The Laudato Si’ Action Plan at UIW

The Laudato Si’ Action Platform is an invitation to Catholic institutions to develop their own individualized plans, addressing seven key areas over a seven-year period, to take “concrete actions to protect our common home.” Those seven goals, or key areas, are:

• Response to the Cry of the Earth – This includes consideration such as energy usage, carbon neutrality, protection of biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and clean water.
• Response to the Cry of the Poor – This includes a focus on the right treatment of indigenous communities, refugees, migrants, children at risk, as well as the social systems and programs that support them.
• Ecological Economics – This encourages us to consider sustainability in production and consumption, and investment, as well as divestment from harmful practices, promoting circular economies, supporting care labor, and promoting the dignity of workers.
• Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles – This includes action each of us can take to identify and embody sufficiency and sobriety, to reduce waste and promote recycling, to consider the impact of our decisions about diet, public transport, active mobility, and single-use items, among other areas.
• Ecological Education – This includes promotion of access to education, promotion of human rights, strengthening of community, cultivation of leadership, and promotion of restoration activities.
• Ecological Spirituality – This involves the role that liturgy plays in deepening our ecological spirituality, the promise of ecological catechesis, and benefits of cultivating retreats and other types of spiritual formation.
• Community Resilience and Empowerment – This challenges us to commit to advocacy, to support people’s campaigns, to cultivate rootedness and belonging in local communities, and to consider the holistic aspect of ecosystems.

Committing to the Laudato Si’ Action Plan (2021-22)

• Fall 2021 – Sr. Walter Maher and Dr. Chris Edelman pursue conversations with the President’s Office about UIW committing to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform (hereafter LSAP)
• March 1, 2022 – Formal announcement that UIW President Thomas Evans has committed UIW to the LSAP
• April–July 2022 – Dr. Kevin Salfen agrees to serve as coordinator of LSAP at UIW, completes initial LSAP self-assessment; draft 7-year plan crafted in coordination with Dr. Ben Miele, Chair of UIW’s Sustainability Advisory Board

YEAR 1: 2022-23

All 10 major goals for first year of LSAP plan acted upon, with many fully achieved by March 2023, including the following:

• Weekly reflections in The Word Today promoting ecological spirituality
• Major federal sustainability-related grant applied for (HSACU NextGen USDA)
• Community partnerships around sustainability initiated or strengthened (e.g., local Catholic institutions pursuing or interested in LSAP, convened by Sr. Martha Kirk, CCVI)
• Work of Sustainability Advisory Board, Sustain (student sustainability group), and the Sustainability Studies Concentration continued and expanded (e.g., Green Game initiative)
• 25% of CHASS FT faculty contacted about LSAP
• Proposal related to divestment from fossil fuels presented to Chief Financial Officer
• Major energy reduction initiative enacted (switch from incandescent to LEDs for major UIW event Light the Way)
• Exploration of opportunities to increase renewable energy (e.g., tour of Mission Solar)
• “Environmental Purchasing Policy” drafted
• Company contracted to perform limited energy audit through VP of Finance
• Educational initiative about LSAP underway, with a dedicated webpage under development

YEAR 2: 2023-24

Most major goals of LSAP plan acted upon, with many fully achieved by March 2024, including the following:

• Weekly reflections in The Word Today encouraging reflection on ecological spirituality
• Major federal sustainability-related grant applied for (DISES-EX, National Science Foundation – not awarded)
• Continued/expanded work of Sustainability Advisory Board, including Community Gardens and Concentration in Sustainability Studies
• Proposal submitted to consider a sustainability-themed Quality Enhancement Plan; proposal one of the finalists considered for university-wide adoption
• Pursuit of solar projects by Chair of Sustainability Advisory Board, Office of Finance, and School of Math, Science and Engineering (Helios Project)
• Subscription to Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), participation in AASHE-sponsored STARS Cohort, and significant work on self-assessment completion (1 of 7 sections completed; 3 others partially completed)
• Coordination with area Catholic institutions related to LSAP participation: joint presentation with St. Mary’s University to Oblate School of Theology about committing to LSAP
• Exploration of coordination with Laudato Si’ Movement Texas

YEAR 3: 2024–25

Year 3 was a transformative year for UIW’s Laudato Si’ Action Plan, marked by the completion of several multi-year goals:

• Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) report – UIW’s first – completed, with all materials submitted to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in October 2024, and all items of concern addressed by December 2024, with a final rating of 46.93, attaining Silver status for UIW through December 19, 2027.
• Proposal to UIW’s Executive Council, following the completion of STARS, for a full-time sustainability officer as head of Office of Sustainability.
• Weekly reflections in The Word Today encouraging reflection on ecological spirituality
• Participation in Laudato Si’ Movement Texas, with UIW faculty representative Dr. Ann David
• Participation in EcoSA, a civic collaborative moving sustainability issues forward in San Antonio
• UIW support of Laudato Si’ Movement Texas proposal to Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller for the archdiocese to sign on to the LSAP; the Archbishop committed the Diocese of San Antonio in July 2024.
• Continued/expanded work of SAB, including Community Gardens, Concentration in Sustainability Studies, and coordination of Earth Month and Earth Week activities.
• 3 grants awarded for sustainability efforts at UIW: 1) USDA, for scholarships in sustainability studies (“SSOIL-COP: Soil Science Integrated Learning and Career Opportunity Partnership”); EBSCO, for expansion of Solar House and solar research at UIW’s School of Osteopathic Medicine (“Project Helios”); City of San Antonio, for UIW greenhouse renovation (“Project EL JARDÍN: Environmental Leadership for Justice, Advocacy, Research, Diversity, & Innovation”)
• Major federal sustainability-related grant applied for (R2I2, National Science Foundation) (not awarded)

YEAR 4: 2025-26

• Continue work of ecological spirituality through posts in The Word Today; plan for a Mission Academy focused on ecological spirituality.
• Dedicated LSAP at UIW webpage completed, including major accomplishments and the published plan.
• Enact LSAP at UIW publicity plan developed in 2024–25
• Continue and expand work of the Sustainability Advisory Board, including transition to new Chair, Dr. John Hooker, following successful term of Dr. Ben Miele.
• Detailed proposal for full-time sustainability officer submitted.
• Completion of solar projects underway in prior years (School of Osteopathic Medicine array, Project Helios).
• Submission of 1-2 major federal or foundation sustainability-related grants.
• Development of plan for achieving Gold STARS status by 2027–28 (Year 6)
• Adoption of Environmental Purchasing Policy
• Continue and expand partnerships with other LSAP organizations and sustainability-related civic organizations

YEAR 5: 2026–27

• If approved, enact Mission Academy focused on ecological spirituality.
• Adopt and enact plan for achieving Gold STARS status by 2027–28
• Continue educational initiative about LSAP at UIW, revising webpage as necessary
• Continue and expand work of the Sustainability Advisory Board.
• If approved, support full-time sustainability officer and develop working relationship between that officer, SAB, and LSAP at UIW
• Continue and expand partnerships with other LSAP organizations and sustainability-related civic, regional, and state organizations
• Submission of 1-2 major federal or foundation sustainability-related grants.

YEAR 6: 2027–28

• Continue work of ecological spirituality through posts in The Word Today; solicit abstracts for special events in 2028–29 related to seven goals of Laudato Si’ Action Platform
• Finalize materials and submit STARS report to achieve Gold status
• Planning for final year of LSAP at UIW, featuring special programming, opportunities to review our good work and the work ahead
• Continue educational initiative about LSAP at UIW, revising webpage as necessary
• Continue and expand work of the Sustainability Advisory Board.
• If approved, support full-time sustainability officer and develop working relationship between that officer, SAB, and LSAP at UIW
• Continue and expand partnerships with other LSAP organizations and sustainability-related civic, regional, and state organizations
• Submission of 1-2 major federal or foundation sustainability-related grants.

YEAR 7: 2028–29

• Year of Celebration, featuring special programs, learning opportunities, and invitations to imagine sustainability at UIW beyond the 7-year LSAP
• Continue educational initiative about LSAP at UIW, revising webpage as necessary
• Continue and expand work of the Sustainability Advisory Board.
• If approved, support full-time sustainability officer and develop working relationship between that officer, SAB, and LSAP at UIW
• Continue and expand partnerships with other LSAP organizations and sustainability-related civic, regional, and state organizations
• Submission of 1-2 major federal or foundation sustainability-related grants.