Center for a Sustainable Future
2016-2019 Strategic Plan
MISSION: The Center for a Sustainable Future works with the campus and community to find innovative and engaging ways to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We focus on the discovery and dissemination of practices and strategies that are ecologically friendly, economically sound, and socially responsible.
VISION: The Center for a Sustainable Future provides resources and support systems and is self-sustainable through a network of relationships and opportunities that connect the academic, economic, social, and cultural communities of Michiana.
Through effective and innovative teaching, research, and service, the Center for a Sustainable Future works to create a more resilient population and infrastructure by educating about and promoting triple bottom line accountability in our lives, workplaces, and communities. The Center promotes change through action by serving as the primary resource for campus and community members interested in growing a more sustainable future. This is accomplished by providing coursework and curriculum development, service-learning opportunities and civic engagement, research, community impact projects, and by facilitating job creation, healthy communities, and environmental stewardship. The Center serves to provide resources and support systems that enable individuals and organizations to live, work, and play in Michiana as active participants in its sustainable future.
The Center for a Sustainable Future’s Plan aligns with the following goals of the IU South Bend Strategic Plan 2014-2020:
- Improve student success via increased recruitment, retention, and graduation rates for all populations, increased merit- and need-based financial aid, and strengthened and more proactive advising
- Become truly student-centered by enhancing and expanding student support and career services, particularly among underrepresented populations, increasing the flexibility of curricula and transferability, and expanding campus activities like athletics and clubs
- Encourage vision, effectiveness, and innovation in programs and curricula
- Increase high-impact educational practices including student research, learning communities, internships, service learning, international experiences, and other experiential learning opportunities
- Build a culture of assessment, transparency, and continuous improvement across campus
- Advance diversity and open mindedness and create a civil, welcoming and caring culture for all
- Foster engagement of all campus constituents with our community, increase the use and visibility of resources we provide, and strengthen our reputation by improving our advancement efforts and through superior strategic marketing
WHERE WE ARE
Academic Program
31 minors 26 majors 16 Graduate students (8 completed SP16)
Center for a Sustainable Future
7 Student staff (work study) 21 Affiliated Faculty
Center Budget
$16,000.00 – IU South Bend $8,815.00 – Fund Donations
$43,439.00 IU Foundation
2017-18 Scholarships: 3 scholarships ranging from $10,000-25,000
WHERE WE WANT TO BE
In order to have a transformational impact on the region, the city of South Bend, and the campus, we must continue to educate about and promote triple bottom line accountability in our lives, workplaces, and communities. By providing students, faculty, staff, and community members with a sense of understanding and fulfillment, as well as employment opportunities, the Center will be considered the priority resource in the region for innovative and sustainable partnerships and solutions. By 2019:
Academic Program
50 minors 50 majors 30 Graduate students
Center for a Sustainable Future
12 Student staff (work study) 30 Affiliated Faculty
Center Budget
$16,000.00 – IU South Bend $15,000.00 – Fund Donations
$40,000.00 IU Foundation
5 Annual Scholarships: ranging from $10,000-25,000
The Challenges
Despite a limited university budget and contributions from the community, the Center has been able to exist and develop a foundation from which to grow. Interest is strong in the academic programs, and the field of sustainability has a good reputation in the region and throughout the IU system.
To support more sustainable development:
- More education is needed across the K-12 and higher education curriculums.
- Financial support is needed to ensure that students with the interest and desire are able to study sustainability. Internship opportunities are on the rise, but more prepared students are needed to fill these positions as well as the following professional positions which will grow from them.
- A limited staff results in a small group of projects receiving significant attention to move forward, even as opportunities to grow continue to present themselves. Where there were once ongoing sustainability workshops in years past, they have not taken place in the last two years. Whether or not there is a need for them or a need for a new format must be considered.
- Research in sustainability among the faculty and affiliated faculty is on the rise, yet there remains a need to showcase this work in public and peer-reviewed formats.
- Service to the community is strong, although it has been primarily centered on serving on boards and alliances addressing sustainability, transportation, and community health.
- While these have created and strengthened networks, opportunities for direct outreach and impact have been undermined by economic and social factors.
The Opportunities & Goals Ahead
After reviewing feedback from the Center’s Advisory Board and conducting an assessment of ongoing impactful projects, six areas of focus were identified as opportunities to pursue. The topic areas include teaching, research, and service, which address IU South Bend goals as a campus.
Specific to the Center, the other three areas are Job Creation, Healthy Communities, and Environmental Stewardship. Each area contains specific goals, objectives, tasks, timelines, and metrics to evaluate accomplishments.
Teaching
Goal: Expand on-line education
Objective: Work with IU-wide Bachelor of Arts in Sciences program to expand offerings of sustainability courses to more campuses
Timeline: Monthly coordinating meetings
Objective: Apply for funds to support the development of more online courses at graduate and undergraduate level
Timeline: one application per year (March)
Objective: Promote availability of online degrees through IUOCC system
Timeline: Fall, 2019
Goal: Promote change through action
Objective: Host annual Sustainability and Innovation Lecture series
Timeline: 12 talks/year
Objective: Promote and support on and off campus internships
Ongoing
Objective: Incorporate real world outreach, education, and service in curriculum
Timeline: Offer at least one SUST course per semester with service component
Objective: Utilize services and support from Indiana Campus Compact (ICC)
Timeline: Apply annually for grant money to support student engagement projects
Objective: Support and align efforts with Carnegie Engaged Campus program
Timeline: Monthly meetings. Application due late 2018.
