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 data analysis; and a make- your-own-turbine event.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Debut In partnership with Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), Embry-Riddle recently added new electric vehicle charging stations, as part of a research initiative called FPL EVolution.
Thirteen fast-charging stations with two different ports each are available at three sites on the Daytona Beach Campus. Faculty, staff and students may charge their EVs for free while on campus. Electric vehicle charging stations can be found all across campus, from the Henderson Welcome Center to multiple other convenient locations.
The chargers double as research stations that collect data to help FPL further prepare for more electric transportation in Florida – already the third-largest EV state in the country. The goal is to support the growth of electric vehicles on our campus and in our community.
Environmental Stewardship | 17
I NNOVATION TO
SERVE SOCI ETY
Innovation to Serve Society | 19
Entrepreneur Reamonn Soto, a Research Park tenant and Embry-Riddle graduate, launched a startup, Sensatek Propulsion Technology, which is now an award-winning player in the high- tech market. Sensatek is leveraging wireless sensor technology to increase the operational reliability and performance of jet engines and high-temperature process flow applications.
Creating Jobs, Improving Quality of Life Embry-Riddle’s mission is to help graduates find high-paying, meaningful jobs so that they can live well and, in turn, be of service to society. In support of that goal, the university works to advance innovation, which drives economic progress, creating jobs. In fact, Embry-Riddle’s overall economic impacts in Florida and Arizona, where our residential campuses are located, surpassed $2.3 billion as of 2020 – up 44% since 2016, the independent Washington Economics Group (WEG) reported. Twenty-two entrepreneurial companies affiliated with the Research Park had raised $41.4 million from investors and grants, while keeping 159 student interns employed as of summer 2021. $ 2.3 BIL Our economic impact surpassed $2.3 billion as of 2020
Innovation to Serve Society | 21
At Embry-Riddle’s Research Park, students (L-R): Kelsey Krupicka, Amanda de Souza, Gianna Schock, and Calvin Cai, are interning at VerdeGo Aero, a hybrid-electric aerospace powertrain firm, to refine a hybrid power plant for electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles. The students are also working on noise-mitigation technology.
Scientific Research for a Better World At Embry-Riddle’s Research Park, student researchers are shaping the
great promise for reducing carbon emissions, fossil
future of human mobility and advancing sustainable solutions to aviation. The future of aviation will be clean, quiet and more resilient. Listed here are a few examples of how Embry-Riddle is working toward that future: Quiet Flight Embry-Riddle Research Park tenant VerdeGo Aero, a hybrid-electric aerospace powertrain firm, has teamed up with the university to develop and commercialize patent-pending technology designed to mitigate electric aircraft noise. Under an exclusive option agreement, VerdeGo Aero will further develop the Embry-Riddle technology for commercialization. VerdeGo Aero’s goal is to help advance the rapidly emerging market for electric aircraft of all types. Although electric aircraft show
fuel use and operating costs, the propellers or rotors can be relatively noisy. “Traditionally,” company CEO
Eric Bartsch explained, “aircraft propellers must be optimized for either high efficiency or low noise, and there is a limited RPM/ torque operating range due to the limitations of piston and turbine engines. Electric motors now provide a much wider torque band enabling new operating modes.” The technology being commercialized by VerdeGo Aero would automatically adjust the pitch of rotating propeller blades, while simultaneously adjusting motor torque to maintain constant thrust, Bartsch said. In this way, it is possible to reduce noise or increase efficiency depending on the operating environment, while maintaining substantially constant thrust, altitude and airspeed.
22 | Social and Environmental Responsibility
Within Embry-Riddle’s hybrid power plant, gasoline feeds into a lightweight, turbocharged aluminum engine, which transfers engine power from the crankshaft into a high-performance electric generator. The generator pumps out DC (direct current) electricity for use on an aircraft. Using this method, “The emissions benefits begin with the operation of the engine and generator at their most efficient settings at all times,” said Embry-Riddle Project Manager David Spitzer. “Furthermore, with UAM the flight times are shorter because there is zero delay due to traffic, road layout, stoplights or any of the other limitations we currently accept on the ground.” More Efficient Gas Turbines Entrepreneur Reamonn Soto, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was wrapping up his master’s degree at Embry-Riddle when he had a big idea to save gas turbine operators millions of dollars annually. His business, Sensatek Propulsion Technologies, offers patented radiofrequency sensors designed for harsh environments. Sensatek’s sensors generate data that help power-system fleet owners optimize strategic power-generation assets.
