Due to the unforeseen global pandemic, the planning process has been completely remote, and the campus engagement process has been adapted to an online format and limited to opt-in stakeholder feedback. Even with the shift to a remote setting, the CMTF’s engagement sub-committee has hosted seven course lectures across multiple disciplines, reviewed course work by the UMass iCONS Program, including the assessment of final project presentations and reports. The CMTF created an informational video about the planning process for Earth Day Week and hosted three interactive webinars in October 2020 for the community to present the findings to date and ask for feedback from over 100 attendees. Throughout the process the CMTF has collected feedback and questions, as well as provided responses and updates. The CMTF provided a summary document with answers to the community’s over 50 questions asked in the interactive webinars and the eight presentations to state and campus committees, organizations, and courses, see Appendix E.
The CMTF had planned a community-wide survey to assess the community’s understanding, support, and interest in UMA carbon mitigation that has yet to be launched. The UMA administration asked the CMTF to not conduct the survey to not detract from necessary communication about the pandemic. However, the CMTF co-chairs and the engagement sub-committee have worked closely with the consultants and the UMA survey review board, and the draft survey is ready to be sent out and is included in Appendix F.
There are important outcomes from the engagement work, including four broad recommendations for next steps, that is further outlined in Appendix C:
- Develop a 5-year campus-wide engagement strategy aligned with decarbonization implementation.
- Assess the broader social impact of the CMP implementation.
- Align CMP implementation with UMA academic and resource programs.
- Align the carbon mitigation planning with UMass Amherst’s institution-wide strategic planning and adaptation to current events.