The Power of Community Colleges to Create the Green Economy:Leadership – A Key to Success

AASHE Conference & Expo 2011October 10, 2011

www.igencc.org PRESENTERS:

Julie Elzanati, Executive Director, IGEN

Jerry Weber, President, College of Lake County

Robert Hilgenbrink, Treasurer and Financial Advisor, IGEN

Allessandra Cairo, Manager, Communications, IGEN

AASHE Conference & Expo 2011October 10, 2011

I. What is IGEN?II. History and Success of IGEN

i. Funding Historyii. Presidents' Steering Committeeiii. Network Success

III. IGEN Leadersi. Heartland Community College ii. College of Lake Countyiii. Southwestern Illinois College  

IV. Future of IGENi. Online Communicationsii. Report Database System     iii. Career Pathways Consortium Program 

V. Contact UsVI. Questions?

AASHE Conference & Expo 2011October 10, 2011

There are over 1100 Community Colleges in the USA = 6.7 million students

Community College enrollments are growing at a faster pace than University enrollments

Almost half of all undergraduate students in the USA are now

studying at Community Colleges !

Community Colleges are central to our nation’s future success in the Emerging Green Economy

Leveraging the Power of Community Colleges: How Many People Can We

Reach?

President-led consortium of all 48 Illinois community colleges

Provides platform for collaboration among all colleges to identify, establish, share best practices, and promote sustainability projects and initiatives

Financial support from IL Governor’s Office, IL DCEO, and U.S. Departments of Education, Energy and Labor.

April 2008: 4 College Sustainability Centers• $490,000 - Illinois DCEO start-up grant

Early 2009: 6 College Sustainability Centers• $245,000 - Illinois DCEO grant

November 2009:12 College Sustainability Centers• $1,700,000 - two Illinois DCEO grants• $250,000 - Department of Energy (Congresswoman Halvorson)• $600,000 - Department of Education (Congressman Hare)

July 2011: 20 College Sustainability Centers• $2,000,000 from Illinois DCEO

August 2011• $2,500,000 from Illinois DCEO (EEPS)

October 2011• ~$19,366,000 from US Department of Labor (TAACCCT)

Funding History

IGEN Presidents Steering Committee

• Dr. Georgia Costello, President, Southwestern CC (Co-Chair)• Dr. Jerry Weber, President, College of Lake County (Co-Chair)• Dr. Alan Goben, President, Heartland Community College• Dr. Alice Jacobs, President, Danville Area Community College• Ms. Cheryl Hyman, Chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago• Dr. Elaine Johnson, Illinois Community College Board• Rob Hilgenbrink, IGEN Treasurer & Finance Advisor• Julie Elzanati, Interim Executive Director, IGEN

We Have a Foundation of Network Leadership

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Green Careers Green Curriculum Green Communities

Identify, develop and expand quality green job/career training for students andworkers, effectively informed by community and employer partnerships (balance demand/supply)

Provide assistance and training to Illinois community college faculty to integratesustainability and green economy content into most disciplines and in general education programs

Serve as regional and sector partners for mobilizing community and employer engagement, fostering community education, and supporting action for environmental sustainability

Vision:To position the Illinois Community College System as a global

leader in transforming education and the economy for a sustainable future

Make sustainability a guiding principle for all institutional practices, promote successful initiatives that reduce energy use and the environmental impact at campuses, and enable colleges to serve as sustainable demonstration sites for teaching and community engagement

Green Campuses

• Hired Administrative Team• Funded full-time Sustainability

Professionals at 12 community colleges

• Funded three Green Economy Center personnel

• Awarded seed funding to 36 member colleges

• Created IGEN Chief Financial Officers Advisory Committee

• 11 colleges participating in Greening Your Curriculum faculty development program

• 4 Task Force groups identified and shared best practices around transportation, local foods, master and sustainability planning, and weatherization

• Green events and workshops that reached more than 27,404 community members and 18,409 students, staff and faculty

• Sustainability Centers hosted 106 green workforce training programs for

• 3,983 people

Accomplishments at Illinois Community CollegesNOTE: This is only what IGEN recorded between Nov. 2009 to May 2011. We know much more has

occurred independently at multiple colleges.

