Virginia Commonwealth University
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

In June 2011, the VCU BOV approved Quest for Distinction, a six-year strategic plan that would guide the university until the end of the 2017-18 academic year. Though this plan says 2011-2017, the Board of Visitors has approved to extend the plan through 2018, until the new strategic plan is fully finalized and approved. The VCU Quest for Distinction includes sustainability as one of six guiding principals (see page 10) and details a commitment to infusing sustainability into stewardship of university resources, and into research and curricular activities. Sustainability as a core concept of sustainability and a commitment to educing GHG emissions are detailed on page 25. Specific sustainability goals, metrics, and illustrative university initiatives are detailed on page 26 under Theme VI, goal C. Quest's implementation provided the university a roadmap to becoming a premier urban, public research university focused on academic quality and student success. The plan provides a strategic framework for capitalizing on the outstanding assets that form the VCU experience — a commitment to educational quality, an environment that embraces diversity, an evolving research program with substantial increases in extramural funding, pre-eminent academic programs, an engaged community and a growing alumni base. It is an aggressive call to focused action that requires a disciplined concentration on strategic priorities and a commitment to accountability, using data to inform decisions. https://quest.vcu.edu/media/quest/assets/theplan_full.pdf NOTE: File was "too large" for submission, you can find a full copy of the plan at the following url https://quest.vcu.edu/ VCU is currently drafting a new Strategic Plan Quest 2.0, together we transform. The new strategic plan follows and builds upon the current Quest for Distinction plan. Using "Quest 2025" continues Quest's significant brand equity and continuity, and shows VCU is building on Quest's momentum and progress. The word "transform", meanwhile, illustrates exactly what VCU is trying to do - serve as a catalyst for change for our students, our patients, our city and our communities. And we are doing it together as one university, committed to excellence and access in a way that invites a variety of voices and perspectives to the table.

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Action Plan, https://inclusive.vcu.edu/about-us/strategic-action-plan/

VCU Sustainability Plan: Provide resources to better engage students about sustainability within academics. - Establish a baseline number of students enrolled in Service Learning courses that have a sustainability focus. - Increase the number of students enrolled in sustainability-focused Service Learning courses by 5% annually, based on established baseline, beginning in FY17. - Determine the number of faculty who teach sustainability focused Service Learning courses. Provide resources, assistance and incentives for faculty to create Service-Learning courses as well as infuse Service-Learning principles into their existing courses.

Published in VCU Sustainability Plan: Measurable objectives: 3.2 - Establish a core network for trans-disciplinary sustainability interactions, by designating a contact point person for each academic unit. 3.5 - Establish a centralized repository with sustainability in academics resources. Develop a tiered approach to sustainability courses and programs for students. 3.7 - Develop and implement a financial support model for sustainability in research and academics.

Measurable objectives: 4.0 - Provide resources to better engage student groups and volunteers around sustainability. 4.1 - Identify all student organizations with a sustainability focus, annually, beginning in FY16, in collaboration with University Student Commons and Activities. Meet with all student groups with a sustainability focus to educate them on university goals and provide suggested projects, beginning in FY17. Office of Sustainability will develop a system to identify projects needed for VCU, on an ongoing basis. 4.2 - Create calendar/list of sustainability volunteering groups and opportunities, via the Office of Sustainability website. Collaborate with Student Affairs and Community Engagement on app-tracking system to track sustainability-focused volunteering opportunities and student group projects. 5.2 - Create incentives for sustainable department habits and operations. 5.3 - Have at least 5 offices/departments complete Green Office certification annually, beginning in FY16. 5.4 - Develop incentives to participate in Green Office program. Identify the sustainability training needs of faculty and staff. Provide appropriate trainings to faculty and staff on sustainability and environmental issues, beginning in FY17. Provide resources to better engage students about sustainability within academics. 6.1 - Establish a baseline number of students enrolled in Service Learning courses that have a sustainability focus, by end of FY16. Increase the number of students enrolled in sustainability-focused Service Learning courses by 5% annually, based on established baseline, beginning in FY17. 6.2 - Determine the number of faculty who teach sustainability focused Service Learning courses, by end of FY16. Provide resources, assistance and incentives for faculty to create Service-Learning courses as well as infuse Service-Learning principles into their existing courses, by end of FY16. Published in VCU Sustainability Plan, 2015

Measurable Objectives: 4.3 - Capture the number of hours of sustainability-focused community service, on an annual basis, beginning in FY16. Increase hours by 10% on an annual basis beginning in FY17. Identify best practices to provide and track volunteer opportunities. Provide resources to better engage faculty and staff on sustainability within VCU and the greater Richmond community. 5.1 - Determine regional sustainability priorities and share that information publicly via the Office of Sustainability website, to faculty, staff and students. VCU will actively participate in the city of Richmond’s Green City Commission and will have an ongoing presence to support city issues and regional priorities. Published in VCU Sustainability Plan, 2015.

