University of Portland Sustainability Manager: Position Proposal
1. Background
According to a recent MIT Sloan Management Review report, sustainability in the U.S. is nearing a
tipping point. 70% of surveyed institutions report that sustainability has been put on the management
agenda within the last 6 years, and 20% report this has happened in the past two years.1
The much more relevant question now for private, non-profit, and government sector organizations is
not whether to have sustainability on the agenda, it is how to create successful and meaningful
sustainability initiatives that will bring growing and lasting benefits to the organization and to the
community.
What distinguishes organizations that succeed and ones that are not as successful? According to the
Sloan report cited above and a very recent Harvard Business School study following firms for two
decades2, organizations that back up sustainability initiatives with significant organizational support
are far more likely to realize improved organizational performance and superior competitive
advantage over time. Organizational support often includes 1) strong CEO (University president)
support, 2) separate sustainability reporting, 3) a separate function for sustainability, 4) a responsible
person per business (academic) unit for sustainability, and 5) a chief sustainability officer
(coordinator/manager).3 In short, organizations strategically infusing and following through on
sustainability goals and metrics at all levels perform better financially than organizations that do not
do this. Furthermore, they are increasingly distancing themselves from their peers, whether in the
private sector or in the non-profit sector.4
2. Rationale for a sustainability manager position
2.1. Capacity constraints and best practices
In the case of the University of Portland, currently we have 1) strong and consistent support from our
University president, 2) a variety of frameworks for reporting that are still in the early stages, 3) the
PAC on Sustainability – an advisory committee to the University President, 4) a wide, informal range
of interest across many divisions, and 5) a temporary three year Americorps VISTA position in
environmental justice and sustainability that will expire this year.
We have done some remarkable things with our existing resources, with many University community
members from all quarters collaborating over the past decade.5 However, it is the consensus of the
Presidential Advisory Committee on Sustainability that the status quo is untenable. If we are serious
about building on our current momentum and delivering on our commitments in our University
strategic plan and in our climate action plan, the committee feels that our current capacity will prove
1
Kiron, D, Kruschwitz, N, Haanaes K, and von Streng Velken, I. (2012) Sustainability Nears a Tipping Point,
MIT Sloan Management Review, Vol 53, No 2.
Available at http://sloanreview.mit.edu/feature/sustainability-strategy/
2
Eccles et al (2011), The Impact of a Corporate Culture of Sustainability on Corporate Behavior and
Performance, Harvard Business Review, Working Paper 12-035.
Available at http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/12-035.pdf
3
See the Appendix, Figure 1 for survey results.
4
See the Appendix, Figures 2 and 3 for financial results over twenty years for firms implementing “high
sustainability” vs. firms implementing “low sustainability.” For more detail on the definition of these two
types of organizations, consult Eccles et al (2011) cited above.
5
See the Appendix, page 7 for a list of sustainability related achievements.
2
inadequate. The committee strongly recommends that we do what many of our peer institutions have
already done: we strategically invest in a full time, entry level position for conservation and
sustainability management on our campus.
The committee has conducted a survey of what our peer and aspirant institutions are doing to support
sustainability. In the case of smaller institutions, many of our peers and our aspirants have
sustainability managers and coordinators. Most Portland area colleges and universities currently have
sustainability managers or coordinators, with Reed and University of Portland being the exception. In
a direct survey of 19 of our peer institutions 18 months ago, we found that 7 already had a position
and that many were in the process of creating a position or were talking about creating a position. A
recent extension of this survey found similar results for aspirant institutions for the University of
Portland. Interestingly, those institutions listed in Princeton’s 2012 Green Colleges Guide typically
have a position; those that are not listed often do not have a position. In the case of larger institutions,
most now have sustainability offices, including the University of Notre Dame6 - and almost all larger
institutions in Princeton’s 2012 Green Colleges guide have at least one full time position devoted to
resource conservation and sustainability.
2.2. The Financial Case
Sustainability related positions are often seen as a luxury that an institution can’t afford, sometimes in
line with the notion that there is a tradeoff between the environment and economics. Based on the
growing empirical evidence in all sectors, the chair of PACOS believes strongly that this view is
misplaced. In fact, the strategic and fiscally conservative thing to do is to create greater capacity on
campus for conservation and efficiency, new grant revenue, and building the brand through forward
leaning initiatives that resonate with the community and with young people. In the case of full time
positions that support sustainability programs, there is ample evidence that institutions can quickly
improve measurable economic outcomes associated with costs as well as harder to measure
intangibles associated with University reputation and branding. Educational institutions often create
these positions for a variety of reasons, including student demand, the ethical case, and environmental
and social stewardship, but these positions also dovetail with the conservative budgeting goals of
resource constrained organizations.