Objective: Highlight accomplishments of changes made through individual and collective actions
Goal: Bring programs to minorities
Objective: Partner with other IUSB Centers (Civil Rights Heritage Center, American Democracy Project) to reach and engage diverse audiences
Ongoing
Objective: Recruit and retain diverse student body to program
Timeline: Scholarships first become available in 2017-18 academic year
Tasks:
- Develop scholarship recruitment materials
- Distribute materials to financial aid office, area high schools, affiliated faculty, advisory board, and career centers
- Promote scholarships through electronic platforms (newsletter, social media, website, Daily Titan, IUSB newspaper, South Bend Tribune, radio spots)
- Develop scholarship review panel from Advisory Board, Faculty, and Alumni
Goal: Strengthen Campus and Community Connectivity through Sustainability Showcase
Objective: Hold planning charrettes with campus and community
Timeline: Dates for Charrettes: November 9, 18.
Ongoing thru 12/31/06: Online survey, website, newsletter, and social media promotion
Objective: Work with Chancellor, Dean, Development Office, Advisory Board, Purdue faculty, Community Partners to raise funds
Timeline: January, 2017 – ?
Objective: Host four Community Events per year (talks, films, presentations, collaborative creative design, etc.) as each step of plan progresses
Timeline: Monthly to Quarterly (at minimum)
Goal: Develop Strong Alumni Cohort
Objective: Provide connectivity opportunities for students to foster lifelong meaning to the sustainability program and IUSB
Objective: Feature and/or host Alumni in classes
Timeline: Once per semester, per SUST class
Research
Goal: Support and promote faculty sustainability research
Objective: Feature published work by faculty
Timeline: Quarterly
Objective: Communicate resources that support research funding and publication to affiliated faculty
Timeline: Quarterly
Goal: Research on implications of changing behaviors
Objective: Collect and compile data from affiliated faculty (Zach Schrank, Sociology; Terri Hebert, Education; P.N. Saksena, Business; Josh Wells, Social Informatics; Krista Bailey, Sustainability)
Timeline: Annually (1st Q of calendar year)
Objective: Sustainability Showcase research and lab space
Timeline: By 2019-2020 academic year, have research and/or lab space utilized at Showcase with two or more projects designed for each semester.
Service
Goal: Provide public tours of Showcase to increase awareness and value of sustainability innovations
Objective: Provide virtual tour of structures before, during, and after construction
Objective: Report on ROI/economics of all installations before and after installation
Objective: Create interactive informational displays for natural features to highlight performance features
Goal: Transportation infrastructure advocacy
Objective: Coordinate re-submission of Bicycle Friendly Campus application
Timeline: Turn in application August, 2017
Objective: Participate on South Bend Bike Committee
Timeline: Quarterly meetings
Objective: Network and collaborate with local and regional transportation initiatives
Ongoing
Goal: Promote change through action
Objective: Take active role in at least three local commissions and boards that offer opportunities to educate and engage on range of sustainability issues (i.e. – Green Ribbon Commission, Health Alliance, Let’s Move City, Bicycle Committee)
Timeline: Monthly/Quarterly meetings
Goal: Incubate sustainability programs in the community
Objective: Recruit and support 3-5 Fellows projects per year
Objective: Work with ADP & CRHC partners to develop at least one collaborative event per academic year that includes a sustainability perspective or component
Job Creation
Goal: Foster job creation through sustainability initiatives
Objective: Prepare business workshops to deliver with/for North Central Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC).
Timeline: Launch workshop Fall, 2017
Tasks:
- Finalize workshop outline; May, 2017
- Review workshop with Alan Steele at ISBDC; June, 2017
Objective: Present Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development to eight organizations/150 people per year.
Timeline: Promote quarterly and deliver upon request.
Tasks:
- Promote workshop availability through networks (quarterly)
- Train students in materials and to recruit audiences (Fall)
- Deliver and assess workshops (December)
Healthy Communities
Goal: Foster Health improvements in the IUSB Campus and South Bend Community
Objective: Conduct and support educational programs and initiatives on campus and through curriculum
Timeline: One event/initiative per academic year
Objective: Collaborate to develop and promote health programs
Timeline: Collaborate annually with St. Joseph County Health Improvement Alliance, IU South Bend Health Sciences, and others
Environmental Stewardship
Goal: Foster stewardship efforts on and off campus
Objective: Receive designation as Bee Friendly campus
Timeline: 2020
Objective: Receive recognition as a Tree Campus
Timeline: 2019
Objective: Partner with Parks Department to identify opportunities
Timeline: one event per semester
Objective: Recruit students, faculty, and staff to seek and participate in stewardship events
Timeline: one event per semester
Objective: Coordinate development of Showcase gardens with area Parks staff, landscape architects, and landscape companies to ensure installations are designed with a triple bottom line approach
Timeline: Have garden designs complete by end of 2017. (installation funding dependent)
Objective: Support and expand gardens on campus
Timeline: annually
Tasks:
- Record amount of space gardened each season
- Record what is grown and how much
- Record amount of food donated
Objective: Partner to reduce food waste on campus
Timeline: at least 10 weeks/semester
Tasks:
- Communicate with Dining Services to coordinate collection
- Communicate with Facilities about compost bins and their care and maintenance
- Collect, weigh, and compost food scraps four days a week
- Report Results annually