| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 75.88 |
| Liaison | Deborah Steinberg |
| Submission Date | Dec. 17, 2024 |
Carnegie Mellon University
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Madison
Speck Post Doctoral Fellow Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of sustainability culture?:
Which of the following best describes the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered::
A brief description of how and when the cultural assessment(s) were developed and/or adopted:
Assessment questions were developed by a working group of the Sustainability Initiative with guidance from Institutional Research and Analysis staff to gauge awareness, communication, and engagement of the campus community with campus sustainability programs. A set of guiding research questions were established and translated into survey quesitons to be answer by students, faculty, and staff. The assessment was developed during the 2023-2024 academic year and distributed in fall of 2024.
A copy or sample of the questions related to sustainability culture:
A sample of the questions related to sustainability culture or the website URL where the assessment tool is available:
Sample culture questions include:
Of the following, which did you already know existed before taking this survey?
- In 2015, all countries agreed to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the Global Goals or SDGs, by 2030.
- The 17 Sustainable Development Goals include 169 targets and 232 indicators.
- In 2019, Carnegie Mellon University committed to the Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the Global Goals or SDGs.
- In 2020, Carnegie Mellon was the first university in the world to conduct a Voluntary University Review of the Sustainable Development Goals, and now publishes annual updates.
- The Sustainability Studio, located in Hunt Library, is a space that unites the university to further our commitment to sustainability; a place for resources and guidance, it’s a designated area for connection, discussion, and collaboration across disciplines.
- Since 2020, the Sustainability Initiative has been compiling information for three online dashboards that address the Global Goals through practices, education, and research.
Indicate to what extent you do the following:
- Bring my own reusable mug to campus cafes
- Buy non-food products from local, independent businesses
- Consciously conserve water (i.e. turn off water when brushing teeth)
- Finish all the food received from campus dining locations
- Sort waste into the appropriate campus bins: paper recycling, bottle and can recycling, compost, or landfill
- Turn off lights when leaving a room
- Use the shuttle, walk, bike, or other alternative transportation methods (no single-rider cars)
Have you ever participated in the following:
- An event in the Sustainability Studio.
- An event related to the Sustainable Development Goals organized by your unit or department.
- A lecture organized or sponsored by the Sustainability Initiative.
- A class project related to the Sustainable Development Goals.
- A research project related to the Sustainable Development Goals
- A program or event hosted by CMU Green Practices
- A program or event hosted by the Student Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
How likely are you to participate in sustainability-related opportunities on campus this academic year?
How do you prefer to receive information from Carnegie Mellon about sustainability programs or events?
A brief description of how representative samples were reached (if applicable) and how the cultural assessment is administered:
A brief summary of results from the cultural assessment:
Awareness
The first survey question provided students with six items and asked them “which did you already know before taking this survey?” Only one item, "in 2015, all countries agreed to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the Global Goals or SDGs, by 2030.” had 50% of students (n=1404) claim that they already knew. The remaining five items had 33% or fewer respondants say that they already knew before taking the survey, meaning they were not aware of this statement until reading the survey.
Communication
Of 930 respondents, only 9% reported ever using the online dashboards that address the Global Goals. students were also asked about what types of sustainability information they would like to know more about. They were able to select all that applied. The top three selections were “tips for sustainable living” (61%), then “Sustainability Initiative programs and initiatives” (54%), and “Green Practices programs and initiatives” (52%).
Engagement
The survey also inquired about the likelihood of students participating in sustainability-related opportunities on campus in the upcoming academic year. The majority of students reported that they are somewhat likely (37%) or a little bit likely (33%). The remaining students shared that they are very likely or not at all likely at 17% and 13%, respectively.
Optional Fields
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.