2.2.1. Savings through conservation and behavioral change
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Having LEED certified buildings is one step in the direction of sustainability on a campus, but
how buildings are operated through time is key. Effective sustainability programs focusing on
behavioral change can lead to very substantial conservation behavior resulting in major
reductions in the consumption of electricity, natural gas, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, paper,
food, and other waste.
In a recent study of peers out of Cornell University, a number of larger institutions estimated
their savings to be in the millions of dollars a few years after implementation of a
sustainability office and associated programs; for example, The University of Michigan
estimated savings at 10 million dollars, and Columbia 3.5 million.7
Notre Dame’s Sustainability Office and Meredith Dickinson, who is the University of Portland’s
Environmental Justice and Sustainability coordinator, have been consulting with each other over the past year.
We recently competed with Notre Dame in their Campus Conservation Nationals electricity competition.
7
Meigs, Garett (2005) Campus Sustainability in Higher Education: A survey of 28 leading institutions with
recommendations for next steps at Cornell University, Peer Campus Sustainability Survey. Available at
http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/Overview docs/CU Peer Campus Sustainability
Survey_GWMeigs_5-05.pdf
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3
In a study by the former facilities manager for Colorado State University, the cost avoidance
estimates due to conservation programs and other initiatives were estimated to be 35 million
dollars since the mid 1980s. Benefits of conservation included the direct savings associated
with less consumption. Other benefits cited included avoidance of expensive utility plant
investment fees; emission equipment installations or upgrades, utility infrastructure upgrades;
maintenance savings; improvement in the quality of the indoor environment; free publicity;
and sustainability as a recruiting tool.8
In another recent study, (Behavior Matters—A Business Case for Behavior-Based
Conservation Programs9), Stanford rigorously documented the results of their programs
implemented by their sustainability office focused on behavioral change – they reduced
energy consumption and waste in buildings by 20%. Stanford University estimated their
annual savings conservatively to be 350,000 dollars a year. In their building level
conservation pilot programs, Stanford estimated payback to be less than 9 months.
Once savings like this are realized they can then stick and then compound over many years.
Controlled for size, with our University roughly 10%-20% of the size of some of these leading
larger institutions, the University of Portland might easily see savings in the hundreds of
thousands of dollars, or more, within a decade.
The recent energy conservation campaign in residence halls provides very good evidence of
the potential. Under the leadership of Meredith Dickinson, who is in our temporary
Americorps position in environmental justice and sustainability, students reduced their
electricity consumption substantially (by 10% and more, some by more than 20%) in many of
the halls. Thus this change alone resulted in behavioral change that could result in tens of
thousand of dollars in savings or more for the University over a decade if the behavior is
reinforced. The Lucid Design Campus Conservation Nationals software estimated the
University of Portland’s energy savings over three weeks to be 1673 dollars, with some of the
dorms reducing their consumption by 20%. Assuming that ongoing conservation programs
could maintain this level of conservation effort and awareness, just this savings alone adds up
to over 200,000 dollars over a decade. This is with just four of the residence halls really
standing out, with obvious room for better and more effective conservation campaigns in the
future. Residence halls are 40% of the University square footage representing a substantial
percentage of the campus, where the opportunities are ripe. 200,000 dollars in savings is just
through a small slice of campus electricity conservation that could be dramatically expanded,
and it does not include 1) savings associated with natural gas, 2) diesel, 3) gasoline, 4) water,
5) paper, 6) food, 7) office supplies, and others items. All of these items are also targeted in
the University Climate Action plan.
A table associated with this University of Portland campaign is in the Appendix (see Figure
4); it documents preliminary evidence that the change may be lasting. It does not count other
savings in the dorms during this period associated with water use and heating – those figures
are likely in the hundreds of dollars or more.
2.2.2. Revenue and Reputation
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On the revenue side, a good sustainability manager builds reputational capital and can help to
obtain hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions of dollars in grants and tax credits.
