory” for sustainability and continue integration of research and internships into study abroad. These goals will require us to exceed current limits of support, with high priority assigned to endowing student-faculty research, internships, pedagogical innovation and the Community Studies Center. Our active learning initiative should also place a premium on work connected to community engagement. For example, the already substantial coordination between Academic Affairs and Student Development in regard to service learning, internships and volunteerism can be more visible, more actively celebrated and better communicated to the campus and public. - P. 14

Dickinson Campus Mater Plan Goals & Objectives to Guide The Campus Master Plan Process Goal 6. Create a campus culture that is committed to ecological sustainability, both operationally and academically. Make Dickinson known for the quality of its environmental stewardship. Objectives: •Continue to integrate environmental accountability into decision-making and planning across all college functions. •Through visible application of sustainable practices, educate students, faculty and staff about the environmental impact of their actions and life-styles. •Demonstrate environmental awareness in residence halls. •Involve all community members in the process of achieving campus sustainability. •Encourage awareness and assistance in attainment of the President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) by all of the campus community. - P. 5

The Dickinson Climate Action Plan outlines our commitment to carbon neutrality by 2020 and to 25% in GHG emissions by 2020, 50% reduction by 2025, and 75% by 2030. Strategic Plan III includes that Dickinson should reduce carbon emissions by 2% or more annually.

Dickinson Strategic Plan III How Do We Measure Success? Strategic Goal B Sustainability Key performance indicator (kpi) Reduce carbon emissions by 2% or more annually. - P. 36

Associate VP for Sustainability & Facilities Planning

Dickinson Strategic Plan III Facilities Strategic Goal B: Dickinson has achieved a position of national leadership in sustainability education, in no small part as a result of the efforts of our facilities staff to “green” the campus. We must continue to apply the goal of greater sustainability as a key criterion in operations and in facility renovation and construction for reasons of greater efficiency, meeting our responsibilities under the Presidents’ Climate Commitment and enhancing our learning environment. Objective 1. One integral element of our sustainability initiative is to turn the campus into a “living laboratory” by adding an educational dimension to green operations and projects. As indicated in the report of our 2010 Sustainability Symposium: “In creating a productive learning environment and working campus infrastructure, campus operations must be a platform for curricular and co-curricular learning experiences, not a separate physical entity.” Objective 2. We must in the next five years undertake projects and continue to operate in ways that advance us toward the goals set in Dickinson’s climate action plan. For example, we should continue to set “silver” LEED status as a minimum criterion for all construction on campus and maintain our commitment to using sustainable sources of energy. Similarly, we should seek to follow the Master Plan’s guidance on reducing the intrusion and use of automobiles on campus. - P. 24-25 Campus Master Plan Implementation Parameters Building Stewardship and Sustainability Guidelines 1. Evaluate materials and systems based on life cycle costs rather than on capital costs alone. 2. Evaluate systems that use natural ventilation, heating, and cooling during certain periods of the year. 3. Orient buildings to minimize solar gain and maximize usable daylight. 4. Consider the placement, eventual size and density of trees planted near buildings in relation to solar gain and natural daylight use. 5. Progressively replace existing fixtures with water conserving fixtures. 6. Treat and reuse storm runoff from roofs and other surfaces. 7. Select locally manufactured materials to limit transport-related costs and impacts. 8. Specify materials manufactured using environmentally sound production processes and renewable material sources. Favor certified wood products and recycled content materials. 9. Use materials that are durable, require limited maintenance, and are recyclable. 10. Eliminate CFCs, HCFC, halons and volatile organic compounds in building materials, mechanical systems, paints and adhesives. 11. Accommodate reclamation and recycling of chemicals in buildings; accommodate solid waste recycling within all new and remodeled buildings; protect indoor environmental quality. 12. Increase building materials salvage and construction waste recycling rates; encourage energy auditing by suppliers. 13. Increase on-site effluent treatment from laboratories to protect the campus environment. 14. Make consistent use of performance measures to determine the environmental and cost effectiveness of energy reduction and sustainability investments. 15. Use a consistent and tested set of guidelines to achieve project-wide sustainability. 16. Meet or exceed standards endorsed by the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). - P. 49

Dickinson Strategic Plan III How Do We Measure Success? Sustainability Kpi All major construction/renovation to LEED “silver” standard or better - P. 36

