Project Managing and Implementing STARS 2.1 Process

Mieko Ozeki & Aaron WithamUniversity of Vermont

Presenters

Mieko A. OzekiSustainability Projects Coordinator

Experience with STARS 1.2 at UVM

Aaron Z. WithamEducation & Outreach Coordinator

Experience with STARS 2.0 at Green Mt. College

Workshop Intentions

Provide a project management framework and strategy to approach the implementation of STARS

Develop an Implementation Work PlanScope statement: “We will be implementing STARS 2.1. Commencing planning & data collection stages on (date) and concluding documentation & submitting STARS report by (date).”

Major Process Stages (suggested):

● Detailed STARS planning● Implementation of data collection● Draft and review report & Complete submission● Change Management, Outreach & Brand Integration

Question: What is the timeline you want? Start date, end date?

Step 1: Detailed STARS Planning

1. Prerequisite Data Collection: Collecting Operational Characteristics data.

2. Data Collection Mechanism: Deciding on what tool to use to collect data for all the credits.

3. Define Roles: Defining the roles and identify key stakeholders involved in process.

4. Institutional buy-in: Getting approval for implementing STARS process.

Mandatory: Collect Data for Operational Characteristics

Mechanism for DocumentationUser-Friendly * Manageable * Easy to Control

Our needs:

● Deployable to multiple departments via a cloud service● Ability to crowd source the data● Common tool that many people already use● Ability to set varying permission levels (view, comment, edit)● Ability to send a targeted link to a particular person for a particular

document; intended to not overwhelm contributors.

What tools could meet these needs?

Define Roles & Identify Key StakeholdersCommon problem: Sustainability officers are often the data collector, submitter, and policy creator; missing the point of placing responsibility on key stakeholders to implement changes on campus and document.

What are the roles and what do those roles involve? e.g.

● Responsible party role (VP-level)● Data contact role (Whoever has the data)

Question: What roles would you like to define for this process?

Define roles based on organizational roles in your institution

Question: Who do you ideally want to assign to these roles?

Get Buy-in from Key Roleplayers Strategies may include:

● Bottom-up-- Meet with as many as you can one-on-one before anyone tells them what to do

● Top-down-- Get supervisors to require it after you’ve given everyone a heads up

● Suggest a way to streamline process with key roleplayers’ existing activities.

Question: How do you plan to get buy-in from these roleplayers?

Create a Gantt Chart1. Enter timeframe (start date of implementation and end date of STARS submission) 2. List major process stages 3. Enter subtasks.

Prompt: Create a gantt chart (a back-of-the-napkin look at your schedule, timeline and goals)

Step 2: Implementation of Data Collection ● Consider an official launch letter from an administrator● Attend key meetings (Staff assembly, Faculty Senate, Council of Deans,

President’s Cabinet, etc.)● Hold training sessions for key stakeholders● Set due dates and reiterate due dates in every communication● Consider publishing progress reports along the way● Having one primary point person responsible for each credit can be very

helpful

Monitoring Progress

Course Inventory

Credit Documentation

Step 3: Draft/Review Report & Complete Submission

Step 4: Change Management, Outreach & Brand Integration

Gap analysis for incentivizing change Outreach to educate about STARS

Questions: Who cares at the end of the day about what you find in your STARS report? And how could you take advantage of that to leverage change?

What can you do now to prepare for this?

Step 5: Celebrate & Prepare to Repeat the Process

Thank you

Questions?sustainability@uvm.edu

Letter from Provost

Demo of Google Drive AASHE STARS 2.1

https://goo.gl/b80AmT