SUNY Empire State College is committed to -teaching sustainable development concepts-encouraging research on sustainable development issues to including new and innovative technologies-greening the campus-supporting sustainability efforts in the communities in which we reside

The college is moving forward in many ways to incorporate sustainability into academics. A group of faculty and professionals were awarded a USDA Higher Education Grant to develop this learning module which will allow students to take data in their own backyard and explore the impacts of climate change on non-native beetle species.This learning module can be used across curriculums and will stretch into the community to as a citizen science project in the near future. The project team has a goal of incorporating this module into at least 10 new studies in the next 3 years.SUNY Empire State College is committed encouraging research on sustainable development issues to including new and innovative technologies. With funding provided by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and assistance through a third party research firm, the college is studying the amount of energy saved by virtualizing all college servers. The information found in this research project, as well as the experience gained in the transition, will be diffused through publications and presentations to assist and encourage other colleges and similar institutions to make the transition as well. The college will have made the full transition and have a final research report by 2015.SUNY Empire State college is committed to greening the campus by:• Reducing the college's carbon footprint 10% by 2023 compared to 2010 carbon emissions. This is measured using the Clean Air- Cool Planet calculator. The college made this commitment by signing the American College and Universities Presidents' Climate Commitment.• Reducing travel for the college 5% by 2015. The college has invested in high quality video conferencing for all of its locations. As grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will be used to hire consultants that will assist the college in developing ways to encourage video conference use instead of travel by its employees.With funding provided by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and assistance through a third party research firm, the college is studying the amount of energy saved by virtualizing all college servers.The college has invested in high quality video conferencing for all of its locations. As grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will be used to hire consultants that will assist the college in developing ways to encourage video conference use instead of travel by its employees.The college sustainability committee will continue to offer at least three community education programs each year in three different communities in New York State. In addition the college will continue to participate in community events that support local sustainability groups including Bike to Work Day and Recyclemania events.

State University of New York Empire State College