Associate VP for Sustainability & Facilities Planning

Dickinson Strategic Plan III Objective 2. and maintain our commitment to using sustainable sources of energy. (See buildings above) Campus Master Plan Implementation Parameters Building Siting, Orientation and Massing Guidelines 4. Orient buildings to minimize solar gain, maximize usable daylight and to optimize energy efficiency and other opportunities to improve sustainability. P 48 12. Increase building materials salvage and construction waste recycling rates; encourage energy auditing by suppliers. 14. Make consistent use of performance measures to determine the environmental and cost effectiveness of energy reduction and sustainability investments. (see buildings)

Campus Master Plan Open Space Framework Preliminary Landscape Opportunities Landscape Precincts can be “greened” with the use of appropriate native vegetation. Paved parking areas within the campus can be converted to sustainable landscape spaces. Efforts of the faculty and the students already underway can be expanded to develop a sustainable approach to Landscape restoration, maintenance and management. - P 33 Landscape and Amenities Guidelines 7. Emphasize native plantings in naturalistic patterns. 8. Select plants that have ornamental characteristics but do not require frequent pruning or other intensive maintenance to maintain desired characteristics. Landscape Guidelines Reduction of Lawn Areas A layered woodland garden can increase diversity. This can be achieved by enhancing existing planting beds or creating new beds. These layered beds can provide a dense matrix of woodland canopy trees, flowering understory trees, shrubs, and groundcover and also help to screen unpleasant views and filter traffic noise. A clear visual zone should be maintained for security. - P. 57

Campus Master Plan 1. Evaluate materials and systems based on life cycle costs rather than on capital costs alone. (see buildings above) 7. Select locally manufactured materials to limit transport-related costs and impacts (see buildings above)

Dickinson Strategic Plan III Objective 2. Similarly, we should seek to follow the Master Plan’s guidance on reducing the intrusion and use of automobiles on campus (see buildings above) Campus Master Plan Goals & Objectives to Guide the Campus Master Plan Process Goal 8. Minimize the interruption by streets of free, interactive movement of pedestrians throughout the campus. - P. 5 Campus Framework Plans Campus Circulation Parking lots represent opportunities for redevelopment for buildings and open spaces, provided that parking demands can be satisfied elsewhere. Dickinson’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint demands that the necessity of driving alone onto campus by anyone be challenged, and that viable alternatives be promoted. The objective of minimizing conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles also suggests that vehicular access into the campus be minimized. Accordingly, parking demands should be satisfied on the perimeter of the campus, making walking the primary means of circulation within the campus. - P. 25 Open Space Framework Promote an accessible pedestrian campus with emphasis on pedestrian safety, security, and ease of movement. - P. 33 Proposed & Enhanced Landscape Types Strategies Integrate a strong pedestrian pathway and a bikeway system into existing circulation corridors like the roadway network and the rail corridor. Since a large part of the campus is a streetscape, converting these into “Green Corridors” will help to integrate pedestrian and bike linkages into the existing right of ways and create a pedestrian friendly campus. - P. 35 Proposed Path System Promoting a pedestrian friendly campus will involve creating new walkways, consolidating existing ones, improving crosswalks, and providing shaded walkways. Strategies: • Create pedestrian linkages between different neighborhoods of the campus and integrate bike lanes into the circulation system. This will shorten perceived distances and promote a walkable Campus. • Develop an appropriate hierarchy of paths based on function. This will contribute to ease of pedestrian movement on the Campus and eliminate redundant paths and excess pavement. • Integrate speed tables or traffic calming structures at pedestrian crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety. • Develop a comprehensive system of signage within the campus to support an enhanced circulation system. Strategically locate way finding, building, and interpretive signage at “nodes”, destinations, intersections, and outdoor sustainability demonstration areas around the campus. - P. 35 The Historic Campus: The Academic Green, East College, South College Introduce traffic-calming pedestrian crossings at the corner of High Street and West Street, strengthening an important gateway for the Campus. Extending Dickinson walk into the John Dickinson Campus will complete pedestrian linkage between the historic part of the Campus and the residential west. - P. 38 Athletics and West Campus Create paths that link various athletic facilities to expand the pedestrian network. Linking these paths and nodes to bike routes make alternatives to driving more attractive. - P. 40 Implementation Parameters Building Siting, Orientation, and Massing Guidelines 9. Acknowledge the primacy of people on foot in the design of buildings and associated open spaces throughout the campus. 10. Locate service access so that vehicular routes conflict minimally with pedestrians and bicycles. - P. 48 Building Uses and Activity Guidelines 4. Provide bike storage conveniently near, but clear of building entrances and emergency vehicle routes. - P. 48 Circulation Guidelines 1. Give priority to walking over all other circulation modes within the campus and on its district approaches. Pedestrian safety is the first priority. 2. Give second priority to safe bicycle circulation 3. Provide circulation routes for service vehicles that conflict as little as possible with pedestrian circulation. 4. Accommodate vehicular access for visitors and emergency vehicles. Limit on-campus parking to inconspicuous locations. 5. Maintain a comprehensive way-finding and signage system that is in keeping with the character of the campus, and is legible by day and after dark. 6. Preserve and create views and vistas that help to orient visitors on and near the campus. 7. Integrate both barrier-free design and safety-in design with all campus improvements. Pedestrian Access Guidelines 1. Provide pedestrian amenities in public rights-of way, including shelter, seating, lighting, street trees, planters, and other street furniture. 2. Provide safe and direct pedestrian access to and between streets, open spaces, and popular destinations. 3. Construct paths with widths and materials that will accommodate expected uses, in conformance with the Dickinson pathways hierarchy. Paths adjacent to heavily used buildings, for example, may need to be larger than usual. Add width to accommodate site furnishings, lights, and other amenities that are placed on walkways. 4. Provide planting strips between sidewalks and major roadways to provide a safety buffer between pedestrians and autos. 5. Avoid indirect connections that encourage shortcutting. Bicycle Guidelines 1. Provide secure and weather-protected bicycle racks at major bicycle destinations. 2. On bikeways, maintain sight distance clearances appropriate to design speeds for bicycle traffic. (For example, on the railroad trail to Dickinson Park). 3. Establish continuous bike lanes along West High St. 4. Integrate all bicycle paths with site contours and other landscape features. 5. Ensure clear sight lines at intersections with footpaths and driveways. Public Transit Guidelines 1. Collaborate with Borough of Carlisle on enhancing transit service access. 2. Provide enhanced transit stop amenities to encourage use of transit. 3. Accommodate bus dimensions and turning requirements in the design of all transit stops. 4. Provide for future transit routes and stops that will give priority over other vehicles for college shuttle vehicles and buses. - P. 50 Service Areas Guidelines 1. Locate service roads and service areas so they do not create traffic hazards for other vehicles, pedestrians, or bicycles. 2. Locate service areas for convenient access by large vehicles, but minimize conflicts with pedestrian circulation. - P. 51