There are a very large number of external sustainability grant opportunities now available for
Morris (2005) The Hidden Economics of Campus Sustainability. Available at
http://www.appa.org/files/FMArticles/5605FM_econ.pdf
9
Ahmed, F. and Vermylen, J. (2011) Behavior Matters—A Business Case for Behavior-Based Conservation
Programs, available at http://www.aashe.org/resources/case-studies/behavior-matters-business-case-behaviorbased-conservation-programs
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4
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educational institutions in research, teaching, and facilities, yet many institutions are
unaware of them and/ or are unable to tap them because of time and resource constraints.10
Like the missed opportunities mentioned above with savings, this is a missed opportunity on
the revenue side for these institutions. A good sustainability manager can devote time and
energy to finding these opportunities and making them known to the appropriate campus
units. A manager can help to research and write grants and obtain tax credits. He or she also
writes and files appropriate sustainability reports to maintain and enhance reputation among
alumni, donors, and the broader community, including the business community. In the case of
the University of Portland, much of this is currently done in an ad hoc manner, and having a
full time position in sustainability will invariably improve our efficiency in this area.
At our University, our reputation for sustainability is now established, with the University
being consistently recognized regionally and nationally for sustainability related
achievements, including in the 2012 Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide.
Our current reputation has been built in part through the efforts of administration, faculty,
staff and students, including our current temporary environmental justice and sustainability
coordinator – who provided critical support for a variety of University sponsored events that
attracted widespread regional and national attention in the past three years when this position
existed. A sampling of the attention and PR benefits generated in just 2011 is provided in the
appendix (see Appendix, page 8)
In short, a good sustainability manager makes eminent financial sense. He or she can help to tip a
campus into a culture of conservation and stewardship, increase and maintain our reputation and
credibility, and seize opportunities for funding and donations related to sustainability. This is a “winwin” that boosts environmental and operational performance of the institution, helping us to be an
authentically high performing institution on multiple fronts.
2.3. Teaching and Learning, Faith and Formation, Service and Leadership
Learning about and pursuing “sustainability” invariably breaks down the silos that exist in
educational institutions between departments and divisions. Successful sustainability managers are
skilled at navigating across these silos and engaging administration, faculty, staff, and students in a
creative and motivating way. They are often particularly good at mentoring and engaging students,
and our manager would certainly be expected to continue the momentum that has been created
through the Vista position. Although these benefits may not always be directly measurable, it is clear
on our own campus that many students have turned to Colleen Butterfield and now Meredith
Dickinson11 for inspiration and to obtain direct experience in environmental and social justice related
activity, with a special focus on the needs of the poor and the underprivileged.
With mission themes like the University of Portland’s, authentic sustainability efforts can multiply
well beyond the borders of campus, and a manager can help to strengthen this effect.
10
Shart, Leif (2005) Campus Sustainability Practitioners, available at aashe.org.
Meredith is currently an excellent example of what can be achieved in this role when a person is a bridge builder. She
has worked creatively with administration, faculty, Moreau Center staff, students, Physical Plant, Residence Life, private
sector organizations off campus (including Portland General Electric), and nonprofit and government organizations to
facilitate many important activities on and off campus during 2011-12. She is a people person but is also excellent at
digging into data and metrics to illustrate and motivate. Meredith has built up good ties with Physical Plant staff and
seems quite interested in finding ways to meaningfully connect students and staff; a good example of this was through her
work with Campus Conservation Nationals.
11
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2.4 – Ethics and the University Mission
Passing along the problem of global climate change to future generations as a result of our delay,
indecision, or self-interest would be easy. But we simply cannot leave this problem for the
children of tomorrow. As stewards of their heritage, we have an obligation to respect their dignity
and to pass on their natural inheritance, so that their lives are protected and, if possible, made
better than our own.
USCCB Global Climate Change - quoted in the University of Portland Climate Action Plan
Indeed, the primary rationale for deepening organizational support for sustainability at the University
lies in our mission. The University has committed itself to stewardship and care of creation because it
is the ethical thing to do, and accordingly has built stewardship into its Strategic Plan for 2011-2016.
A sustainability manager will certainly help the University fulfill its commitment to many of its
points of distinction, including Environmental Sustainability. The manager will most directly help to
realize two specific tasks within the plan.
Those tasks are:
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1.1. Assess the Core Curriculum, coursework at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and
programs and services throughout the University to determine content and rigor and evidence
of distinctive emphases: the insights of the Catholic and Holy Cross intellectual tradition,
ethical practice, interdisciplinary study, and sustainability.
o 1.1.4 Assess and improve the curricula and programs related to environmental
sustainability and implement recommendations that strengthen this point of
distinction.
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5.4. Generate new revenue through cost savings, fundraising, and sustainability.
o 5.4.4 Reduce the University’s use of energy (e.g. heat and electricity) and recycle
other resources (e.g. food and paper).
3. Conclusion
Over the past decade, the University has made major progress in encouraging and infusing
sustainability related education and action on our campus and in the community. The University is
now often externally recognized as a leader for its commitment to sustainability.
