2004
Santa Clara University adopts a Sustainability Policy which institutionalized a commitment to improve our campus environmental stewardship, education, and outreach.
2006
Office for Sustainability is created when Lindsey Kalkbrenner is hired as a Sustainability Coordinator to foster campus collaboration and support University programs.
2007
SCU's President, the late Father Paul Locatelli, S.J., signs the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which required the University to establish a focused plan to achieve climate neutrality and broader plans to integrate sustainability into our education (teaching and research), outreach to others, and stewardship of natural resources. Over the next two years, Office of Sustainability and its Sustainability Council engages in broad consultation with the University community, including administrators, faculty, staff, and students, to coordinate the development of an action plan.
2010
Climate Neutrality Action Plan is adopted. The campus commits to produce zero net greenhouse gas emissions, or to be known as "climate-neutral," by the end of 2015.
Lindsey is promoted to Director of the Office of Sustainability, which also staffs a full-time Sustainability Coordinator and undergraduate student interns, and is housed in the Environmental Studies Institute (ESI) building.
2012
A new Sustainability Coordinator, Cara K. Uy, and Forge Garden Manager, Rose Madden, are added to the team in the fall, for a total of 3 staff and 7 undergraduate interns. Shortly after, the management of the Bronco Urban Gardens program (BUG) shifts from ESI to the Office of Sustainability. The working space moves to Varsi Hall in the Mission Gardens, and the team adds two new interns to support the two new Faculty Associates.
2013
The Office of Sustainability becomes the Center for Sustainability. It includes a Garden Manager (Katharine Rondthaler), a BUG Garden Educator (Lisa Martinez), 11 undergraduate interns, 2 project assistants, 4 Forge Garden apprentices, 1 BUG Operations intern, 6 Staff Associates, and 2 Faculty Associates.
2015
Climate Neutrality Action Plan is updated into two parts, with Part 1 outlining strategies to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and educational experience for all students as well as to expand research efforts and community engagement. Part 2 outlines SCU's carbon neutrality operational strategy.
Though the University was unable to reach zero net greenhouse gas emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) by the end of 2015, campus emissions were reduced by 54.3% compared to the year we joined the commitment (2014 vs 2007). A new goal of climate neutrality by 2020 is included in Scope 3.
2019
SCU's adopts a Sustainability Strategic Plan, with 3 focus areas: climate action, responsible consumption, and quality education.
2020
Santa Clara University achieves the first stage of carbon neutrality, becoming of the first few universities to has reached carbon neutrality of energy used for campus operations.
2022
During the 2022-2023 school year, the Center for Sustainability and Division of Mission and Ministry engage in a year-long process to develop a sustainability action plan to take SCU through 2030.
2024
Sustainable SCU: Leading Through Laudato Si', SCU's Sustainability Strategic Action Plan through 2030, is officially released. The plan builds on the strong foundation of existing programs and goals outlined in SCU's original Sustainability Strategic Plan in 2019. Cross-functional Implementation Teams are forms in each of the 5 areas of focus: Ac
In the Fall 2024 Progress Update, we announced the first completion of a plan sub-strategy!
2025
SCU releases its third Progress Update to the Leading Through Laudato Si' Sustainability Strategic Action Plan, highlighting plan success stories from campus, and tracking plan progress as we move towards operationalizing this work into business as usual at SCU.