Annual Report 14-15 - page 42

of grant project writers and directors and to improve grants productivity at the
College. e web-based workshops are intended to help address that need and will
assist in preparing faculty to write grants and participate in upcoming grant-funded
projects in strategic areas including cybersecurity, alternate and sustainable energy, and
personal digital design and fabrication.
e Leading innovation through Green High-Tech engineering, Sustainability &
Security project (LiGHTeS2) will enable the College to create a new degree –
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) in Cybersecurity. Components of the program
will be integral to programming at the College’s soon-to-be-built renewable energy
and STeM Center. e grant supports us in creating pathways for students to enter a
high technology field, and for those in industry to retrain and advance skills in
cybersecurity. is is a local, national and global need. e new program represents
another important step in achieving the College’s goal of developing the quality
educational options necessary to produce advanced technical graduates capable of
strengthening the nation’s workforce in the STeM fields.
Sustainability
Last August, the College hosted an energy industry Leader roundtable in order to
gather input on workforce needs and opportunities in the renewable energy field. Among
those in attendance was roger ebbage, Coordinator of the institute for Sustainable
Practices at Lane Community College in oregon—one of our sustainability initiative
mentors. we have partnered with Lane under the American Association of Community
Colleges (AACC) mentoring institution program, so that we can identify best practices
and develop sustainability strategies for our own local efforts. ebbage made the energy
Management Program at oregon's Lane Community College a national model and
has been a technical advisor on a number of national and international curriculum
development projects. Mr. ebbage is assisting with preparations that are underway to
program curricula and classes for Suffolk’s proposed renewable energy and STeM
building that will be the first of its kind in the State’s community college system.
As a framework for the implementation of its Sustainability strategies, the College
has adopted the basic tenants of the Seven Dimensions of Sustainability in Higher
education as formulated by the University Leaders for a Sustainable future
(www.uslf.org). ese seven dimensions consist of:
• institutional, Mission Structure & Planning
• faculty & Staff Development & Awards
• Curriculum
• Student opportunities
• operations
• Community outreach & Service
• research & Scholarship
ese elements, including policy guidelines related to the energy Performance Contract
have been presented to the College’s Board of Trustees, and received Board approval.
we continue to move forward on implementation of a behavior based energy
performance contract with Cenergistic. rough our partnership, we will analyze and
monitor energy use in classrooms, offices, athletic facilities, kitchens, and other areas
of the College to ensure energy is being used efficiently. is effort underscores our
commitment to conservation, sustainability and the reduction of our carbon
footprint. By increasing our operational efficiency, we reduce our institutional impact
on the environment and can direct a greater percentage of our budget to our core
mission of educating students. All heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems
42 ❘ 2014-2015 Review of Accomplishments
S U F F O L K
SUSTAINABILITY