Creating this position will help us to maintain our edge and build capacity for the future. It makes
economic sense, it helps us to fulfill our mission, and it represents an exciting and important step for
our University.
The documents below include a job description for the position and a supporting appendix. Salary
and reporting duties are to be determined. The position would be entry level. 12
An important resource on sustainability positions, the 2010 Higher Education Sustainability Staffing Survey, is
available to UP members through our AASHE membership at
http://www.aashe.org/files/2010_staffing_survey_final.pdf
12
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University Of Portland Sustainability Manager: Job Description
Synopsis: The sustainability manager at the University of Portland is a full time position. The
manager will serve as an expert and resource for academics, administration, student life, facilities,
and dining services to support the University in fulfilling its mission. This position ties closely to
many of the seven points of distinction in its 2011-2016 Strategic Plan, including the seventh, A
Commitment to Environmental Sustainability.
Job duties are grouped under the University core mission themes.
Teaching & Learning
1. Consult with facilities and relevant campus units to regularly gather and report data, make
recommendations and mobilize teaching and action related to University sustainability goals
and activities. Ongoing goals and activities include the Climate Action Plan, the Catholic
Climate Covenant, and Campus Conservation Nationals. The manager would report data for
PR purposes and external and internal use to Princeton Review, Sierra Club, Climate Action
Plan, possibly STARS.
2. Significantly expand, leverage, and communicate available monetary resources for
sustainability, including business energy tax credits, transportation credits, grants, and savings
through conservation.
3. Expand, maintain, and promote sustainability related information resources, including
University websites and dashboards.
4. Consult with faculty and campus centers on sustainability connected course content,
community-based projects and partners, and opportunities for campus-based research and
projects.
5. Teach and speak in residence halls and classes as a guest or instructor as needed.
6. Lead campus sustainability tours for admissions and other units.
Faith & Formation
1. Support campus offices, centers and faculty with integrating sustainability and environmental
justice into programs and practices, including Catholic Climate Covenant principles.
2. Partner with sustainability theme houses and residence life on annual sustainability-related
action projects, including projects centered on environmental justice, care of creation, and the
poor.
3. Consult with career services and other units on relevant internship and job opportunities
available for students.
Service & Leadership
1. Develop and maintain partnerships with relevant national, state and local utilities,
organizations and professional networks.
2. Engage and mentor campus stakeholders in annual Campus Conservation Nationals and other
sustainability-related conferences and initiatives.
3. Research and disseminate available campus and Portland area service and leadership
opportunities for students, faculty and staff.
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Appendix
List of Sustainability Initiatives Over a Decade at the University of Portland
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Establishment of a BA in environmental ethics & policy and a BS in environmental science in 1997
Construction of Swindells Hall in 1999, pre-LEED building with a 51% energy savings that would
presently be LEED gold
Convening the first national conference on environmental studies at Catholic Colleges and Universities in
1999, entitled “Renewing the Face of the Earth”
Convening regional events to bring the University, other local Colleges and Universities, the Business
Community, NGOs, and local citizens together
o 2000 - Environmental Education in the Context of the Regional Environment, a Project
Kaleidoscope Workshop;
o 2004 - Education for Sustainability Western Network National Conference on Sustainability in
Higher Education, Co-hosted, at the University of Portland;
o 2008 - Focus the Nation regional event on climate change with live OPB radio, Governor
Kulongoski and Congressman Blumenauer (ca 3,200 attending);
o 2010 - Confluences: Water and Justice with keynote address by Maude Barlow (ca 1,000
attending);
o 2011 - Food for Thought with keynote address by Michael Pollan (ca 5,000 attending).
Student-led organic garden established on campus in 2006, expanded in 2010
Stream restoration partnership begun with Archdiocese and Oregon SOLV (NGO), 2006
Establishing a UP Presidential Advisory Committee on Sustainability, 2007
First US campus to have ZipCar (car sharing) on campus and available for students for 18 years of age up,
2007
Free shuttle bus to connect campus to local light rail, 2007
Biodiesel processor on campus for waste cafeteria oil, 2008
Sustainability theme house for students established 2009, second sustainability theme house added 2010
LEED Platinum engineering building, LEED certified cafeteria, and two LEED gold dormitories, 2009
Beginning a sustainability concentration on our MBA degree, 2009
Adopting a Climate Action Plan as part of the American College and University President’s Climate
Commitment, 2010, with carbon neutrality phased in via stages reaching complete University carbon
neutrality for Scope 1 emissions ("from Sources that are owned or controlled by the institution, including:
on‐campus stationary combustion of fossil fuels; mobile combustion of fossil fuels by institution
owned/controlled vehicles; and ‘fugitive’ emissions. Fugitive emissions result from intentional or
unintentional releases of GHGs, including the leakage of HFC’s from refrigeration and air conditioning”)
in 2020, Scope 2 emissions ("indirect emissions generated in the production of electricity consume by the
institution") in 2030, and Scope 3 emissions ("a consequence of the activities of the institution, but occur
from sources not owned or controlled by the institution" such as commuting, air travel for university
activities, waste disposal; embodied emissions from extraction, production, and transportation of
purchased goods; outsourced activities; contractor owned‐ vehicles; and line loss from electricity
transmission and distribution") in 2040
Becoming the first campus on the US West Coast to ban the sale of disposable plastic water bottles,
2010
Over the last five years campus food service has moved to local sources and partnerships with local
farms, hormone and antibiotic free meats, seafood selected to be compatible with Monterey Bay Aquarium
Seafood Watch program, biodegradable plastics.
