Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 66.09
Liaison Elizabeth Drake
Submission Date March 3, 2023

STARS v2.2

Swarthmore College
IN-39: Sustainability Office Diversity Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.50 / 0.50 Elizabeth Drake
Director of Sustainability
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the sustainability office have initiatives specifically designed to recruit sustainability employees from underrepresented groups?:
No

A brief description of the initiatives specifically designed to recruit sustainability employees from underrepresented groups:
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Does the sustainability office ensure that sustainability employees complete DEI training?:
Yes

A brief description of the DEI trainings for sustainability employees:
In accordance with our intersectional sustainability priorities, the Office of Sustainability is requiring that all employees, both staff and students, commit time each semester towards anti-racism and intersectional sustainability training. Students will be required to spend five (5) hours of their time during the semester engaged in this work, and staff will be required to spend ten (10) hours during the semester. These hours can be completed at any time during the semester and should engage in the following learning goals:

- Gain clear knowledge of, experience with, and interest in anti-racism education, and its necessity in sustainability and environmental work.
- Gain clear knowledge of, experience with, and interest in intersections that result from different identities, such as ethnic, socioeconomic, racial, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural differences, and how those can affect sustainability work done at the College and beyond.
- Develop the ability to discuss diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging-related issues in sustainability and environmental issues.
Understand the challenges faced by underrepresented individuals, and the need for all students, staff, and faculty to work to grow an equitable and inclusive environment.
- Recognize diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as core values that every member of our community should actively contribute to.
- Express intent to be a strong advocate for anti-racism and intersectional sustainability within our College and beyond.

Does the sustainability office regularly collaborate on events, projects, or initiatives with the institution’s DEI office/program and/or organizations that support underrepresented groups on campus?:
Yes

A brief description of events, projects, or initiatives during the previous year developed in collaboration with the DEI office/program and/or organizations that support underrepresented groups on campus:
The Office of Sustainability regularly collaborates with the Inclusive Excellence Leadership Team. During the 2021-22 Academic Year, the Office worked with an Inclusive Excellence fellow on an Intersectional Sustainability project which sought to expand understanding of environmental justice in relation to anti-racism work on campus and encourage more sustainable practices. As part of this work, the Office of Sustainability and the Inclusive Excellence program co-hosted a dialogue and crafts event as part of EarthFest.

Does the sustainability office or committee include at least one individual with formal DEI and/or environmental or social justice responsibilities?:
Yes

Documentation of the formal DEI and/or environmental or social justice responsibilities:
The Associate Director position "leads efforts to incorporate principles of intersectionality and DEI into the work of the Office of Sustainability and ensures that these concepts are thoroughly integrated into training for students."

Optional Fields

Website URL where information about the initiatives to advance DEI within the sustainability program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Information for this credit was compiled by representatives from the Office of Sustainability.

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