Hybrid-Electric Propulsion A newly developed hybrid power plant promises a ratio of electric power-to-weight that is 4.6 times better than any existing battery system, Embry-Riddle researchers say. This 460% improvement suggests a sustainable, environmentally friendly method to keep urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles aloft. The new technology converts power from an efficient turbocharged engine to highly concentrated electrical power, which can then be transferred to electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. The research is being externally supported by a $2.5 million contract. “Urban air mobility vehicles are going to solve many of our current problems in cities,” said Aerospace Engineering Professor Dr. Richard “Pat” Anderson, director of the Eagle Flight Research Center. “Air taxis will relieve roadway congestion, and they will also be greener if they replace cars that are stuck in traffic. Future aviation options will be clean, quiet and more sustainable.”
99 % of Embry-Riddle survey
respondents said that creating jobs and improving quality of life are important objectives.
Innovation to Serve Society | 23
HELPI NG OUR
COMMUN ITI ES
Helping our Communities | 25
Service Learning Projects At Embry-Riddle, Eagle values call on us to be of service to one another. Often, as described here, service involves learning – whether students are providing clean water to people in Haiti, leveraging drones to help protect sea turtles or conducting aerial assessments of natural disasters to help first responders. Clean Water for Haitians For nine years – up until a global pandemic restricted travel – Embry-Riddle students helped design and build filtration systems to bring safe drinking water to people in Haiti. After the earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010, a group of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students approached Dr. Marc Compere, associate professor of Mechanical
Engineering, with the idea of using their engineering skills to provide humanitarian aid. They installed their first water filtration
system that summer and have returned nearly every year since to develop partnerships with Haitian counterparts, design water and solar purification technology and start business training in the communities. During the most recent Embry-Riddle visit to Haiti, Eagles built a reverse osmosis filtration system for a Haitian school and orphanage. This service work helps communities stricken with cholera and other illnesses resulting from contaminated drinking water.
26 | Social and Environmental Responsibility
A drone-based surveillance project called Turtle Tech leverages two different unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), provides crucial conservation insights as well as paying jobs for students, said John M. Robbins, associate professor of Aeronautical Science. “We’re fine-tuning our operations and computer visioning systems to identify individual sea turtles – including their species, gender and even unique markings,” Robbins said. “Students have hands-on opportunities to work on flight operations, aircraft modifications, payload integration and much more. This project is a win-win for sea turtles and students.” Eagles Raise Their Hands Student volunteers put in many hours of service on a wide range of projects. Eagles pitch in to promote literacy, to build homes for families in need, to provide humane care for
Gardening in an Urban Food Desert Students in Embry-Riddle’s Honors Program worked to feed people experiencing hunger and disenfranchisement, through a partnership with a nonprofit group called Derbyshire Place. At Embry-Riddle, “We are sensitive to how we might help to bridge some of the divides in our culture,” said Dr. Geoffrey Kain, Honors Program director and professor of Humanities. “A good answer is to plant more seeds of community.” Derbyshire Place works with Volusia County on a system whereby local residents — many in public housing — can use food stamps to buy the community garden’s fresh produce right in their own neighborhood. Leveraging Drones for Good Embry-Riddle researchers are using drones to better predict monsoons and other extreme weather events and to assess air quality. They also work with law enforcement to locate missing persons and provide aerial damage assessments after natural disasters, to guide first responders. Eagles are even using drones to better understand the behavior of multiple sea turtle species along Florida’s Space Coast, as part of a project with Northrop Grumman and the Brevard Zoo.
animals and much more. Last year on the Daytona Beach Campus alone, student volunteers packed up more than 300 bags of groceries and bag lunches to help people in need. In addition, through a Food Recovery Program, students prepped
1 . 5 TONS Students prepped more than 1.5 tons of food that would have been thrown away
more than 1.5 tons of food that would have been thrown away and donated it during 2020-21. They also worked to get dozens of students registered to vote and helped with community gardening projects, beach cleanups and blood drives. On the next spread are just a few ways that Eagles are raising their hands.
