State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Since 2009, a Campus Climate Change Committee (CCCC) made up of ESF faculty, staff, administrators, and students had been meeting two times per semester to review and approve Student Sustainability Fund projects, and review and provide feedback on ESF's progress towards sustainability. The goals of the CCCC were to: Continue and increase efforts to foster awareness and involvement with sustainability and climate action projects among the campus community, publicize and expand sustainability efforts to the local community and beyond, closely monitor and adjust plans, progress, and goals as necessary, and continue growing ESF’s portfolio of sustainability efforts. Starting in the summer of 2015 with new leadership, the College transitioned from the CCCC to a more structured and inclusive Sustainability Committee organized around STARS credit categories. The first official meeting of this new committee took place in May 2016. The College-wide Sustainability Committee continues to exist in 2019, but has evolved into completing its work through a variety of teams and working groups, each comprised of faculty, staff, and students. This includes: the Sustainability Office Team (administrators, staff, and students); Energy Working Group (administrators, faculty, staff, and students)--now the Energy Advisory Group; Materials Working Group (administrators, faculty, staff, and students); and others.

2019 Sustainability Committee: Neal Abrams - Faculty, Chemistry Dept. Josh Arnold - Staff, Energy and Utilities Director Sean Bailey - Undergraduate Student, Sustainable Energy Management Tristan Brown - Faculty, Sustainable Energy Management Devon Camillieri - Undergraduate Student, Environmental Studies Lisa Campagna - Staff, Business Affairs Office Malika Carter - Administration, Chief Diversity Officer Kayla Conway - Undergraduate Student, Environmental Studies Paul Crovella - Faculty, Sustainable Construction Mallory DeLanoy - Undergraduate Student, Environmental Engineering Terry Ettinger - Staff, Greenhouse, Environmental and Forest Biology Dept. Susan Fassler - Staff, Sustainable Facilities Operations Melissa Fierke - Faculty, Environmental and Forest Biology Dept. Chair Rebecca Hart - Staff, Environmental Studies Justin Heavey - Staff, Sustainability Amelia Hoffman - Staff, Student Affairs / Sustainability Mariann Johnston - Faculty, Forest and Natural Resources Management Dept. and Ranger School Christine Langlois - Staff, Facilities Operations Mark Lichtenstein - Administration, Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief of Staff Adam Ludwicki - Undergraduate Student, Sustainable Energy Management Peter Marschall - Staff, Facilities Planning, Design, and Construction Sharon Moran - Faculty, Environmental Studies Neil Patterson - Staff, Center for Native Peoples and the Environment Paul Otteson - Staff, Communications Gary Peden - Staff, Facilities Director Alex Poisson - Graduate Student, Graduate Program in Environmental Science Sachi Segan - Undergraduate Student, Environmental Studies Namrata Shenoy - Graduate Student, Environmental Management Nafisa Tabassum - Graduate Student, Environmental Resources Engineering Timothy Volk - Faculty, Sustainable Energy Management

The Office of Sustainability's mission statement is to advance campus community knowledge and skills, and provide leadership to reduce ESF’s carbon footprint and impact on the environment, and to broadly promote sustainability. The office helped develop a broad range of college sustainability policies including: Space Churn Renovation Plan and Policy, Reduced Mercury Light Bulb Purchasing Policy, Low Impact Site and Green Building Exterior Management Policy, Erosion and Sedimentation Policy, College Sustainable Cleaning Products Purchasing Policy, and the College Solid Waste and Recycling Policy. In addition, the Office advises and engages in many areas of sustainability including campus grounds, transportation, and storm water runoff (green roofs, rain gardens, and others). The Office also reviews and helps implement student projects and develops materials to disseminate sustainability information. In 2018, the College reorganized around Sustainable Finances under the Chief Financial Officer, and Sustainable Operations, under the Chief Sustainability Officer. The Chief Sustainability Officer reports directly to the President and also serves as the Chief of Staff. The entire Facilities Planning, Design, Construction, Energy, and Operations departments, units, and functions report to this individual, as does the Forest Properties Department (25,000 acres of forest properties and satellite facilities), and the Sustainability Division/Office.

The Office of Sustainability (http://www.esf.edu/sustainability/) is staffed by the Chief Sustainability Officer (jointly appointed as Chief of Staff to the College President). This office also oversees and coordinates student interns and graduate assistants during the summer and during the year. Select accomplishments (2017-2019): - Led the reorganization of the College into two major division: Sustainable Finance under the Chief Financial Officer, and Sustainable Operations (as noted above) reporting directly to the President - Hired first Sustainable Facilities Manager in the Facilities Operations Unit to oversee custodial, grounds, maintenance, materials management, and fleet management - Led major disaster response effort, including disaster debris management in the Caribbean (testified to Congress) - Hosted first ever SUNY Leaders Sustainability Summit - Helped led development of SUNY-wide sustainable development goals - Implemented new Energy Controls, Development, and Conservation Unit, resulting in substantial ECMs being implemented - Secured new materials management vendor, resulting in increased composting and recycling - Committed to being a Zero Waste Campus