Dickinson Strategic Plan III Human and Financial Resources Strategic Goal D Objective 4. Operational sustainability. Dickinson has as a strategic goal “instilling a culture of ecological sustainability, prudent use of resources and respect for the natural world” into our program; this goal must characterize our operations as well. In particular, we need to be mindful of our action plan for climate neutrality under the Presidents’ Climate Commitment and also to the ways in which sustainability in operations can bring long-term efficiencies and cost savings by reducing waste. - P. 32 Campus Master Plan 11. Accommodate reclamation and recycling of chemicals in buildings; accommodate solid waste recycling within all new and remodeled buildings (see buildings)

Campus Master Plan The Historic Campus: The Academic Green, East College, South College Rearrange the paved areas in the John Dickinson Campus and the Benjamin Rush Campus to enhance open spaces and reduce stormwater runoff. - P. 38 The Expanded Core Area: Dickinson Walk, New Green, the HUB and the Science Campus A major new open space between Dickinson Walk and Kaufman Hall can include stormwater management features, providing a working landscape that can enrich the academic and social life of the College. - P. 39 Athletics and West Campus Implement such Best Management Practices (BMP’s) as pervious pavement, storage cisterns, and rain gardens, incorporating them into the transitional landscape fragments. These initiatives will not only provide the essential ecosystem functions but will also enhance the identity of Dickinson within the Borough. - P. 40 Implementation Parameters Building Stewardship and Sustainability Guidelines 5. Progressively replace existing fixtures with water conserving fixtures. 6. Treat and reuse storm runoff from roofs and other surfaces. (see buildings) Landscape and Amenities Guidelines 6. Protect and improve surface water quality through landscape initiatives; avoid management practices that contribute to the degradation of water quality. 11. Minimize impervious surfaces. 12. Use sustainable methods, such as bio-swales, to remove sediment. - P. 51 Landscape Management Managing Stormwater Increased stormwater runoff from developed areas is one of the most pervasive problems of an urbanizing world. While the opportunity exists to capture stormwater runoff and allow it to infiltrate the soil mantle, the conventional approach has been to treat the runoff as a drainage problem and to “solve” the problem with engineering solutions. These solutions are expensive, require a lot of maintenance, remove natural habitat, are usually unattractive, and ultimately not sustainable. Promoting open space development that is based on sustainable principles will also involve integrating sustainable alternatives to conventional stormwater management. Demonstration projects can be incorporated into site development associated with new buildings as well as retrofits. These projects can be based on models that replicate the natural hydrologic cycle. Strategies: • Identify small-scale projects that have the potential to capture and divert existing run-off into landscape features designed for storage, conveyance and reuse. These retrofit opportunities can be made economically viable in conjunction with new buildings, building improvements or site improvement projects. • Integrate stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP’s) like rain gardens, green roofs, cisterns, retention ponds, bio-filtration swales, and pervious pavement into site and building design. These landscape features can be designed to discreetly fit within the urban landscape or integrated into planting areas. For instance, the redesign of the site and landscape behind Alt House can include disconnecting roof drains and diverting them into a rain garden, creating a green roof on the existing footprint of the Central Utility Plant (CUP). • Develop campus wide landscape “management” strategy to convert lawn areas in parts of the campus into an ecological landscape using native plantings. This will help to reduce storm run-off from these areas and provide screening, ecological, aesthetic, and other intangible benefits to the campus. Due to the karst geology in this area all the Best Management Practices should be carefully designed to prevent development of sinkholes. - P. 52 Suggested Best Management Practices for Dickinson Campus Rain Gardens Urban Swales (integrated into street design) Urban Waste Water Treatment Bio-Swales Porous Pavement with Storage Basins underneath - P. 55

