Kankakee Community College
Workforce Development Center and Legat Solar Earth Campus Category
Community colleges and other two-year institutions
Contact Information
Bert Jacobson
Dean, Sustainability and Planning
Sustainability and Planning
Education and Research
Education and Research
Kankakee Community College’s (KCC) leadership in the area of education and research extends beyond the campus to the community, region, state and national constituents. With Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) funds we were able to develop sustainability centers in four community colleges across the State of Illinois and join them with a web-based network (www.ILCCSN.org). Within one year the Network has served over 18,000 residents with credit and non-credit curricular activities. Also within that one year we have expanded membership in the network to include all 48 Illinois community colleges. This collaborative community college model is unique and can serve as a model for the U.S.
At the community level we have created the Council for Community Sustainability to advance sustainability into our community with a structured approach. The Council consists of four committees that address Designing a Green Community, Energy Efficiency for Facilities, Green Jobs and Business Development, and Sustainable Agriculture/Local Foods. We have provided district K-12 schools with sustainability presentations, Energy Bicycle Plays, and interactive web-based programs using Skype. We also created an award-winning, quarterly insert called the GreenScene: Creating the Future for the Kankakee River Valley in our district newspaper, The Daily Journal. The GreenScene is also distributed through the “Newspaper in Education” program to 3,300 students in K-12.
As a community college, our sustainability research is limited, but we are exploring options for green roofs, permeable pavers, etc. and have agreed to be part of University research programs (like LED parking lot lighting with U of I). The Dean of Sustainability was selected into the inaugural Higher Education Sustainability Fellows Program. He joins 11 other nationally selected Fellows to assist the American Association of Community Colleges with their sustainability projects and to share information and resources among the Fellows to promote learning and cross-association collaboration.
On campus, we have created a unique renewable energy technician program with an NSF curriculum development grant. Rather than create a RE-specific degree program, KCC modified its existing electrical technology program, adding a RE emphasis/specialization. This involves the creation and offering of four new courses, three of which are hands-on, lab-based courses in: solar-thermal technology, solar-PV technology, and small-wind energy technology. In addition to our new renewable energy technician specialization, we are actively collaborating with colleagues (via the South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium, the Community Colleges for Sustainability Consortium, The ICCSN, etc.) to develop curricula around sustainability as a competency for a variety of subject areas including General Education. We also provide in-services to faculty and staff on sustainability topics.
Campus Operations
Campus Operations
Beginning in 2007, Kankakee Community College’s (KCC) leadership in the area of campus operations begins with the President and Board of Trustees and carries through all operations to the students and community relationships. By policy all new construction is built to LEED Silver requirements, or better. We recently remodeled our Health Careers Center of Excellence with particular attention to innovative design, minimizing construction-related pollution, materials and resources, water efficiency (low flush toilets), indoor environmental quality (daylight design) and energy efficiency. We are currently planning to build an Advanced Technology Education (ATE) center to Gold and possibly Platinum standards, utilizing ground-source heating and cooling.
Our food service has been very cooperative in exploring bringing in local foods and compostable service-ware. We had a “Taste of Sustainability” to mark the opening of our Sustainability Center and served all local foods. We are also exploring composters, although being a community college without residence halls, our food waste is minimal.
We completed an energy audit in early 2008 and based on that analysis have changing to more energy efficient lighting and have installed occupancy sensors in most of our classrooms. We are currently replacing the lighting in our gym with a grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. We have a unique ice storage system that makes ice during the night, when electricity is less expensive, and uses that ice to assist the chillers in our HVAC system during the day. Earlier this year we completed our green house gas inventory and are currently our Climate Action Plan.
Our Purchasing department procures a large percentage of recycled paper, non-toxic housekeeping supplies, and reused recycling containers. Our recycling program is gaining momentum as we have designated 60 areas for recycling collection areas throughout the campus and are working on a student job schedule so that interested students have easy ways to become involved (and take the burden off of our facilities personnel).
We have begun the first phase of our Master Conservation Plan, a 20 year plan to address restoring a native habitat on campus, converting areas now in turf grass to prairie and savanna, improving storm water management, planting native species, removing invasive plants, and reducing the need for maintenance and the application of fertilizer and pesticides.
We have a good working relationship with the Director of the Kankakee Valley Metro Service, a member of our Designing a Green Community committee, and have succeeded in altering routes and arrival/departure times to accommodate more of our students.
Our Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee oversees all of the campus sustainability initiatives and is comprised of administrators, faculty, staff, and students. The Coordinator of our Sustainability co-chairs the committee with a member of the faculty.
Administration and Finance
Administration and Finance
Our President for the last six years, Dr. Jerry Weber, has been the driving force for a cultural transformation at KCC. He was an early adopter (and signatory) of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment and the Illinois Compact. He created the position of Dean of Sustainability and Planning and the position of Coordinator of a new Sustainability Center, integrated sustainable initiatives into KCC’s wider strategic priorities (the strategic plan lists “to promote sustainability initiatives as a distinct objective for the college” as one of the six strategic priorities), and has been an advocate for sustainability locally, for the college and community, regionally, and nationally.
Kankakee Community College’s Strategic Sustainability Plan supports the mission, vision, and values of KCC by rapidly responding to the community’s educational needs in the new energy economy through effective partnerships; supports the goals and planning objectives of the Campus Master plan through its focus on innovative resource management; encompasses national and state climate commitments, and presents a comprehensive approach toward carbon neutrality and institutional sustainability.
KCC’s Sustainability Vision:
KCC will be a model of sustainability for District 520, for Illinois higher education, and for Community Colleges nationwide. KCC will also be a leader in sustainability education, preparing students to successfully negotiate inevitable challenges and to live happy and constructive lives that serve the betterment of humanity and future generations.
Because the goals of sustainability are broad, the Strategic Sustainability Plan developed strategic initiatives in accordance with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) STARS program (Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System for Colleges and Universities. We are using the STARS system to help prioritize our initiatives and to benchmark against other community colleges in the nation.
The President, the Dean of Sustainability and Planning, and the Sustainability Coordinator have all been actively pursuing public engagements to build awareness of sustainability issues, promote energy conservation and efficiency incentives, to give exposure to our campus and community initiatives as well as the Illinois Community College Sustainability Network.
We try to keep tuition at KCC below the state mean, making us one of the most affordable institutions of higher learning in the state, and we make an effort to reach out to an underserved and diverse population. Over 60% of our students come from families with no college education. We are also currently investing in college readiness testing and courses to improve our students’ success.
