Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 66.30
Liaison Stephen Ellis
Submission Date May 31, 2024

STARS v2.2

Boston University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.33 / 2.00 Dennis Carlberg
Associate Vice President for Sustainability
BU 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:

The Green Ribbon Commission (GRC), formed by the Mayor of Boston is a 36-member organization comprised of a diverse set of business and civic leaders with a shared desire to make Boston a national leader in the green economy and the fight against global climate change. The GRC provides a forum for representatives of the private sector and the City to discuss, plan and act on the opportunities, challenges, ideas, and requirements of preparing Boston to meet the imperatives of climate change. Boston University's recently retired President Dr. Robert Brown (in July 2023) was a member and active participant of the GRC.


Regional advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
No

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

During each legislative session, Government and Community Affairs identifies and monitors bills that would impact BU sustainability. These bills often relate to the solar net-metering cap, renewable energy, zero-emission vehicles, and greenhouse gas emission benchmarks. In the current session, the Massachusetts Senate has drafted an ambitious, omnibus energy bill which attempts to deal with every energy issue that is subject to state regulation. While the University is not involved in any direct energy lobbying, Government and Community Affairs work with partners to establish bills of interest and discern their likelihood of passage.


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:

In response to the stunning reversal of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, retired President Brown released a statement: “I had hoped that the day would not come when I would write to express my profound disappointment over an action of the Supreme Court of the United States. However, I believe the Court’s official decision today to annul the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade is an enormous step backward in protecting the rights of all women in our country. This decision denies women the right to make their own decisions about their reproductive health. Boston University remains steadfastly committed to guaranteeing women’s reproductive rights to the extent allowed under Massachusetts’ law.” Additionally, BU advocates for funding for climate and sustainability research through the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and other federal research agencies. For example, our advocacy one-pager for DOE research mentions a grant to Daniel Segre on sustainable energy as a reason policymakers should bolster the DOE Office of Science budget. This advocacy occurs each year during Congressional consideration of the appropriations bills which determine federal agency budgets.


International advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
No

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

Optional Fields 

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

None
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:

National Level: http://www.bu.edu/federal/files/2016/12/BU-Energy.pdf This represents FY2023 BU Metrics.


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.