The Boldly Elon strategic plan calls on Elon University to “Engage the campus in sustainable practices to become carbon neutral by 2037, [by] investing in renewable energy, reducing energy consumption and preparing students to lead lives that build a sustainable future.” The 10-year 2025 Sustainability Master Plan 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 2025 Sustainability Master Plan will recommend goals and strategies in the areas of academics, administrative services, engagement, facilities, 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.

Listening Sessions

During the month of September 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 have been formed to develop the goals and strategies of 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 will meet a total of six times, starting in late October 2023 through early May 2024. They had their combined kick off meeting on October 24, and each working group will start their individual working group meetings in November. The members of each working group our identified below. If you have comments or questions for a specific working group, feel free to contact the facilitator or chair of that working group.

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, Assistant 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
  • Ella Davis, 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
  • Shannon Moylan, Director of Environmental Services
  • 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