Aligning our plan with Howard Forward

The Office of Sustainability remains committed to improving the outcomes, attitudes, and behaviors that impact Howard’s strategic planning for environmental responsibility under the guidance of the Howard Forward strategic plan.  We are confident that our ongoing work towards an aligned strategic plan for sustainability reflects the multi-disciplinary effort to meet this goal.   

Stakeholders representing employees and the student body comprise a working group that has provided extensive insight into how academic courses, programs, policies, and infrastructure inform benchmarks for stable operations and culture here at Howard. By reducing our waste and energy usage, increasing our teaching, learning and research on sustainability, and growing our environment-friendly capital outlay, we will see positive outcomes in our socioeconomic profile university-wide.  

The workgroup's efforts are guided by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). STARS is a framework developed specifically for assessing sustainability within higher education institutions by the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).  

Designed to align with the Howard Forward Strategic plan, the sustainability plan will seek to tie our mandated institutional mission with our aspirations for a more sustainable environment. Some of the elements and questions informing this work include:  

·       How can the university incorporate aspects of sustainability in its global work of service to communities?  

·       How do we leverage current and future partnerships to reflect awareness and action around sustainability?  

·       How does the University use the pillars of the Howard Forward strategic plan to guide its sustainability work?  

·       Innovative research (climate resilience, green building systems, energy conservation, water access)  

·       Developing curriculum for green careers  

·       Reducing our carbon footprint  

·       Increasing our overall sustainability  

We encourage all members of the Howard community to participate in sustainability forums and programs to share your thoughts on the future viability of Howard University.