For some colleges, the idea of “sustainability” might mean installing a solar array or purchasing some recycling bins. Yet, at community colleges nationwide, environmental stewardship is not just an add-on, but a fundamental thread woven into the fabric of the institution.
A sustainability master plan serves as the blueprint for this work, shaping a college’s daily functions and educational offerings. From geothermal systems heating classrooms to hands-on training for green jobs, these academic eco-advocates are dedicated to softening their environmental impact and operating costs.
This article comes from the current issue of the Community College Journal, published by the American Association of Community Colleges.
With a clear sustainability plan in place, it’s easier to track results and maintain momentum, regardless of staff turnover or competing priorities, says Michael Boyd, president of Kankakee Community College (KCC) in Illinois.
“Sustainability and renewable energy are integrated into curriculum development, budgeting and evaluation of faculty and staff,” says Boyd. “It’s been a focus throughout the history of KCC, and part of our culture.”
In its DNA
KCC is a founding member of the Illinois Green Economy Network, formed in 2008 to drive sustainable workforce growth and a clean energy economy in state. Financed by a $2.5 million grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the network allocates funds for curriculum development along with a handful of renewable energy projects and initiatives.
A partnership with the Illinois Community College Board, for example, supports the state’s growing electric vehicle industry through job training and technology development programs, Boyd says.
Sustainability is a core facet of life at KCC, a vision that began in the 2000s under the leadership of late president, Jerry Weber. Successor John Avendano continued this work, strengthening an eco-forward mindset further cultivated by retired electrical engineering professor Tim Wilhelm.
KCC’s environmental work is structured around three pillars: building features, on-campus sustainability and certificate completion. The college’s North Extension Center, the county’s first LEED Gold-certified building, boasts energy-efficient lighting and a white synthetic rubber roof that significantly reduces heat absorption.
KCC also offers renewable energy certificates in solar-photovoltaic, solar-thermal and wind technologies, while an associate degree in electrical engineering is designed with a career-minded sustainability focus.
Boyd embraces this mission, believing that responsibility for the planet transcends any single department at KCC. A whole-college commitment is needed to push the work ahead even beyond his tenure, he says.
“We see renewable energy and sustainability as something that’s bigger than ourselves,” Boyd says. “At other colleges, you may have a divide between operations and academic affairs. But at KCC, we have an alliance that inspires our business processes. Even little things, like everyone shutting off their lights for a couple hours, or shutting off their computers, can make a difference. It’s a great value for us, because part of our mission is to be good with our fiscal resources. We have to live that vision for ourselves.”
‘A moral imperative’
In California, Chaffey College’s 35-page sustainability master plan outlines a “triple bottom line” of social, economic and environmental responsibility led by the Green Earth Movement (GEM) committee. Comprised of staff and faculty, this environmental think tank provides campus-wide education while encouraging green practices among students and stakeholders.
“In the broadest sense, we adopted a policy of stewardship, in terms of being efficient with our resources,” says Sam Gaddie, sustainability and environmental safety officer at Chaffey. “GEM is a way to bring this information forward to administrators and communicate this work with students and the community.”
Such transparency is vital, as limited budgets sometimes push green projects aside for larger initiatives. A central aim of the GEM taskforce is to maintain the visibility of all its sustainable initiatives, Gaddie says.
“We’ve got a million competing interests (at Chaffey), and know that certain decisions have to be made,” he says. “We try and make our case that these sustainable options will save money in the long run.”
Successful projects
Despite some frustrations around resource allocation, Chaffey has much to celebrate regarding its environmental practices, Gaddie says. Per terms established by the master plan, any new construction at the college is built to state-mandated green building standards. In addition, Chaffey utilizes native plants and drought-tolerant landscaping on all three campuses.
A large-scale solar carport project spanning Chaffey’s campuses has offset over half the college’s electricity consumption. In recognition of this achievement, the college was one of a dozen two-year colleges to receive a California Community Colleges Board of Governors Energy and Sustainability Award in 2020.
Far from working in silos, the GEM committee collaborates with regional utilities and companies for Earth Day celebrations, with aims of raising awareness on critical issues. Chaffey even partners with a local shepherd on weed management, using goats to graze instead of relying on chemicals or gas-guzzling machinery.
Such partnerships are standard for a college dedicated to environmental literacy, Gaddie says.
“As an institution of higher learning, we took this on as a moral imperative,” he says. “It helps us think about the decisions we’re making, and to set the tone with the community.”
Developing an eco-mindset
Community colleges are incorporating sustainability into curriculum, extending beyond simple environmental courses to include adjacent fields. At Chaffey, statistics students analyze bell curves using an online dashboard that displays the school’s solar energy output. Enrollees in the college’s STEM pathway study heat exchangers that power an on-campus thermal energy storage tank.
“Students are analyzing data to use it for in-class projects,” says Gaddie. “They’re learning a topic and getting to see its real-world applications.”
Bronx Community College’s (BCC) eco-conscious approach stretches back 20 years, when an automotive program began incorporating electric vehicles and alternative fuels into classroom training. In 2023, BCC received a $1 million grant, funded by the New York Power Authority, to improve campus sustainability and reduce the college’s environmental impact. The award also funded a green workforce training program, providing solar and wind turbine instruction to residents and students from across the City University of New York system.
In addition, learners designed logos for campus recycling bins, an exciting opportunity to apply chosen career skills to real-world challenges, notes Elena Perez, project director of BCC’s Green Action Challenge team, which oversees the college’s sustainability efforts.
“The public can see the designs created by students,” says Perez. “It’s wonderful way to convey our message effectively.”
In May, BCC selected three students to promote campus environmental initiatives. These “green ambassadors” will partner with college groups to raise awareness on climate resilience efforts, ranging from composting bins to a joint rain garden project.
Nor is BCC’s student-centric environmental stance limited to campus, or even the borders of the United States. Last year, the college sent students to India as part of the CUNY-India Pollution Study — a three-year research program funded by the National Science Foundation focused on mapping air pollution in underserved communities.
Every aspect of this work is purposeful and seamlessly linked with the school’s broader environmental goals, says Richard Ginsberg, assistant vice president of communications and marketing. Rallying behind sustainability means living it daily. Ginsberg was pleased to find composting bins at the college’s Run the Bronx footrace, allowing participants to dispose of fruit peels after orange and banana giveaways.
“We also switched from plastic water bottles to boxed (for the race),” says Ginsberg. “It’s just a mindset on the way we do things on campus every day. The little things add up, and that mindset stays in place despite staff turnover and changing priorities.”