Helping our Communities | 27
First Responders Help Save Lives Skateboarding accidents are by far the most common cause of injuries to students on Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach, Florida campus, said Emergency Response Team Chief Mary Ellis. Ellis should know. Now a senior Air Traffic Management student at Embry-Riddle, Ellis broke her leg during her second semester while learning to skateboard. She received help from highly trained student volunteers
Launched in 2005, the student- directed team has run 1,700 calls since 2010 when formal record-keeping first began, Ellis said. Of those calls, 649 individuals were transported to a hospital, either by ambulance (214), by Campus Safety (297) or by a friend (138). During academic year 2019-20 – a typical, pre-pandemic year – the ERT responded to 231 calls.
231
ERT responded to 231 calls during academic year 2019-20
with the Med Club, now known as the Emergency Response Team (ERT).
28 | Social and Environmental Responsibility
Supporting STEM, Literacy and Libraries Young people in Prescott, Arizona can learn about the chemistry of slime, all things aviation or rocking rockets, thanks to experimentation kits provided to the public library by Embry-Riddle students. Students from Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus engage with young patrons and pass out the kits, which are intended to promote an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Introducing Students to Rocket Science Eagles engaged with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) launched four rockets at a middle school in Prescott Valley, Arizona, as a way to help spark young people’s interest in STEM. The launches took place following a virtual presentation on the fundamentals of rockets, and each participant left with their own rocket kit. The STEM outreach project was just one of many organized by Embry-Riddle’s SHPE chapter. The group has also hosted slime demonstrations, and they are introducing students to electricity and circuits by helping them build small robots. Students Promote Solar Energy Innovation Not only is sunlight relatively scarce in heavy-wintered Lincoln, Nebraska, but the region’s cost of energy from other sources is low. As part of the Solar District Cup, a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, an Embry-Riddle team has been tasked with developing a plan to bring renewable solar energy to the University of Nebraska- Lincoln while saving the university money. The Solar District Cup aims to inspire students to consider new career opportunities, develop skills relevant to industry, engage with the professional marketplace and become leaders in solar energy. It also encourages collaboration between academia and external partners.
Helping our Communities | 29
SAFETY
AND ETH ICS
Safety and Ethics | 31
“We are integrating discipline-specific content into the curriculum of our aviation, aviation maintenance, engineering, and business degree programs, to help graduates master sustainability concepts… Advancing sustainability in aviation education will open new doors for graduates and accelerate innovation across the industry, as well-trained professionals bring a diversity of fresh perspectives to the table.”
Aviation Safety
On Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida campus, the College of Aviation (COA) Safety Management System (SMS) reflects our university’s strong culture of safety. A formal, top-down, organization-wide approach to safety risk management, the SMS ensures the effectiveness of safety risk controls.
P. Barry Butler, University President, in an op-ed on sustainability in aviation education, published in Aviation Week
32 | Social and Environmental Responsibility
Unsurpassed Culture of Safety
As one part of the SMS, Embry-Riddle’s flight department has earned the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) Stage III registration. IS-BAO is a comprehensive safety audit encompassing all facets of the flight operation including but not limited to flight training, standards, emergency response and aviation maintenance. The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), headquartered in Montreal, Canada, determines whether a flight operation has met IS-BAO standards. Embry Riddle is the only collegiate flight training organization to achieve IS-BAO Stage III registration.
“Embry-Riddle goes the extra mile to ensure the safety of its students and employees,” said flight instructor Tyler Rispoli. “Our culture
of aviation safety is unsurpassed.” The safety designation reflects that
Embry-Riddle consistently goes above and beyond safety requirements set forth by the FAA, said Bob Joyce, director of Aviation Safety for the university’s Daytona Beach Campus. Dr. Ken Byrnes, chair of the Flight Department on the university’s Daytona Beach Campus, noted that Embry-Riddle’s attitude toward safety cultivates personal responsibility in students.
944 955 OUT OF
Easing Airport and Ramp Congestion
Eagles who responded to a survey said that transparent reporting in aviation safety, institutional integrity and institutional oversight are important.
The additional ramp will promote efficiency, and further, “It was the safe and socially responsible choice for Embry-Riddle,” Northrup said.
