The Implementation Framework
The United States has approximately 4,000 universities and colleges, often resembling small cities. Recognizing the lack of a central authority to coordinate policies, practices, and procedures, many institutions are rapidly moving toward developing a comprehensive institutional framework to address sustainability issues campus-wide.
Specific policies, protocols, and procedures can be developed for each functional area using the quality management approach that leads to a cyclical business improvement process. In order to determine the extent and focus of a comprehensive sustainability program, it is best to determine the scope or the fence line of all initiatives; continue with efforts initiated formally; assess current informal practices that can evolve into formal activities; identify any missing elements or gaps; and develop specific goals and objectives for implementation.
Presented below is a four-pronged strategy to assess, define, and design a successful campus-wide sustainability program.
1. Develop a comprehensive blueprint or an institutional
framework for action.
2. Conduct an assessment (environmental scan and reality
check), and identify and align main drivers with an overall
institutional strategy.
3. Evaluate and prioritize key strategic options and
implementation areas guided by an integrated
environmental stewardship and fiscal management
framework.
4. Apply the systems paradigm to continually review, revise,
and refine existing initiatives, and pursue new ones in
other priority areas.
Currently, some of the previously mentioned focus areas are in various phases of implementation, while others are with no or minimal activity. Each initiative will be further developed and refined. It may be easier to initiate and implement smaller projects in selected operations or departments, eventually expanding them through a phased approach to other campus operations.