Successes: A Network Snapshot

Campus Demonstration: Electric Vehicles

New Courses: Hybrid Vehicle Maintenance

High Performance LED Lights

Composting, organic & local food

Green Buildings

Renewable Energy

IL Community Colleges meeting to share best practices and build Network programs

We Have a Foundation of Network Walking the Talk

Leadership is the key to IGEN Growth and Success

Going Green on Heartland’s Campus

• January 2007: signed Governor Quinn's Illinois Sustainable University Compact.

• November 2007: signed American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment

• November 2007: policy adopted by College's Board of Trustees Heartland Community College embraces environmental stewardship to support a sustainable future and integrates principles of sustainability into its programs, policies, and practices.

• 2008: Green Institute formed

• 2008: Founding member of Illinois Green Economy Network

Campus Buildings

• 2007: Workforce Development Center opens

Campus Buildings

• 2007: Workforce Development Center opens– LEED certified• Geothermal heating & cooling• Ventilation provide 100% outside air• Windows for day lighting• Occupancy sensors• Bathroom sensors• Low VOC paint, carpet, adhesive, sealants• Recycle over 90% of construction waste

• All buildings have upgraded lighting

Heartland Campus

• Recycling• Water bottle stations• Free bus ridership• Composting • Bioswale• Turbine• EV car chargers• Climate Action Plan

Academic Programs

On October 28th

HCC and IGEN will host the Governor’s Sustainable

Universities and Colleges Symposium

Leadership Role within IGEN:- Acts as Administrative Agent to IGEN- Has established physical and virtual Sustainability &

Green Economy Centers- Hosts two full-time positions; Sustainability

Coordinator & Director of the Green Economy Center

CLC’s Sustainability Center

With the support of IGEN, CLC participates in national and state-wide sustainability programs, such as:

• STARS Silver Rating• American College and

University Presidents Climate Commitment, including RecycleMania, and • Illinois Sustainable Colleges

and Universities Compact.

Green Jobs ProgramsAlternative Energy Technologies

Sustainable Design & ConstructionResidential Weatherization

IGEN assists CLC with sharing workforce information throughout the

state.

Over 200 Community Members Participate in CLC’s Community

Partners for Sustainability

Audiences:• Building and Trade

Laborers• Municipal Offices• Local Entrepreneurs• Small Businesses• Regional Large

Employers• Not-for-Profit

Organizations• Residents• K-12 Constituents

SEED: Sustainability Education & Economic Development

Your Vision

Students

Community

Sustainability

Master Plan

Liberal Arts Building Southeast View

Liberal Arts Building Terrace View

Horticulture Technical Education Building

Future of IGEN

Sustainability Centers expansion (20) Green Economy Centers expansion (4) Seed Funding TAACCCT Green Career Pathways Consortium Energy Efficiency Equipment Bulk Purchasing Energy Efficiency Training & Education Task Force & Work Groups Best Practice Packages Website

FY12 Initiatives

IGEN Members Only SectionA private area of www.igencc.org, where IL community college faculty and staff can view updates from the IGEN administrative team and participate in discussions with their colleagues from across the state.

IGEN’s Network NewsA electronic newsletter, published monthly and made available at www.igencc.org/Network-News, which highlights sustainability initiatives and events taking place at colleges across Illinois. An organization building section is also included to provide updates on the programs, events and initiatives led by the administrative team.

IGEN Communication PreferencesMembers have the ability to identify the types of email communication they receive from the IGEN administrative team. This assists the administrative team streamline communications to the appropriate campus personnel, and allows members to receive only relevant information.

Online Communications

The goal of the IGEN report database is to have a system in which multiple users from each college can report on activities and programs

taking place on their campus as a result of IGEN program dollars. In addition, the report database will allow IGEN administrative staff to easily pull and manipulate data for various reporting requirements.

The report database includes both financial and activity based elements.

Report Database System

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Green Standards

Certifications

Guidelines

Accreditations

Where do I start? What skills do I need?

Green Workforce

This is too confusing!

How can I be sure employers will value these efforts?!

The Green Economy Needs Direction : Career Pathways Consortium

For More Information:

www.igencc.org

Contact: Julie Elzanati - julie.elzanati@igencc.org

Jerry Weber - jweber@clcillinois.edu Robert Hilgenbrink -

robert.hilgenbrink@swic.edu Allessandra Cairo -

allessandra.cairo@igencc.org