Campus Engagement
Specific short-term goals identified in MxCC’s Climate Action Plan, 2015-2016:
Action | Measurement | Achievability | Status |
Increase student engagement in climate and sustainability activities through student clubs | # of students members of clubs and # participating in club activities | AN | Student Environmental Association for Sustainability (SEAS) established in Fall 2013 engages students in various climate and sustainability-related activities. |
Increase involvement of Meriden campus in sustainability-related clubs and activities | # of activities offered at the Meriden campus, # of Meriden students involved | AN, AAR | |
Continue annual Earth Week and other related activities year round, and increase participation by students, faculty, and staff | # of Earth Week activities offered, # of students participating in activities | AN, AAR | Earth Week is held every year in April and includes a variety of events open to all students faculty and staff. |
Develop a campus map highlighting sustainable features on campus and offer regular guided walks/tours | Campus map created and made available online | AN | |
Increase signage around campus highlighting sustainability features | # of sustainability signs on campus | AAR | |
Make the Climate Action Plan, updates, progress, and related information publicly and easily accessible on the college website | Webpage created and regularly updated with current information | AN | Climate Action Plan status updates made available on MxCC website in January 2016 |
Enhance webpage(s) on the MxCC website relating to sustainability initiatives | Number of webpages available on the MxCC website, and accessibility of those webpages | AN | Sustainability webpages enhanced and linked to Climate Action Plan on MxCC website in January 2016 |
Regularly market activities and initiatives related to the Climate Action Plan (and reiterate the connection to the Plan). | # of articles, blogs, Facebook posts, Tweets relating to campus sustainability efforts | AN | Marketing of PCART meeting and Climate Action Plan progress via regular emails to MxCC employees |
Utilize Blackboard and social media outlets to offer ideas for individual actions and increase campus engagement in sustainability-related activities | # of tips and ideas shared with campus community | AN | |
Include introduction to Climate Action Plan in New Student Orientation and New Faculty Orientation. | Inclusion in New Student and New Faculty Orientation program and/or materials | AN | |
Regular attendance by students, faculty and staff at Campus Sustainability conferences and workshops to network and share ideas regarding sustainability initiatives | # of conferences and workshops attended by students, faculty and staff | AN, AAR | |
Better data tracking of progress towards goals | Amount of data on specific measures identified in the Climate Action Plan | AN, AAR |
* Achievable now (AN), achievable with additional resources (AAR), achievable through policy changes (APC), achievable through institutional investment (AII)
Community Engagement
Specific short-term goals identified in MxCC’s Climate Action Plan, 2015-2016:
Action | Measurement | Achievability | Status |
Continue active involvement with environmental community organizations through board membership by faculty and staff | # of board memberships among faculty and staff | AN | Staff and faculty serve on a number of community boards including Meet your Greens, Middletown’s Complete Streets and Bikeway Committee and 21st Century Parks Committee, the Environmental Collection Impact Network (Ecoin), the Jonah Center, the Rockfall Foundation, and the Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District. |
Increase active involvement in sustainability-related community projects, events and initiatives by students, faculty and staff | # of community projects, events, and initiatives supported by MxCC, # of students/faculty/staff involved in community activities; total # of hours volunteered | AN | Actively involved in community activities including annual environmental film series, annual Feet to the Fire festival, Source to Sea cleanups and Rockfall Foundation events. Each year, MxCC holds the Red Moon Fest, sponsored and attended by many local community groups, celebrating “all things grown, made, and created in Connecticut”. The intent of this festival is to draw attention to the college’s programs – including those related to sustainability – and raise funds for the MxCC Foundation, which provides scholarship and programmatic support to our students. |
Continue to aggressively market events and activities to the community through all available outlets, including social media, the press, and e-mail lists. | #of articles, blogs, Facebook posts, and Tweets about sustainability-related events | AN | Earth Week and other events and activities are regularly marketed on campus and in the community |
Enhance webpage(s) on the MxCC website relating to sustainability initiatives | Number of webpages available on the MxCC website, and accessibility of those webpages | AN | Sustainability webpages enhanced and linked to Climate Action Plan on MxCC website in January 2016 |
Incorporate environmental service learning opportunities in the community for students in environmental and other courses | # of service learning opportunities in the community, # of students completing service learning activities, # of courses requiring service learning activities | AN, AAR | Students in courses related to the environment are regularly offered opportunities to participate in environmental activities for credit. |
Develop partnerships with schools and youth groups in the community to work on climate and sustainability initiatives | # of partnerships developed with schools and youth groups | AN | |
Ensure that MxCC@Platt has adequate support and resources for its sustainability initiatives in the community | # of Meriden-based community activities | AN, AAR | |
Better data tracking of progress towards goals | Amount of data on specific measures identified in the Climate Action Plan | AN, AAR |
* Achievable now (AN), achievable with additional resources (AAR), achievable through policy changes (APC), achievable through institutional investment (AII)