| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.20 |
| Liaison | Susan Kidd |
| Submission Date | June 21, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Agnes Scott College
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Elizabeth
Rowe Sustainability Fellow Center for Sustainability |
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
Center for Sustainability executive director, Susan Kidd, served on a municipal planning task force for the City of Decatur during the time that new planning legislation was being proposed. In that role, she briefed President Kiss on proposals that the task force reviewed and she served as the college's advocate for the updated planning documents. One of the outcomes was the city's "High Performance Building Ordinance" which requires meeting one of four options for green building certification. This approach was partly inspired by Agnes Scott's trustee resolution requiring the college to strive for LEED Silver certification for all major renovation and new construction, which was passed 7 years before the city's ordinance.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
In response to the U.S. decision to withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, Agnes Scott’s president, Elizabeth Kiss, and sustainability director, Susan Kidd, wrote an op-ed in the Atlanta Journal Constitution calling on the state of Georgia to strengthen its commitments to climate action. Agnes Scott has been a supporter of efforts across our state and region to increase access to clean and renewable energy. We participated in a utility-led solar buyback program in order to offer an urban rooftop examples of investor funded solar arrays in this statewide program. We were the only educational institution to successfully compete in the first round of projects.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
In 2015, Agnes Scott joined hundreds of other colleges and universities to complete the White House Climate Leadership Pledge ahead of the final negotiations of the Paris Climate Agreement at COP21. Agnes Scott’s president, Elizabeth Kiss, also traveled to the White House to meet with government officials and a small group of other college and university presidents to discuss collaborate efforts that could be taken to strengthen campus sustainability and climate action at the national level.
The pledge reads:
“As institutions of higher education, we applaud the progress already made to promote clean energy and climate action as we seek a comprehensive, ambitious agreement at the upcoming United Nations Climate Negotiations in Paris. We recognize the urgent need to act now to avoid irreversible costs to our global community’s economic prosperity and public health and are optimistic that world leaders will reach an agreement to secure a transition to a low carbon future. Today our school pledges to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy while enhancing sustainable and resilient practices across our campus.”
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
In 2015 the Agnes Scott Center for Sustainability staff attended COP21 in Paris, France. This was the first time Agnes Scott had been involved in the UNFCCC climate negotiation process. As a result of this participation, Agnes Scott was an early signatory of the ‘We Are Still In’ coalition. The college also assisted Second Nature in its WASI programming events for the US Climate Action Center at COP23, and sent a sustainability representative to be a part of the WASI Higher Education delegation in Bonn, Germany. Back on campus the Agnes Scott staff who attended these two UN summits presented their experience and knowledge at several community "lunch and learn" style events.
A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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