Monroe Community College’s Proposed Framework for a Green IT Campus Model

 

MCC’s proposed Green IT Campus Model is organized into four categories: Power Consumption, Recycling, Transportation and Fuel Conservation, and Other Campus IT Sustainability Items. Examples of potential campus initiatives within each category are provided.

 

Visitors: Please comment on the model and framework and contribute your best practices to the model. 

 

It also is recommended that potential Green IT survey questions related to these categories be formulated for possible inclusion in future AASHE and other sustainability-related consortia’s survey instruments. After reviewing the model, please review the MCC Green IT Survey Questions page and contribute your own recommendations. 

 

Proposed categories and practices: 

 

1.  Power Consumption   

 

 

 

Submitted by Monica Papagni, Jefferson Community College: 

Information from Jefferson Community College on Power Consumption:  IT at Jefferson Community College (JCC) used a meter and found the following information about power usage for the desktop computers on campus. JCC computers are HP/Compaq DC7600/7700 (with some older EVO models):  

 

• To boot computer with monitor on takes 160 Watts until OS loads then settles in at 115 Watts at Idle.
• Computer at Idle with both monitor and CPU running = 115 Watts. 
• CPU running and power off on monitor = 60 Watts. When the monitor is powered on again, initially, it will jump to over 300 Watts for 2-3 seconds to start monitor.  
• CPU running and unplugging monitor = 51 Watts. 
• CPU and monitor on with Word running = 128 Watts. 
• CPU and monitor on with Word and Netscape running = 135 Watts but takes an extra 20 Watts to load a different page in Netscape.  
• Both CPU and monitor shut down still draws 12-13 Watts.

 

IT at Jefferson CC made the following recommendation to the campus community on Computer energy saving options for Jefferson Community College:

 

1.  Recommend to faculty/staff to turn off computers, monitors and printers in offices at night and weekends. Include a statement suggesting that monitors be turned off when computers are not being used for prolonged periods of time during normal business hours. 

 

2.  Inform instructors when their class is the last one of the day in a specific room, so they can power off the equipment.  

 

3.  Encourage Faculty/staff not to use themed screen savers, such as webshots. Themed screen savers consume an additional 20-30 watts to run. 

 

4.  Ask faculty to please turn monitors off at the end of each class in computer classrooms. 

 

5.  Currently, our campus is using shared printers which are set to energy saving mode. 

 

6.  Currently, the open lab student monitors are instructed to only turn on one portion of the open access resource center in the mornings.  And to turn off computers not in use during the day.  

 

All technology equipment at Jefferson CC is recycled. We try to give re-use whatever we can or give it away.  We're  looking for ideas so we do not have to pay to have the equipment recycled which we currently do now. We would like to see what we can sell on e-bay but we're still working on getting support for this. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.  

 

 

 

2. Recycling  

 

• Implement a recycling program for: 

   

  • PCs, monitors and peripherals (partner with vendors, as needed) Mobile devices
  • Batteries
  • Toner
  • Outdated software CDs
  • Shredded and baled paper 

     

• Use packaging that the technology/equipment is delivered in, e.g., Styrofoam, plastic, cartons, etc. that may be re-purposed for lab experiments if green issues are designed into the curriculum

• Utilize recycled paper for copying and printing

• Address strategies for a reduction in paper usage throughout the institution—better education for end users on how to print one page only from web sites, emails, etc.

• Implement an imaging system that reduces the amount of files that need to be retained in hard copy

• Seek advice from campus records and retention experts to determine measures that may reduce the amount of college-related hard copy archives and the space needed to retain these files

• Implement a process for weeded library journals to be made available to other libraries to help fill gaps in collections

• Re-use manila envelopes, jiffy bags and fabric shipping bags for Interlibrary Loan

   

   

3. Transportation and Fuel Conservation  

 

• Online courses (asynchronous and blended) reduce students’ need to regularly drive to on-campus sites for classes

• Use of videoconferencing between campus sites can reduce travel and save time for faculty, staff and administrators

• Use of webinars, webcasts and audiocasts for professional development can reduce travel—and travel costs—and save time for faculty, staff and administrators

• Use of enterprise-wide online informational and transactional applications (i.e., Banner) allows for online access to student services and records; reduces the need for additional student travel to campus to request a transcript, to register for a course, to complete a Housing application,to view their schedules and grades, etc.

• Use of enterprise-wide online informational and transactional applications allows for online access to campus records, and reduces faculty, staff and administrator travel to campus sites on evenings and weekends

• Use of a VPN (Virtual Private network) allows faculty, staff and administrators to securely access their electronic files without traveling to campus on nights and weekends

   

   

  Submitted by Patrick Masson, SUNY Delhi:

• Telecommuting: "This policy provides information and quidelines for agencies to use in developing telecommuting programs. State agencies are encouraged to develop telecommuting programs as a business strategy to maximize the benefits to employees and the State." - Governor's Task Force on Information resource Management, Technology Policy 97-5: Telecommuting, May 12, 1997

• SUNY Delhi's Computer Information Systems has developed a draft policy for working remotely  

   

   

4. Other Campus IT Sustainability Items   

 

• Use of an integrated email delivered pay stub reduces paper and postage costs

• Use of integrated reporting applications (i.e., Web Focus and e~print) saves paper and provides time savings when looking for records online

• Use of online timesheets reduces paper usage, provides 24/7 access to input and approval of time sheets and reduces the need for travel to a campus-based site to sign hard copies of timesheets

• Use of a pay-for-print system may reduce unnecessary or “frivolous” printing—people requesting printed pages that they never collect, erroneously submitting one print job multiple times, or printing several pages instead of the one page that is wanted

• Create department-specific records retention schedules so that only necessary records are retained

• Use of microfiched records that the institution is legally compelled to retain permanently reduces needed storage space and preserves records for future retrieval

• Replace alkaline battery flashlights with rechargeable emergency flashlights