Social and Environmental Responsibility Report

Social and Environmental Responsibility Report

SOCIAL AND ENVI RONMENTAL RESPONS I BI L ITY AT E M B R Y- R I D D L E A E R O N A U T I C A L U N I V E R S I T Y

WE ARE NOT THE R I PPLE.

Leadership Message

1 3 7

Our Core Values, Mission and Vision Promoting Diversity and Inclusion

Environmental Stewardship Innovation to Serve Society Helping Our Communities

13 19 25 31

Safety and Ethics

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Administrative Offices 1 Aerospace Boulevard | Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

erau.edu

WE ARE THE STONE.

practices. We help engineer solutions to urgent global problems. We promote diversity and inclusion. We embrace transparent safety and ethics reporting, and we uphold the highest standards of good governance. It is not enough to “do no harm” — we must actively do good. We must lead by the example of how we operate and also engage students in projects that bring their talents to shared challenges, such as engineering solutions to “food deserts,” developing transportation alternatives with a lower carbon impact, and adhering to rigorously transparent, non-punitive safety reporting, to cite just a few examples. We recognize our accountability for our social impact, sustainability, safety and our governance and ethics. Social responsibility is not an extension of how Embry-Riddle educates; it is embedded in our mission, vision and values. This report reflects our progress in meeting the full scope of our obligations as educators, influencers, partners and global citizens.

What we do and the standards we hold ourselves to in our everyday practices matter. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University directly influences — and helps define — the communities that are home to our campuses, industries we serve, policies we inform and the professionalism of our graduates. As we continuously search for innovative ways to champion social issues and be good stewards of the environment, we have looked to students, faculty and staff to help guide those efforts. Recently, for example, we surveyed our community to learn more about their interest in, and knowledge of Embry-Riddle’s social and environmental initiatives. More than 1,100 people took part in the survey — an unusually strong response that helped guide what is featured in this inaugural report. Eagle values call on us to be of service to others, and as a university, we must model responsible connections and contributions. We regularly demonstrate our values through service to our communities and by advancing sustainable environmental

P. Barry Butler University President

Mori P. Hosseini Chairman

Leadership Message | 1

RESPONSI BLE

CITIZENSH I P

Our Core Values, Mission and Vision | 3

VALUES

VISION

What do we stand for? Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University provides a transformative educational experience by fostering collaboration and teamwork, ethical and responsible behavior, and a culture of research and discovery that mirrors the professions we serve. We focus on the development of the professional skills our students need to succeed in global business. Within a culturally diverse community that supports the unique needs of each individual, Embry-Riddle upholds the highest standards of academic achievement, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Where are we headed? Embry-Riddle will be the source for innovation and excellence in aerospace education and research. We will be the unquestioned global leader in aviation and aerospace higher education, with a reputation for personal attention to the success of all students. Our Prescott, Arizona campus will focus on undergraduate education, emphasizing problem-based discovery and become a top-ranked destination for its undergraduate STEM programs. Our Worldwide campus will be recognized as the best in online and distance education. And, our Daytona Beach, Florida campus will be recognized for leadership in select areas of research, aerospace innovation and attention to student success, grounded in problem-based discovery.

4 | Social and Environmental Responsibility

MISSION

Who are we? Embry-Riddle is the world leader in aviation and aerospace higher education. Our mission is to teach the science, practice and business of aviation and aerospace, preparing students for productive careers and leadership roles in business, government agencies and the military. Embry-Riddle’s reputation as a leader in aviation and aerospace higher education is grounded in its aviation roots dating back to 1926.

92 % A large majority of Embry-Riddle survey respondents — 92% — said that it is important for Embry-Riddle to demonstrate its commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

Our Core Values, Mission and Vision | 5

DIVERSITY

AND I NCLUSION

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion | 7

Following the pointless police killing of Mr. George Floyd in 2020, Embry-Riddle leadership turned out to support students as they staged a peaceful protest. University President P. Barry Butler publicly condemned Mr. Floyd’s killing: “With Mr. Floyd’s death, we are reminded yet again of the persistent racism, hatred and ignorance that have claimed far too many lives and threaten people of color on a daily basis in our country.”

