Overall Rating	Gold - expired
Overall Score	72.66
Liaison	Megan Litke
Submission Date	March 5, 2021

STARS v2.2

American University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	2.00 / 2.00	Courtney Stoner Sustainability Analyst Office of Sustainability

"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Local advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:

Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:

American University signed on in 2012, and re-signed in 2019, the District of Columbia Mayor's College and University Sustainability Pledge (CUSP). By signing the pledge, we agree to "promote programs, policies, and projects aimed at advancing environmental, economic, and social equity in the District of Columbia." Some of DC"s sustainability goals include

https://doee.dc.gov/release/university-presidents-sign-pledge-embracing-mayor-gray%E2%80%99s-vision-greener-healthier-more

https://sustainable.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/sustainable/page_content/attachments/2020%20Sustainable%20DC%20Detailed%20Status%20Report.pdf

Regional advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:

Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:

As members of the the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area and the DC Chamber of Commerce, we support legislation or policies related to sustainability on a local level. Most recently, we have been engaged in working groups with other universities and DC government to draft plans on how universities will achieve the goals outlined in the new DC Clean Energy bill.

National advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:

Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:

American University was a Charter Signatory of the Second Nature Climate Leadership Commitment in 2016. The Climate Commitment expands on the original American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) by adding resilience planning to AU's existing commitment to carbon neutrality and sustainability education. In 2017, Second Nature sent an open letter to urge the incoming presidential administration to take action on climate change from more than 230 College and University presidents.

International advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:

Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:

American University has been a signatory of "We Are Still In" since 2017. The declaration is in opposition of the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and support of international climate action to meet the goals Paris Agreement. President Burwell is a member of the We Are Still In Leaders' Circle representing higher education.

https://www.american.edu/media/news/20170606-au-is-still-in.cfm

In December 2020, AU signed on to "America is All In" calling on the Biden-Harris administration for a national mobilization on climate and recovery.

https://americaisallin.com/

Optional Fields

A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):

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None

A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):

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Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:

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Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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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.