The Boldly Elon strategic plan calls on Elon University to “Engage the campus in sustainable practices to become carbon neutral by 2037 – invest in renewable energy, reduce campus energy consumption 20 percent, purchase offsets to make the global study program carbon neutral and continue to build LEED certified buildings – and prepare students to lead lives that build a sustainable future.” The 10-year Sustainability Master Plan 2025 offers the opportunity to imagine and conceive Elon’s sustainability efforts in 2035, just two years before Elon’s carbon neutrality date.

The insights of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) underscore the need for urgent, system wide transformations to secure a climate resilient future. Power generation, buildings, industry and transport are responsible for close to 80% of global emissions. In Elon University’s FY 2022 emissions inventory, energy consumption and transportation accounted for over 95% of emissions. The Sustainability Master Plan 2025 will recommend goals and strategies in the areas of academics, engagement, dining, facilities, purchasing, technology, transportation and waste reduction.

Process

In September 2023, the university started the plan development process that will result in celebrating the next campus wide Sustainability Master Plan in spring 2025. The process brings stakeholders from across campus together to define shared goals, draft a strategy for meeting them and implement them over time.

 

Learn more about the listening sessions held in fall of 2023.

Learn more about the working groups.

Learn more about providing feedback on the draft plan in fall of 2024.

Listening Sessions

In September 2023, three listening sessions were held to provide campus community members with an opportunity to contribute ideas toward a more sustainable Elon.

In total, 93 campus community members attended a listening session or completed an online input form. The below graphs represent about 80 of those who answered the questions posed.

Participant Responses

 

Working Groups

Working groups of staff, faculty and students were formed in fall of 2023 to develop draft goals and strategies for the plan on the following topics:

  • Academics: curriculum, research
  • Administrative Services: e.g., purchasing, technology, dining services, print services, mail services
  • Engagement: co-curricular activities (e.g., student organizations, on-campus employment, service learning, cultural events, intramurals), employee engagement
  • Facilities: energy management, operations + maintenance (including water use and custodial services), construction, landscaping + grounds
  • Transportation: campus fleet, commuting, business travel, global engagement travel
  • Waste Reduction: reducing + reusing waste, recycling, composting

The working groups met a total of six times, starting in late October 2023 through early May 2024.

Working Group Members

Academics

  • Chair: Scott Morrison, Faculty Fellow for Sustainability, Associate Professor of Education  
  • Katy Bales, Physical Therapy Clinical Education Specialist
  • Caroleen Dineen, Assistant Professor of Law, Interim Director of Legal Method and Communication Program
  • Raj Gupta, Professor of Finance
  • Young Do Kim, Associate Professor of Sport Management
  • Becky Kloepfer, Instructional Technologist
  • Marena Long, law student
  • Jessica Merricks, Assistant Professor of Biology
  • Hannah Miller, student
  • Jessie Moore, Director of the Center for Engaged Learning + Professor of English
  • Ellie Olivier, student
  • Peyton Shetler, student
  • Michael Strickland, Lecturer in Environmental Studies and English
  • Ifeoma Udeh, Associate Professor of Accounting
  • Facilitator: Elaine Durr, Senior Director of Sustainability 

Administrative Services

  • Chair: Robin Straka, Senior Associate Registrar 
  • Pat Donohue, Assistant CIO, Director of Campus Technology Support
  • Elaine Durr, Senior Director of Sustainability
  • Jae Evans, Director of Operations, EU Dining
  • Missy Mellinger, Associate Director of Auxiliary Services
  • Ryan Moore, Regional District Manager, EU Dining
  • Carrie Ryan, AVP for Auxiliary Services
  • Patrick Schwartz, Senior Buyer Purchasing
  • Facilitator: Kelly Harer, Associate Director of Sustainability 

