State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
PAE-2: Strategic Plan

The strategic plan addresses the environmental dimensions of sustainability because meeting environmental challenges frames the context of ESF’s educational mission. In addition, the vision for 2020 is to have academic programs that integrate and synthesize the cultural, natural and industrial perspectives embracing all of ESF’s academic, research and service programs. The four themes for this goal are: Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology; Renewable Materials, Energy and Biotechnology; Sustainable Systems and Communities; and Environmental and Natural Resources Information Systems. Further, targets for 2020 include: incorporating renewable energy resources and energy management systems, and developing a fully automated indoor environmental control system for the campus.

The strategic plan addresses the social dimensions of sustainability by having many targets that respond to the needs of society. These targets are: infuse entrepreneurship into ESF’s culture; provide continuing education and preeminent curricula and materials for K-12 science teachers to help meet the national math/science initiative; reconfigure existing programs to be most relevant to the needs of society; provide business incubation opportunities on campus; structure academic programs such that community service is a significant part of the curriculum (service learning); work with the local community to increase the diversity of our workforce and strengthen outreach efforts; further develop programs designed to assist students at risk; recruit and develop faculty members from underrepresented groups in order to create a cohort of renowned diverse environmentalists; develop family-supportive practices for our employees; and add summer eco-campus to expose underprivileged children in the Syracuse area to science/environmental education.

Within the strategic plan, Goal 4 is to “Become Financially Secure and Independent” and Goal 7 is to “Invest in ESF’s human resources and physical infrastructure.” The main thesis of these metrics is to reduce the amount of purchased fossil fuels and electricity. These efforts reduce both the amount of money spent on energy and the volatility of prices – both of which improve ESF’s financial security and independence. Targets within these goals include: strengthen and diversify the endowment and research dollar sources, create a $100 million endowment (in 2020 dollars)to include increased alumni, corporate, and foundation giving, achieve $30 million in annual research monies through diversified funding sources, establish eight endowed faculty chairs, establish faculty-specific scholarships and target unit-specific foundations and other previously untapped entities for support, develop a web-based donation program to solicit and accept gifts in support of ESF programs.