See Diversity Strategic Plan (serves as a complementary planning document to Dickinson Strategic Plan III) Dickinson Strategic Plan III Building Our Community of Students: Enrollment Management Strategic Goal B Objective 2. Diversity. The ratio of students of color in the national school-age cohort is rising rapidly, and Dickinson has made notable strides in raising their representation. Our goal for the next five years is 12 percent or better, sustaining and improving on our recent progress. To do so, we must increase our wealth and/or reach into those highly sought-after sectors of students of color with both high academic ability and means to pay all or a significant portion of tuition. In addition, there are segments of the Jewish student population whom we have not reached. Dickinson provides key requirements for many Jewish students: a robust Judaic Studies curriculum, a nationally-recognized Hillel and ties with Israeli universities and the South American Jewish community. With a kosher dining option now added, we should be able to reach new segments of the Jewish population. - P. 9 Strategic Goal D Objective 3. In regard to diversity and urban recruitment, opportunities include expanded relationships with community-based organizations (CBOs). These identify students in under-served high schools with the skills and desire for success in a highly selective college setting. Our work with CBOs can broaden diversity in terms of both students of color and socioeconomic background. For international students, a strong relationship and recruiting model comprised of targeted American and international schools abroad, as well as alumni volunteers and the availability of financial aid to highly talented students, will enable the college to continue to grow recruitment. Lastly, we must continue to develop relationships with independent schools across the board. - P. 10 - 11 The Dickinson Student Experience Strategic Goal C. Diversity. Strategic Plans I and II identified diversity as a critically important goal. While continuing strong efforts in recruitment, hiring, and academic program, we need also to focus on deepening the dimension of diversity in the student life experience. Demographic data and student surveys confirm that diversity may—beyond its obvious significance to any 21st century educational program—in some aspects distinguish Dickinson from regional peers. In the 2010 senior survey, for example, our graduates reported an enhanced ability to relate to people of different races beyond that of our comparison institutions. Still, many graduating seniors report “no change” or “weaker” skills related to diversity. It remains relatively easy for students to avoid sustained interaction with people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse ideas and perspectives, particularly outside the classroom. Housing options, dining hall culture and strong student identification with clubs, teams, and fraternities and sororities often prompt students to find and maintain an identity with a homogenous campus sub-community. Objective 1. We need to extend and deepen student life programming around diversity, reducing our reliance on one-time programs as a framework for diversity education beyond the classroom in favor of more sustained efforts. For example, we must develop a residentially based peer education program with clearly articulated outcomes as part of a substantive first-year residential program. More broadly, resident advisors, orientation advisors, club and organization officers and athletic team captains are all cohorts of student leaders who represent the college and have significant social influence over peers. We should provide these students with training to develop leadership and understanding around issues of diversity and privilege to in turn positively influence and educate other students. Objective 2. Building a supportive and inclusive community characterized by respect, equality and accountability is a priority. This goal requires both strategies to promote a pluralistic, integrative and accepting campus culture and to address what counteracts such a culture. In building such a community, we will extend full participation in campus life to individuals and organizations which embrace our community standards and values. So, for example, we should expand services and support for LGBTQ students, and enhance campus education to foster a more inclusive and safe environment for individuals. Or, in another area of diversity, we need to address facilities shortcomings in spaces that support students’ spiritual and religious faith expression from a variety of traditions. At the same time, we should refuse participation to organizations that do not embrace our Community Standards (Code of Conduct). And we must formulate and disseminate a bias incident response protocol to our campus as a tangible representation of our commitment to address intolerance. Objective 3. It is vitally important that students experience meaningful opportunities to learn from sustained interaction with people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse experiences and perspectives. In particular, we should evaluate the current special interest/theme housing options to make sure that our desires to support group interests are not at the expense of a residential experience in which students are, without exception, interacting with and learning from the rich diversity of the student body. - P 15