Engagement

  • Chair: Nicholas Bussberg, Assistant Professor of Statistics
  • Akani Bey, student
  • Sarah Beth Hardy, Assistant Director for Community Partnerships
  • Kelly Harer, Associate Director of Sustainability
  • Caroline Ketcham, Professor of Exercise Science
  • Merissa Lawson, Senior Director of Development Research
  • Jonathan McElderry, Dean of Student Inclusive Excellence
  • Lauryn Polo, Social Media Manager
  • Molly Ruiz, student
  • Tumi Shadreck, Counselor
  • Quintin Tucker, Associate Director of Student Involvement
  • Facilitator: Elaine Durr, Senior Director of Sustainability  

Facilities

  • Chair: Brad Moore, AVP of Facilities
  • Matt Banks, Engineering Lab Manager
  • Bethany Brinkman, Associate Professor of Engineering
  • Brian Chandler, HVACR Supervisor
  • Elaine Durr, Senior Director of Sustainability
  • Matthew Flacksenburg, student
  • Raymond Fletcher, Senior Director of Facilities Management
  • Jenny Gonzalez, Interior Designer, Planning, Design, & Construction Management
  • Jacob Rutz, Lecturer in Environmental Studies
  • Deb Shaw, Facility Engineer
  • Scott Stevens, Director of Landscaping and Transportation Services
  • Robert Stewart, Assistant Athletics Director for Events, Facilities, and Capital Projects
  • Todd Stucker, Director of Utilities
  • Jason Tripp, Project Manager, Planning, Design, & Construction Management
  • Facilitator: Kelly Harer, Associate Director of Sustainability

Transportation

  • Chair: Brad Moore, AVP of Facilities 
  • Elaine Durr, Senior Director of Sustainability
  • Dave Gammon, Professor of Biology
  • Nick Gozik, Dean of Global Education
  • Mandi Jaffe, student
  • Ryan Johnson, Associate Professor of Philosophy
  • Ryan Kirk, Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies
  • Jodean Schmiederer, Dean of Student Development, Assistant Professor
  • Scott Stevens, Director of Landscaping and Transportation Services
  • Blake Tillotson, Captain, Campus Safety & Police
  • Facilitator: Kelly Harer, Associate Director of Sustainability 

Waste Reduction

  • Chair: Kendra Harrison, Waste Reduction and Recycling Manager  
  • Leslie Bosse, EU Dining Sustainability Coordinator
  • Amanda Chunco, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies
  • Kelly Harer, Associate Director of Sustainability
  • Lauren Hill, student
  • Jeff Marvin, Assistant Director of Environmental Services
  • Facilitator: Elaine Durr, Senior Director of Sustainability 

Draft Plan Feedback

Please join us at the following sessions in fall of 2024 to provide feedback on a draft of Elon University’s next campus wide Sustainability Master Plan.

  • Student Session: Thursday, October 17 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in McKinnon Hall (Moseley Center). Snacks will be provided.
  • Campus Conversation: Friday, November 1 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm in Belk Pavilion 208. Free lunch is available beforehand in Clohan Hall, Lakeside Dining Hall and McEwen Dining Hall to those who plan to attend the Campus Conversation.

Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to review the Draft Sustainability Master Plan 2025 prior to attending a session.

Several small groups consisting of working group chairs, campus subject matter experts and implementers met during the summer of 2024 to refine and prioritize the draft goals and strategies to develop the draft plan. They also discussed budget needs, phasing and implementation structures.

Implementation Teams

Implementation of the Sustainability Master Plan (SMP) 2025 will begin in spring/summer 2025. Implementation teams of faculty and staff are being formed to successfully implement the plan. Each team will have an Executive Sponsor, Team Lead, Facilitator and Members. The six teams are as follows:

  • Academics
  • Dining
  • Engagement
  • Facilities (energy, water, construction, landscape, waste)
  • Purchasing + Technology
  • Transportation (fleet, commuting, business + global travel)

Member responsibilities are:

  • attend meetings (each 60 to 90 minutes) held at least three times a year
  • contribute to implementation efforts and progress reporting
  • commitment to at least a three-year term

While we are reaching out to specific individuals whose work closely aligns with these implementation teams, we also value input from others in the campus community and want to make this opportunity available to additional faculty and staff committed to implementation of the SMP.

To apply to be a member of an implementation team, please complete the application by 11:59 pm on November 22.