When our Prescott, Arizona Flight Department was faced with very rapid growth, Chair Parker Northrup and colleagues looked for ways to expand capacity while avoiding congestion, upholding safety standards and preserving the student experience. The team assessed multiple solutions until they hit upon one that achieved all safety, operational and student-experience goals. Specifically, the university decided to rehabilitate an abandoned portion of ramp space that was not co-located with the Flight Department’s main ramp. While refurbishing the abandoned ramp required an investment, this solution promised to reduce operational risks as well as aviation fuel burned by aircraft parked in a high-density scenario, explained Flight Department Chair Parker Northrup.
Safety and Ethics | 33
Institutional Integrity The Embry-Riddle Code of Ethical Conduct is a statement of shared commitment to the university’s values and belief in ethical, legal and professional behavior in all dealings inside and outside of the university. The core values upheld by the code are diversity, mutual respect, integrity, collegiality, academic freedom, stewardship, service, safety and student success. The code also underscores the university’s dedication to honesty, fairness, accountability, responsibility and compliance to accepted standards in all teaching, research and business activities. The Code of Ethical Conduct is posted on the university intranet, ERNIE, and is included in employee onboarding training. Annual training focused on the code is now being implemented. Regarding conflict of interest, the university strives to ensure that business decisions are made absent of inappropriate influence in order to protect the position of trust and responsibility that we hold in the community. Trustees and all employees authorized to spend university funds must disclose circumstances where real or perceived conflicts might arise, such as having direct or indirect business interest in entities who
do business with the university. Plans are implemented to separate individuals from the business decisions made regarding entities where potential conflicts exist. The policy on conflicts of interest is also posted on ERNIE. Internal audits are conducted regularly to provide assurance to the Board of Trustees and the university’s Core Leadership Team that reasonable checks and balances are in place to safeguard assets, staff are working efficiently and effectively with the resources at their disposal and opportunities to strengthen work practices are identified and implemented. The Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees operates independently of management, although management can collaborate in order to identify areas for improvement. A risk-based approach is used to select areas for review. Students and employees are encouraged to report concerns of ethical violations to a supervisor, human resources, the university’s legal department, Title IX coordinators or the Ethics Hotline (where the reporter can remain anonymous). All matters are promptly and thoroughly investigated. The reporting policy and contact information are clearly posted on ERNIE.
34 | Social and Environmental Responsibility
Our Board of Trustees
Committed to the people and industries the university serves, the Board is also the steward of the university’s fiscal and human resources, sustaining and expanding excellence in Embry-Riddle’s academic, research and programmatic offerings at its two residential campuses and many worldwide locations. Each year, the Board welcomes student delegates elected by each campus. There is also a faculty delegate from the Daytona Beach, Prescott and Worldwide Campus. Trustees serve on committees that are aligned with the university’s strategic goals and draw on their expertise. These committees include Academic; Investment; Audit and Finance; Development; Student Life; Flight Safety and Education; Facilities and Capital Planning and Business Partnerships. As advocates and stakeholders, the Board provides a clear, compelling and respected voice to Embry-Riddle’s state, federal and industry partners.
The Board of Trustees of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is the institution’s governing body. Trustees volunteer their time and put their experience as aerospace and aviation innovators, executives and entrepreneurs, international financiers, military officers, pilots, public servants and as an astronaut, in service to the university. Professional achievement has earned Board members international and national honors, including Aviation Icon status, the Presidential Rank Award, Distinguished Statesman of Aviation Award, Wright Brothers Master Pilot designation, National Lifetime Aviation Industry Leader Award and induction in the Astronaut Hall of Fame. Civic and educational groups have also recognized Board members for their contributions as philanthropists and transformational leaders. Nearly half of the Board are graduates of the university. All share a belief that Embry-Riddle’s unique offerings in aviation, aerospace, engineering, business and other academic disciplines are unleashing ingenuity and transforming lives.
Safety and Ethics | 35
EAGLE VALUES CALL ON US TO BE OF SERVICE TO OTHERS.
As a university, we must model responsible connections and contributions.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Administrative Offices 1 Aerospace Boulevard | Daytona Beach, Florida 32114
erau.edu
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