Agnes Scott College
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.33 / 2.00 |
Susan
Kidd Executive Director 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:
The Center for Sustainability has always been actively engaged in policy development and local legislation with the City of Decatur. Previously, the Center’s executive director, Susan Kidd, has served on committees and advocated for strengthening the city’s commitment to green building and stormwater management. Most recently, Kidd has become directly engaged with the city on multiple planning efforts as a result of the joint college and city Climate Resilience Plan. The development of this plan triggered the reevaluation/update to multiple city plans/procedures including the city’s tree ordinance, emergency planning procedures, and stormwater ordinance. Kidd has been directly involved in advocating for these public policies to be strengthened to meet the highest standard for sustainability and climate resilience.
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:
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:
In October 2019, Agnes Scott signed on to a national amicus brief, Department of Homeland Security, et al. v. University of California, et al., that was filed on behalf of several colleges and universities in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of DACA and undocumented students. 128 higher education institutions signed on to this amicus brief, which advocated for the protection of DACA and undocumented students on college campuses. Agnes Scott formally recognized not only the benefit DACA students receive from being able to attend Agnes Scott, but also the incredible community these students help cultivate on campus. This policy advocacy is supported with various programs to both recruit and retain DACA/undocumented students, which are outlined in other credits throughout this STARS report.
Agnes Scott College has been a signatory of the We Are Still In (WASI) coalition since its formation in 2016. In April 2021, Agnes Scott reaffirmed its commitment to this coalition and joined 74 other college presidents in urging the Biden administration “to adopt the ambitious and attainable target of cutting our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% below 2005 levels by 2030.” This climate target is intended to serve as the United States’ Nationally Determined Contribution as outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. Since 2007, Agnes Scott has been a vocal proponent of ambitious climate targets, including our own to become carbon neutral by 2037.
More information on the content of this letter can be found at the link below.
https://secondnature.org/wp-content/uploads/NDC-Sign-On-Letter_-Higher-Ed_FINAL2021.pdf
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:
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):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.