Spring 2012 – University of Portland was a Campus Conservation Nationals participant – the students
reduced their electricity consumption by 24,000 kilowatt hours, translating to 1700 dollars saved and
equivalent to one years worth of CO2 emissions from an average car.
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Appendix
Media Hits in 2011 Associated with Sustainability at the University of Portland
January 2: The Oregonian – UP's green transportation successes featured
January 9: The New York Times – Student Shanay Healy and the UP Fair Trade Club is featured
January 19: The Oregonian – Michael Pollan to speak at UP in April
February 11: KOIN – College Ecology Club's "Trashin’ Fashion Show" previewed (TV)
February 12: KPTV – College Ecology Club's "Trashin' Fashion Show" featured (TV)
February 18: The Oregonian – "Focus the Nation" clean energy forum featured
February 22: 102 KINK Radio – "Focus the Nation" clean energy forum featured
March 1: Oregon Business – UP students host event to advocate for green energy
March 4: The Oregonian – UP student involved in project to restore white oak savanna
March 16: Catholic Sentinel – Water bottle ban that began at UP is spreading to other schools
April 1: San Francisco Chronicle – UP water bottle ban mentioned
April 6: NBC (Bay Area) – University of Portland water bottle ban mentioned
April 12: The Oregonian – Michael Pollan, keynote for "Food for Thought" conference, interviewed
April 18: The New York Times – Article about Michael Pollan lecture at UP mentioned
April 18: The Oregonian – Michael Pollan's lecture at UP covered
April 19: USA Today – UP on-campus organic garden SLUG mentioned
April 20: Princeton Review – UP ranked one of America’s 311 “Green Colleges”
April 20: Daily Journal of Commerce – UP named one of the greenest colleges in the USA
April 25: Portland Tribune – UP named one of America's "Greenest Colleges" by Princeton Review
July 24: Oregon Daily Emerald – UP noted for banning sale of bottled water on campus
September 5: Care2.com – UP's Student Led Unity Garden noted in story about campus gardens
October 13: Catholic Sentinel – UP hosts organic farmer tour
November 23: The Daily Texan – UP’s water bottle ban mentioned
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Appendix
Figure 1: Kiron et al (2012) MIT Sloan Review survey results – “harvesters” are organizations
that increase profit and performance measures through sustainability
Source: Kiron et al (2012), available at http://sloanreview.mit.edu/feature/sustainability-strategy/
Figure 2: Eccles et al (2011) Harvard Business School Paper – “High Sustainability”
Organizations vs. “Low Sustainability” – Return-on-Assets
Source: Source: Eccles et al (2011), page 53, available at http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/12-035.pdf
10
Figure 3: Eccles et al (2011) Harvard Business School Paper – “High Sustainability”
Organizations vs. “Low Sustainability” – Stock Market Returns
Source: Eccles et al (2011), page 54, available at available at http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/12-035.pdf
Figure 4 – Energy Savings Associated with the Three-Week Campus Conservation Nationals
Competition at University of Portland
Source: Lucid Design Group and PGE estimates, using data collected by UP sustainability coordinator
Residence Hall Dorm Energy Use Competition: Conclusion: substantial reductions, with evidence
that it is ongoing (see post CCN1 and post CCN2 – week 5 and 6. Week 4 was Spring Break and no
data was collected). Using this table derived from the competition, which compared to baseline use,
very rough estimate of annual savings might be $10,0000 - $20,000.00 per year, ongoing (based on
$1673 saved in 3 weeks, only counting electricity and not counting water savings and any heat related
savings).
*Increase in use is the anomaly, perhaps explained by reduced temperatures and electric heating