Two additional recommendations were developed directly by the Office of Sustainability, receiving the endorsement of CASC at their final meeting of the 2019-2020 academic year. Both recommendations propose developing additional plans to support Vassar’s response to the Climate Crisis separately from the operational focus on decarbonization in the Climate Action Plan.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals remain incredibly relevant to both climate resilience and sustainability in the curriculum. The SDGs should be retained as part of the framework for both plans.
Description:
A comprehensive response to the climate crisis requires more than just efforts to minimize Vassar’s environmental footprint. It must also focus on preparing the institution, in partnership with the surrounding community, to address climate change's adverse impacts. The Office of Sustainability will lead the following steps to promote and expand community resilience:
Convening a campus-community task force to bring together appropriate representatives from Vassar College, local municipalities, Dutchess County, and other regional entities to support climate resilience efforts
Completing a comprehensive assessment of campus and community resilience through a joint effort with the Task Force
Drafting a Campus & Community Resilience Action Plan that addresses targeted, quantifiable goals for campus and community resilience
Labor Required:
Moderate staff time; no financial impact.
Analysis:
The adverse impacts of climate change continue to grow more severe each year, and the College and the surrounding community will be faced with ever-greater challenges in the years to come. Developing a complementary action plan for campus and community resilience is crucial to ensure Vassar is prepared for these challenges. It can also take advantage of and institutionalize existing ad hoc partnerships developed through near-term pandemic response.
Description:
A team comprised of individuals from the Office of the Dean of the Faculty and select departments/programs should review the current presence of sustainability across the curriculum. Based on the assessment results, this team should evaluate the possibility of expanding sustainability in the curriculum and provide recommendations as a separate report that complements the Climate Action Plan.
Resources Required:
The full resources required to complete this assessment are to be determined, pending the development of the assessment's full scope. The Office of Sustainability and Sustainability Interns can provide ex officio support and assistance, but the plan's development needs to be a faculty-driven process.
Analysis:
The 2020 Climate Action Plan is an administratively driven set of recommendations to work toward carbon neutrality and other key sustainability indicators. Given both the drafting and implementation process, the CAP is not the appropriate venue to recommend modifying the curriculum. However, this is a subject that should be considered more deeply by key faculty stakeholders, and as noted above, can be supported by the Office of Sustainability where needed.