Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.83
Liaison Andrew Porter
Submission Date March 10, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Cincinnati
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Daniel Hart
Sustainability Coordinator
Planning + Design + Construction
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Sustainability Committee(s) 

Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
Yes

The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:
The President's Advisory Council on Environment & Sustainability (PACES) is an All-University Committee founded in 2003 as the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC). Its name was changed in 2007 when UC signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The committee is composed of students, faculty, and staff and is open to all. PACES charge is to provide leadership for the integration of sustainability into educational programs, research and community outreach; to promote and build on existing efforts and strengths around sustainability; to recommend strategies for moving toward a net zero campus in the areas of waste and energy while providing for the needs of campus; to report campus efforts and progress.

None
Members of each committee, including affiliations and role (e.g. staff, student, or faculty):
Staff Mary Beth McGrew, Assoc. VP of Planning + Design + Construction & University Architect (Chair) Andy Porter, Director of Space Management (Co-Chair) Joe Harrell, Executive Director of Central Utilities Daniel Hart, Sustainability Coordinator Students Abrielle Elson, Undergraduate Student Government Association Sustainability Co-Director Kayla Kellar, Undergraduate Student Government Association Sustainability Co-Director Faculty Dr. Dominic Boccelli, Asst. Professor in CEAS School of Energy, Environmental, Biological, and Medical Engineering Dr. Jodi Shann, Director of Environmental Studies and Professor in A&S Dept. of Biology Michael Zaretsky, Asst. Professor in DAAP School of Architecture & Interior Design

Sustainability Office(s) 

Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee?:
Yes

None
A brief description of each sustainability office:
UC's Office of Sustainability was created in 2010 and reports to the PACES Steering Committee (see above). UC hired a part-time Sustainability Coordinator in 2008, and the position became full-time in 2009. In 2013, the Office added an Assistant Sustainability Coordinator position. The Office of Sustainability is within the Department of Planning + Design + Construction with links to Facilities Management and Central Utilities. The staff includes one full-time Sustainability Coordinator, one full-time Assistant Sustainability Coordinator, and a team of undergraduate student workers. The Office of Sustainability manages several programs including the Bearcat Bike Share, the Bike Kitchen, the UC Garden, Bearcat Recycling, Re*Use Market, and Operation Move-In Recycle, as well as various educational and outreach opportunities. These include the sustainability film series, workshop series, lecture series, Trees for Tomorrow, Arbor Day campus tree planting, Campus Conservation Nationals, RecycleMania, environmental literacy certificate program, etc.

None
Full-time equivalent (FTE) of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
1

Sustainability Officer(s) 

Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Yes

Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Daniel Hart

Institution-Wide Coordination 

Does the institution have a mechanism for broad sustainability coordination for the entire institution (e.g. a campus-wide committee or an officer/office responsible for the entire campus)?:
Yes

A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:
A89 2015: Re*Use Market, Earth Day Pop-up Market, Taking Root 2020 tree giveaway, Second annual Cincinnati Bike Show, UC named to Princeton Review's list of top green colleges and universities for the 5th consecutive year 2014: First STARS report submitted for a Silver rating, First annual Cincinnati Bike Show held on campus, UC named to Princeton Review's list of top green colleges and universities for the 5th consecutive year, UC's energy management strategy recognized in the International District Energy Associations's Campus Energy Video Contest, First class of students earn their Environmental Literacy Certificate of Achievement, Thermal storage projects recognized at the Green Business Awards in the Green Building category 2013: Finalist and Honorable Mention for Advocacy at the Green Business Awards for environmental literacy project, Collection and diversion of compostable material started at MarketPointe dining hall, 7th LEED certified (2nd LEED Silver) building completed (Morgens Residence Hall), Paper pellet fuel research project conducted by Utilities, Environmental Science, and Engineering, GoBus and Baron's Bus stops added on campus, Styrofoam containers replaced with reusable containers in all dining halls, Third green roof on campus completed (DAA), UC named to Princeton Review's list of top green colleges and universities for 4th consecutive year

Optional Fields 

Job Description (1st position)

Job title of the sustainability officer position:
Sustaianability Coordinator

Job description for the sustainability officer position:
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Job description for the sustainability officer position:
The Sustainability Coordinator oversees operations of the Office of Sustainability, coordinates PACES, attends community meetings, and oversees a team of student employees.

Job Description (2nd position) 

Job title of the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
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Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
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Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
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Job Description (3rd position) 

Job title of the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
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Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
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Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
http://www.uc.edu/af/pdc/sustainability/about/sustainability_committee.html

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.