Embry-Riddle has made great progress in improving diversity and inclusion across its campuses.

traditionally underrepresented groups on our campuses. After all, transformative thinking happens when people with many different perspectives share their ideas. Particularly as aviation faces a critical personnel shortage, Embry-Riddle is working to tap the entire potential talent pool and help all students succeed. In addition, to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone, Embry-Riddle has a zero-tolerance policy regarding hatred of any type. These and other initiatives are part of our plan for progress:

University-wide, between 2011 and 2020, the percentage of all Embry-Riddle students who are persons of color increased from 23.5% to 33.4%. The percentage of students who are female rose from 13.9% to 19.3%, and representation of international students within the student body increased from 4% to 6.3%. We recognize that we still have a long way to go. Toward that end, Embry-Riddle has launched innovative programs to increase the representation of women and other

The Boeing Scholars at Embry-Riddle Scholarships provided by The Boeing Company support talented, underrepresented Embry-Riddle students, veterans and their dependents who wish to pursue degrees in aeronautical science, aircraft maintenance and STEM- related fields. Since 2019, the Boeing Scholars at Embry-Riddle program has served 44 future leaders – all exceptionally high- performing students. Boeing also offers a number of other valuable programs for our students, such as The Boeing Career Mentoring Program, which matches 30-40 students per year with alumni mentors, and internship placements for dozens of students annually.

Women’s Ambassador Mentoring Program

Girls in Aviation Events Embry-Riddle typically has a large presence at the Women in Aviation International annual conference. At the conference, on our campuses, and even in places like South Africa, Embry-Riddle offers fun, hands-on as well as online learning activities to help girls see themselves in aviation careers.

Pioneering aviator Michele Halleran (’04), a professor of aeronautical science, encourages women students with aspirations of flight to follow their dreams. Halleran and other faculty members provide intensive mentoring in an effort to help more women succeed in aviation and aerospace programs. The mentoring program works in tandem with a Women’s Alumnae Network at Embry-Riddle.

Dr. Carolina Anderson, associate professor of Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle, enjoys a flight with her daughter. Dr. Anderson, whose many accomplishments include being the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in Aviation, says drawing more women into the field requires mentoring girls at a very early stage.

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion | 9

Making Higher Education More Accessible Embry-Riddle works to make higher education accessible for everyone, worldwide, including military service members, veterans and their families. For one military family, pursuing an education through Embry-Riddle turned into a trend. A top-ranked lacrosse player and member of the Civil Air Patrol, Sara Isabelle “Izzy” Villacorta flew a helicopter before she had actually gotten her driver’s license. As a

sophomore in high school, she decided to pursue a dual-enrollment program, continuing to take classes at her local public school in Cummings, Georgia while starting an associate degree in Technical Management at Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus.

Her educational goals sparked an idea for her

father and two big brothers, all current or former military, to do the same. Soon, Izzy’s

father Tony Villacorta and his two sons – Antonio, 22 and Christian, 20 – joined Izzy in learning through Embry-Riddle.

10 | Social and Environmental Responsibility

Empowering Latina Aviation Leaders Claudia Zapata-Cardone achieved her dream of becoming a pilot for United Airlines in 2015, but getting there

wasn’t easy. As a Colombian-American woman in a male-dominated field, she faced multiple discriminatory biases in the airline industry, including being told she was not physically strong enough to be a pilot. Beginning her career as a flight attendant, she said that she has had to work hard to overcome many conscious and subconscious biases as she advanced in her career. Rising above to ensure that future Latina pilots don’t face the same challenges has become a driving force behind her support of a new organization at Embry-Riddle. The Empowering Latina Leaders Aviation Subcommittee (ELLAS) is a branch of the nationally recognized nonprofit organization, the Latino Pilots Association (LPA). Zapata- Cardone, who was promoted to captain in 2019, serves as the LPA’s community outreach director. “The aviation industry is an industry where most women of color will tell you they ‘feel’ their gender first, followed by their race or ethnicity,” said Zapata-Cardone. “By feel, they face discriminatory behaviors based on their gender first, followed by other social identities.” This is why the ELLAS was set up at Embry-Riddle, to help build confidence and empower Latina aviators by offering unique mentorship, workshops for mental and physical well-being, guidance on overcoming micro-aggressions and access to a recruitment community.

Raquel Villagomez serves as executive director of the Empowering Latina Leaders Aviation Subcommittee (ELLAS) at Embry-Riddle. Part of the Latino Pilots Association, the ELLAS are working to help Latina aviators succeed.

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion | 11

ENVI RONMENTAL

STEWARDSH I P

Environmental Stewardship | 13

Our Student Union: A Case Study in Sustainable Building Embry-Riddle had more than good looks in mind when the university built its dramatic new Mori Hosseini Student Union.

