Ithaca College

April 23rd, 2011 (the day after Earth Day) marked the 10-year anniversary of the College's approved Comprehensive Environmental Policy. Then-President Williams announced the signing of this new environmental policy on April 23, 2001 during a campus Earth Day celebration.

This Comprehensive Environmental Policy was most recently amended in 2008 by Presidents' Council to include two additional provisions related to environmentally preferred procurement, and to add the provision that "all new facilities and major renovations shall incorporate sustainable practices to the degree feasible and shall strive, at a minimum, to meet the equivalent of a LEED Silver rating in their design. Project management teams are encouraged to meet higher LEED rating levels whenever possible."  (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system, developed by the US Green Building Council, did not exist in 2001 when our Comprehensive Environmental Policy was approved.

This broad-based policy guides environmental goals and strategies in various academic and operational areas, including environmental education, environmentally-preferred procurement, responsible use of natural resources, solid waste minimization, hazardous and toxic waste management, and environmentally sensitive campus design and planning.

To date, Ithaca College has three LEED-certified projects: the LEED Platinum-certified Park Center for Business and Sustainable Enterprise and LEED Platinum-certified Peggy R. Williams Center; the LINK connector between Job Hall and Dillingham Center is certified LEED Gold. The Athletics and Events Center is registered with the US Green Building Council as a LEED Silver aspirant project). 

Another interesting fact about the Ithaca College Comprehensive Environmental Policy is that it was the result of applied research work by an environmental studies student, Sean Vormwald '01, MS '07. Sean's draft environmental policy document was first approved by the Resource and Environmental Management Program (REMP) steering committee, and then submitted to the President's Council for review. Sean has used his extensive environmental internship experience and education in environmental studies and communication to advance his sustainability career. He is currently working as the Sustainability Coordinator for Onondaga Community College. 

View the complete Comprehensive Environmental Policy, included in the Ithaca College Policy Manual: https://www.ithaca.edu/attorney/policies/vol2/Volume_2-237.htm