National Conference on Sustainability for Community Colleges

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Notes from the Subject Meetings with Focus Questions

Instruction

-curriculum development
-educate other instructors
-encourage renegade behavior (going outside traditional curriculum)
-getting a requirement related to sustainability
-integrating sustainability into all curricula
-learning via student affairs
-looking at sustainable purchases/practices with long-term cost/benefit ratios rather than short-term
-surveying and assessing student attitudes and behaviors (leads to increased awareness by feedback)
-long-term investigations that include experimental design
-problem-based learning
-learning how to measure “success” regarding sustainability
-service learning to encourage community engagement
-noncredit community courses on alternative technologies, etc. (practical workshops)
-having a mission statement or vision for all to know
-look at personal sustainability – health, careers, learning
-take responsibility for institutional change and community
-teach how to effect change

• problem-based learning
• communication and networking skills

-letting go of established curriculum to allow for new OR incorporate sustainability into current curricula.

Operations

Low Hanging Fruit?
-utilities
-recycling
-surplus
-hidden cost savings
-retrofit
-“Shining Stars”

Other areas where things could be done?
-complete study of waste/payback (dumpster dive)
-native plants
-water conservation/retention
-ice melting (with beet juice instead of salt or chemicals)
-edible landscape
-transportation
-contract services

Resources?
-Savings

• utilities
• recycling
• transportation
• material suppliers (Styrofoam)

Challenges & Solutions
-passing capital bond issue
-staff to carry out
-culture change
-logistics (storage)
-appearance
-data from purchasing
-policies
-identify markets for waste/recycle

Administration

Resources
-Grants
-Upgrade NSF

• ATE (Adv. Tech. Educ)
• CCLI (Course curric)
• Must be faculty driven
• Connection to 4 year institutions

-Congress $ for green collar jobs/energy security
-Create policies to support initiatives for energy efficiency
-Local/state mandates
-Workforce Incentive Act “WIRED” – partnerships*
-Partner with local utilities ($ start up)

How can resources be developed?
-Assigning staff
-President - priority
-Facilities - financial savings (energy performance contract [audit, loan, savings])-Tight energy efficiency/latest technology
-College Marketing (PR)
-Model/teach
-Release time
-Sustainability Committees

• Work groups
• Green Teams – voluntary ~40
• Habitat team
• Student government

-Nurture “early adopters” & recognize
-Support ideas/initiatives

Key actions
-Model actions
-Connect with K-12/mentoring
-Highlight the successes (i.e. campus recycling challenge)
-Communicate the benefits to students
-Infuse it into all areas/departments
-Part of interview and orientation process
-Sponsor events
-College wide events (inform, educate, enlighten)
-Establish benchmarks
-Port f mission, core value, strategic planning, agendas
-Student internships (Audit on campus)

Challenges & Solutions
-Politics
-Board of Trustees
-Funding
-Leadership
-Time
-Policies – at all levels
-Apathy
-Inertia

Questions: e-mail sustainability@lanecc.edu or call 541-463-5594.

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