Measurable objective: - Reduce GHG emissions to 30% below business-as-usual by 2025 in accordance with the Virginia Energy Plan (2007) - Achieve net zero GHG emissions by, or as soon after 2050 as technology and financial considerations will allow. Published in VCU Climate Action Plan, 2010.

Measurable Objectives: 10.1 Increase utilization of building automation systems where appropriate to increase energy efficiency. Design and implement best practices for all VCU facilities to conserve energy. Published in VCU Sustainability Plan, 2015. - Ensure that the Campus Master Plan adheres to LEED construction and best practices in sustainability. Published in VCU Quest for Distinction, 2011.

Measurable Objectives: 9.1 - Upgrade lighting to best available technology in all feasible areas as lighting systems are replaced or installed. Install motion detectors in all appropriate areas by end of FY20. Also, investigate departmental metering of electricity use to encourage increased conservation. 9.2 - In partnership with the Planning and Administration subcommittee, develop and implement education programs for faculty, staff and students to influence positive behavior change to conserve energy by 6/30/2016. 9.3 - Evaluate new technologies and methodologies for reducing energy consumption and build them into the plan as practical. 10.0 - Increase energy efficiency education programs. 10.1 - Increase utilization of building automation systems where appropriate to increase energy efficiency. Design and implement best practices for all VCU facilities to conserve energy. Published in VCU Sustainability Plan, 2015.

Measurable Objectives: 17.2 - Promote local and sustainable food options available within Richmond to the VCU community. Published in VCU Sustainability Plan, 2015.

Measurable Objectives: 8.1 - Through a feasibility study, develop a stormwater management plan that reduces the impact on the James River watershed. Investigate increased use of native plants and sustainable grounds management where feasible. Published in VCU Sustainability Plan, 2015.

Measurable Objectives: - Reduce staff SOV by a minimum of 6% annually by a combination of converting 3% to transit ridership and another 3% to carpool. - Reduce commuting population to no greater than 50% of student body - Reduce faculty SOV by a minimum of 6% annually by a combination of converting 3% to transit ridership and another 3% to carpool. - Carefully analyze SOV costs to ensure that transit options maintain a price advantage. - Purchase offsets for air travel for 50-100% of all air travel miles. - Introduce car-sharing organizations like Zipcar to operate on campus. - Complement SOV restrictions with a guaranteed ride home program. Published in, VCU Climate Action Plan, 2010

Measurable Objectives: 11.1 - Reduce solid waste by 3% each year and increase waste diversion by 3% each calendar year from 2016 - 2020, using the 2014 diversion rate as a baseline. 11.2 - In partnership with the Planning and Administrative subcommittee, develop and implement education programs for faculty Published in, VCU Sustainability Plan, 2015 staff and students on single stream recy- cling and other waste reduction programs. 12 Increase waste diversion rate. 12.1 Increase diversion rate by encourag- ing reuse over resale, resale over recycling and recycling over landfill disposal. Look at the feasibility of diverting pre- and post- consumer waste from dining areas on campus to increase waste diversion. 12.2 Evaluate new technologies and meth- odologies for increasing waste diversion and build them into the plan as practical.

Measurable Objectives: 7.1 - Upgrade water fixtures in all areas where appropriate to conserve water by end of FY20. In partnership with the Planning and Administration subcommittee develop and implement education programs for faculty, staff and students to increase water conservation by end of FY16. 7.2 - Evaluate new technologies and methodologies for reducing water consumption and build them into the plan as practical. 8.0 - Reduce water requiring treatment from VCU facilities. Published in, VCU Sustainability Plan, 2015

Published in Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Action Plan Measurable Objectives: Goal 1 Measures Completion and approval of a Five Year Diversity Plan. Resources expended for plan implementation. Creation of Diversity Review Commissions that assist with development of unit diversity plans. Dissemination of model diversity plans. Creation of a highly visible diversity website on the University Homepage that assists in dissemination of information related to diversity and that provides a central location for announcements and promotion of events that celebrate diversity. Goal 2 Measures (Timeline year 2) Increase in diversity of institutional leadership. Goal 3 Measures (Timeline year 1) Reward innovative strategies that include monetary and nonmonetary benefits for advancing inclusive excellence. Published in, VCU Quest for Distinction Goal 4 Measures (Timeline year 3) Increase in diversity of staff in higher pay bands. Goal 5 Measures (Timeline year 1 ongoing) Utilize enrollment and recruitment reports to track progress in recruiting and increasing historically underrepresented students.

The strategic plan, master plan, and sustainability plan have all taken the time to reach out to the community for input, and has guided sustainable progress over the last 3-5 years. New drafts of all 3 plans are currently in progress.