Campus Dining: a Hotbed for Sustainability Research and Course Work Enid Cardinal, Senior Sustainability Advisor Scott Vadney, General Manager Grace Watson Dining Hall

Workshop Overview Introduction and overview of RIT Dining operations, past projects and a big vision Using student research projects and project based learning –Sustainability Officer’s role –Current study: Packaging and Sustainability. –What’s next? Engaging dining services Q & A

RIT at a Glance 17,950 students 3,753 faculty/staff 1300 Acres (180 acres of federally protected wetlands) 5,742,730 ft 2 9 Colleges

Sustainability Highlights Golisano Institute for Sustainability NYS Pollution Prevention Institute Climate Commitment Rochester City Scholars Program LEED buildings FSC Certified Print Shop Dr. Destler’s electric vehicle challenge Banning bottled water

DINING OPERATIONS, PAST PROJECTS AND A BIG VISION

Dining Operations 19 Facilities on campus generating $30 million in revenue Self-operated, non-union department reporting to Finance VP One 800-seat board facility 560K meals, sales > $5 million 35 FTE, 264 student employees working average 10,000 hours/month

BHAG Zero Waste Facility

Source Reduction Trayless Dining Reusable to-go containers –Eliminated 94,000 disposables annually Composting Recycling

Dining Services Student volunteers Soup Kitchens 5 Tons of food donated to local soup kitchens! Feed Hungry People

ADVANCING THE VISION THROUGH PROJECT BASED LEARNING

How Dining Supports the Educational Mission Blessed Facility Engage Students, who then engage other students Made it a goal on FT staff review

INTEGRATING CURRICULUM AND RESEARCH FOR SUSTAINABILITY: THE GRACIES’ PROJECT Moving Gracie’s closer to a Zero Waste goal

17,000 STUDENTS ENROLLED– I NEEDED 20. To reduce waste, you need to know what you are throwing out

The Role of the Sustainability Officer

Triple bottom line People – social performance Planet – environmental stewardship Economy - Prosperity People Planet Economy

Nurturing the learner’s personal triple bottom line Passion – what resonates with them Values – what do they want to contribute Aspirations – how do they want to contribute Aspirations Values Passion

Pedagogical model Accompany the students on their learning journey Create a safe environment for exchange and transparency Make the information come to life Make time for reflection Encourage discovery singularly and in a group

The Assignment

What’s Next?

ENGAGING DINING SERVICES

Your Typical Dining Director Global view of department Willing to engage other departments Cost conscious May have some preliminary idea on how to begin

Your Typical Dining Unit Manager Understaffed Budget Constrained Time Crunched Pulled in multiple directions.

Can You Help Me?

Your Homework Begin with the end in mind Offer to meet between 2-4 Buy a meal. Have lunch there Talk to your students

Questions?

Scott Vadney General Manager, Grace Watson Dining Hall Rochester Institute of Technology Enid L. Cardinal, LEED AP Senior Sustainability Advisor to the President Rochester Institute of Technology