Building Our Community of Students: Enrollment Management Strategic Goal B Objective 2. Diversity. The ratio of students of color in the national school-age cohort is rising rapidly, and Dickinson has made notable strides in raising their representation. Our goal for the next five years is 12 percent or better, sustaining and improving on our recent progress. - P. 9

VP for Institutional Initiatives

Dickinson Strategic Plan III The Dickinson Student Experience Strategic Goal F Objective 3. We need to address behaviors that are clearly destructive to our goals for our community. Steps include: 1) completing initiatives to reduce sexual assault such as implementing a peer educator program and introducing a required module on sexual assault as part of the pre-college education expected of all students, 2) implementing an education/intervention program (drawing on our new hazing policy), particularly for student populations known to be at greatest risk and 3) translating findings of a current research study on campus alcohol use into a comprehensive plan for improving the campus climate around alcohol—this plan to address social norms, risk management and education, assessment and interventions related to student conduct, and environmental support/management. Objective 4. With the arrival of a new Director of the Counseling Center, we must draft a strategic plan that will expand the focus of the counseling center beyond therapy and crisis intervention, to include outreach, education, greater emphasis on developmental concerns, an orientation toward positive psychology and helping students bolster their resilience in the face of stress and other difficulties. - P. 18 Human and Financial Resources Strategic Goal B Objective 3. Be identified as a leading institution in the area of workplace wellness by offering best practice initiatives focused on preventative measures and disease management services that encourage healthy behaviors among members of the Dickinson community. - P. 30 Campus Master Plan Goals & Objectives to Guide the Campus Master Plan Process Goal 5 Objectives Encourage interaction between students of diverse age, perspectives and experience. - P. 5

Dickinson Strategic Plan III Human and Financial Resources Strategic Goal C Objective 2. The college’s endowment is far smaller than those of its aspirant institutions. This permanent funding gap must be diminished both through giving and wise management. We should invest the endowment of the college to optimize returns for current and future generations of students within certain parameters. These include an acceptable level of risk; the expectation that investment strategies will result in above-average returns compared to a defined group of peer institutions’ returns; the goal of achieving top quartile investment returns in the majority of years; and an appreciation for the institution’s values related to the “Triple Bottom Line” (i.e., concern for economic benefit, organizational and social policies, and environmental impact). - P. 30 Campus Master Plan 14. Make consistent use of performance measures to determine the environmental and cost effectiveness of energy reduction and sustainability investments. (See buildings)

Campus Master Plan Goals & Objectives to Guide the Campus Master Plan Process Goal 7 Instill a culture of prudent use of resources and respect for the natural world that supports civilized society. Objectives: •Practice environmental accountability and make the campus a living example of sustainability. •Consider the life-cycle benefits and ‘true costs’ including the health consequences implicit in each decision concerning campus improvement. •Implement sustainable initiatives that result in monetary savings. •Enable transition to environmentally healthy options through decisions on buildings, landscape, maintenance and resources. •Throughout the campus, identify appropriate uses for land so that open and enclosed spaces complement one-another functionally and aesthetically. •Complete each project before initiating another so that the College environment is always whole. Avoid the use of temporary structures. •Include funding with each new building to endow its proper maintenance. - P. 5

See above examples.

Excerpts from Dickinson Strategic Plan III and the Campus Master Plan have been included above. The Diversity Strategic Plan is also referenced in its entirety. Not mentioned above due to redundancy is the final report of the Dickinson Sustainability Symposium, which continues to guide the college's sustainability efforts. Sustainability Symposium - http://www.dickinson.edu/download/downloads/id/2486/sust_performance_sustainability_symposium_pdf Strategic Plan III - http://www.dickinson.edu/info/20084/institutional_research/355/strategic_plan_iii Campus Master Plan - http://www.dickinson.edu/info/20074/campus_operations/1695/planning_studies Climate Action Plan - http://www.dickinson.edu/download/downloads/id/2483/sust_performance_cap_2009_pdf Diversity Strategic Plan - http://www.dickinson.edu/download/downloads/id/2159/diversity_strategic_plan