Ourselves: Embed sustainability into the One VCU culture

Strategy: Incorporate a wide range of sustainability topics throughout the academic curriculum

• Develop a system to track courses that incorporate sustainability content, prioritizing ease of use for faculty and students.

Strategy: Embed sustainability into VCU and VCU Health operations

• Expand sustainability as a component of student and employee orientation.
• Develop a resource for current students and employees to learn about the One VCU Sustainability Plan and how sustainable behaviors can be incorporated into our daily lives. 
• Develop new well-being resources that encourage healthy lifestyles and support the needs of the VCU community.

Strategy: Optimize VCU’s physical infrastructure

• Continue to employ green building standards (e.g., LEED, VEES) for new construction and renovation projects.
• Establish “green labs” processes and procedures.
• Increase the biodiversity of our campus footprint by expanding usage of native plantings in landscape design.

Strategy: Establish a standing One VCU sustainability advisory committee

• Committee membership will consist of representatives from VCU and VCU Health and include employees, students and community members.
• The committee will be charged with setting strategic priorities for plan implementation, monitoring progress and regularly communicating updates to the VCU community. 

Ourselves: Embed sustainability into the One VCU culture

Strategy: Incorporate a wide range of sustainability topics throughout the academic curriculum

• Develop a system to track courses that incorporate sustainability content, prioritizing ease of use for faculty and students.

Strategy: Embed sustainability into VCU and VCU Health operations

• Expand sustainability as a component of student and employee orientation.
• Develop a resource for current students and employees to learn about the One VCU Sustainability Plan and how sustainable behaviors can be incorporated into our daily lives. 
• Develop new well-being resources that encourage healthy lifestyles and support the needs of the VCU community.

Strategy: Optimize VCU’s physical infrastructure

• Continue to employ green building standards (e.g., LEED, VEES) for new construction and renovation projects.
• Establish “green labs” processes and procedures.
• Increase the biodiversity of our campus footprint by expanding usage of native plantings in landscape design.

Strategy: Establish a standing One VCU sustainability advisory committee

• Committee membership will consist of representatives from VCU and VCU Health and include employees, students and community members.
• The committee will be charged with setting strategic priorities for plan implementation, monitoring progress and regularly communicating updates to the VCU community. 

Our world: Inspire innovation in research, education and healthcare to advance environmental health, human health, health equity and economic vitality

Strategy: Increase cross-disciplinary sustainability research

• In alignment with the One VCU Research Strategic Priorities Plan, strengthen research infrastructure to support cooperation and encourage researchers to develop joint sustainability projects.

Strategy: Foster sustainability-focused partnerships at VCU, in our community and around the world

• Support research that directly contributes to positive economic, environmental and health outcomes in local communities.

Strategy: Broadly share VCU’s sustainability impact

• Develop and execute a strategic communications plan.