The facility is a model of sustainable building practices. Construction that takes advantage of natural daylighting while admitting little heat in warmer months is a major design feature.

14 | Social and Environmental Responsibility

On a grand scale, this is accomplished by the strikingly attractive, reflective roof, although that is just the start. A solar study, taking into account the sun’s effect throughout the year, allowed the building’s designers to mitigate excessive heat and glare throughout the structure. Skylights that traverse the entire central section of the roof were designed to include low-emissivity coatings, which minimize the amount of heat and ultraviolet light that comes in without cutting welcome energy-saving daylight. The skylights’ perforated screen layer, with one-eighth-inch holes, adds to their energy efficiency — and with other layered components in the skylights helps control visibility, brightness, glare and heat. The skylights help to create the building’s pleasant feeling inside. An ideal “visual light transmittance” is between 20 and 25. The Student Union’s skylights earned a score of 21.

The skylight technology, which also includes an insulating air space between the skylights’ layers, has been applied very successfully at other well-known universities, such as at the Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago. Commercial buildings, such as the Westin Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida, also make use of such energy-efficient and visually pleasing skylights. Other features in the building’s design include LED lights that dim automatically during daylight hours. Rain that falls on and around the building is harvested in a special system hooked up to campus irrigation. Recyclable materials are another important component of the facility.

All in all, smart choices were made to take advantage of the energy and money-saving opportunities made available by the latest advances in sustainable construction.

Saving Energy with a Chilled Water System

water can be employed in the same way as the ice. At the same time, the ice-based system, which had reached its maximum potential, set a limit on growth of the university’s facilities.

Until now, Embry-Riddle has employed a system to freeze water at night when electric rates are off-peak and temperatures are lower.

3 . 5 By building a 3.5-million-gallon chilled water storage tank, more energy will be saved. MIL GAL

Then, the resulting ice is melted to provide cooling during the day. The system has saved energy and money over other cooling methods. Now, however, the university is moving toward an even better system. By building a 3.5-million-gallon chilled water storage tank, more energy will be saved. This is because it is more energy-efficient to produce chilled water than it is to make ice, and the chilled

The new system will meet existing needs and has surplus capacity

to support continued growth, particularly at the Embry-Riddle Research Park. In fact, according to extensive cost-benefit analysis and project review, the energy and cost savings represented by the new system multiplies with increased utilization.

Environmental Stewardship | 15

To save gas and prevent emissions, Starship Delivery robots haul to-go orders to students across Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus

Robotic Food Delivery Reduces Emissions When students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University order food on the Daytona Beach Campus, their deliveries may arrive by an unexpected

932 957 Embry-Riddle survey respondents said that sustainable building practices are important, if not very or extremely important. OUT OF

(iOS and Android) to order food and drinks to be delivered anywhere on campus, within minutes. The service works in conjunction with the student meal plan. “It’s just another example of Embry-Riddle staying at the cutting edge of science and technology,” said Associate Vice President for Facilities Kevin Kreide. “Not only do we get to add this innovative new service option, but Starship Delivery also hires many students to handle the programming and maintenance for these autonomous machines, which is a perfect fit for students in Engineering and Robotics programs.”

source – a robot. In collaboration with Starship Technologies, Embry-Riddle recently rolled out robotic food delivery services for students, becoming the first university in Florida to do so. On-demand, zero-emission deliveries are now part of the dining options offered by food service provider Sodexo, allowing students to score quick meals. Starship’s fleet includes 20 autonomous robots that delivery meals to students from 10 different campus eateries. The school’s nearly 7,000 students and faculty now use the Starship Food Delivery app

16 | Social and Environmental Responsibility

Protecting Natural Resources Healthy trees and green spaces enhance the quality of campus life for students and employees. To honor its commitment to effective urban forest management, Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus earned 2020 Tree Campus Higher Education recognition. A program of the Arbor Day Foundation, the Tree Campus Higher Education distinction recognizes Embry-Riddle’s leadership in promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation. On our Prescott, Arizona campus, Earth Day has become a major family and community event serving students of all ages. The STEM Education Center’s student workers staff an Embry-Riddle Earth Day Exhibit to engage with young people and help promote an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Fun learning activities have included, as examples, an air pollution demo; smog jars that illustrate condensation, evaporation and fogging; air quality >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40

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