Sustainability

Dominican is committed to promoting environmental policies and practices that will help our campus become a model of environmental sustainability.

Dominican University of California instills the values of reverence, interdependence, sustainability, social justice and stewardship into the entirety of its learning environment. While maintaining green working and living spaces, the Dominican learning environment encompasses the University’s education programs, and adopts policies and business practices that minimize Dominican’s environmental footprint. 

We strive to increase awareness, knowledge, skills and sense of purpose within our students, faculty, staff and community to best meet the needs of the present, while creating a future that is just and sustainable for all. 

Education and Research

Campus Sustainability maintains a list of courses, filed with the Registrar, that are defined as sustainability-focused or sustainability-related. Student teams in various courses conduct research and gather data on topics such as food waste composting, campus electric vehicle charging, and electrical energy auditing in academic buildings. 

Additionally, Dominican faculty and students have conducted research on a variety of sustainability related topics. The Environment and Sustainability Collections on Dominican Scholar houses student theses and poster presentations, and faculty peer-reviewed publications. 

The Campus Sustainability Subcommittee

The Sustainability Subcommittee supports Dominican University of California becoming an environmentally sustainable campus. Membership is voluntary and varies with the academic year, but includes full-time faculty from each school, as well as adjunct faculty, staff and students. Please contact us for more information.

Additional resources related to sustainability and Earth Day can be found at the #PenguinsForEarth iSite. 

Sustainability Studies Minor

In fall 2021, Dominican launched the Sustainability Studies Minor. The minor is a stand-alone, interdisciplinary minor that equips students with knowledge and skills to better understand and address global sustainability challenges. The minor is grounded in the three pillars of sustainability: environment, social, and economic perspectives with the goal of protecting the environment, supporting communities, and enhancing prosperity. 

DUC Student Green Club

The DUC Student Green Club officially relaunched in spring 2022. Green Club's purpose is to make Dominican greener by educating and empowering the campus-wide community on how to be eco-friendly. To learn more about the club, visit the official club website.

Membership is open to all Dominican students who support the club’s values and goals. Email the club at ducgreenclub@gmail.com for more information.
 

meadowlands hall

Meadowlands LEED Certification (2017)

The Meadowlands Hall renovation was designed and constructed as a sustainable facility under the LEED Commercial Interiors 2009 (CI) category.

dining hall

Food Waste Composting (2017)

Epicurean began composting food waste in Caleruega Dining Hall to reduce its non-compost garbage by 25 percent per week, and to increase campus student awareness of conservation through composting.

flowers on campus

Marin Clean Energy Adoption (2019)

Dominican switched its energy provider from PG&E to MCE, reducing its carbon emissions from electricity by about one-third with virtually no cost increase.