Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.84
Liaison Lisa Kilgore
Submission Date Feb. 27, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Cornell University
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.36 / 8.00 Mark Lawrence
Communications Mgr
ACSF
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total number of graduates from degree programs (i.e. majors, minors, concentrations, certificates, and other academic designations):
7,064

Number of students that graduate from programs that have adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome:
2,082

Percentage of students who graduate from programs that have adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome:
29.47

Do the figures reported above cover one, two, or three academic years?:
One

Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the institution level (e.g. covering all students)?:
No

Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the division level (e.g. covering particular schools or colleges within the institution)?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the institution level or division level sustainability learning outcomes:

Four of Cornell’s undergraduate colleges and one of Cornell’s graduate schools include sustainability in their learning outcomes.

The sections of the learning outcomes of Cornell’s Colleges that include sustainability are mentioned below. Each Learning outcome also includes a link to the college’s page where these outcomes are mentioned.

Learning Outcomes by College
https://provost.cornell.edu/assessment/learning-outcomes/

(1) Human Ecology (https://www.human.cornell.edu/admissions/mission)
Undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes
Human Ecology students achieve the following key learning outcomes through the general education requirements, the specialized requirements of the student's chosen major, and the co-curricular programs offered by the College and the University.
1. Apply multi-disciplinary perspectives: Identify complex interactions between individuals and their environments; explain interactions within and between the natural, physical, and social sciences; manage diverse and changing social, technological, and material environments; collaborate across disciplines to understand and analyze issues
2. Work effectively with others: Display effective leadership and teamwork; appreciate diverse perspectives; cooperate within and across diverse groups; engage effectively with communities
3. Display commitment to ethical principles: Identify ethical and moral issues; know and adhere to ethical principles in academics, research, design, and practice; recognize conflicts of interest; attribute source materials
4. Direct own learning: Demonstrate curiosity, skepticism, objectivity; access information in a changing technological and social environment; work independently; make decisions; manage a project through to completion; use resources to address problems

(2) AAP
Architecture (https://aap.cornell.edu/academics/architecture/undergraduate/learning-outcomes)
Realm A
Critical Thinking and Representation: Architects must have the ability to build abstract relationships and understand the impact of ideas based on research and analysis of multiple theoretical, social, political, economic, cultural and environmental contexts. This ability includes facility with the wider range of media used to think about architecture including writing, investigative skills, speaking, drawing and model making. Students' learning aspirations include:
 Comprehending people, place, and context
 Recognizing the disparate needs of client, community, and society
Realm B
Integrated Building Practices, Technical Skills, and Knowledge: Architects are called upon to comprehend the technical aspects of design, systems, and materials and be able to apply that comprehension to their services. Additionally, they must appreciate their role in the implementation of design decisions and the impact of such decisions on the environment. Incorporating life safety systems
 Integrating accessibility
 Applying principles of sustainable design

(3) CALS Undergraduate Learning Outcomes (https://cals.cornell.edu/academics/advising/academic/learning-outcomes/)
Students will be able to:
• Explain, evaluate, and effectively interpret factual claims, theories and assumptions in the student’s discipline(s) (especially in one or more of the college’s priority areas of land grant-agricultural sciences, applied social sciences, environmental sciences, and/or life sciences) and more broadly in the sciences and humanities
• Find, access, critically evaluate, and ethically use information
• Respectfully articulate the views of people with diverse perspectives
• Demonstrate the capability to work both independently and in cooperation with others
• Apply concepts of sustainability to the analysis of one of more major challenges facing humans and the Earth’s resources.

(5)Cornell Engineering Learning Outcome https://www.engineering.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/departments/main%20area/pdf%20files/Fall-2017%20Cornell%20Engineering%20Handbook.pdf
Educational Objectives
College of Engineering graduates will demonstrate early in their careers an ability to:
• apply their general educational experience and specific knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to a wide variety of careers including industry, advanced engineering study, nontraditional engineering-related career paths, and graduate study.
• perform in a modern diverse working environment, working in multidisciplinary teams and communicating effectively with both professional colleagues and the public.
• lead design processes that include consideration of the impact designs have on people, societies, and the environment.
• model, analyze, and solve complex problems from a systems perspective.
• identify contemporary global issues and recognize their professional and ethical responsibility to contribute to solutions for the social, economic, and environmental challenges faced by humanity.
• engage in self-directed learning, including the pursuit of graduate study and professional development activities.

(Graduate School) Vet School
https://www.vet.cornell.edu/about-us
Our Vision: To lead, enable, and inspire others to attain a healthier world for animals and people.
Our Mission: We are dedicated to the creation, dissemination, and implementation of scientific knowledge to improve the health and well-being of animals and people. As a New York land-grant college, we achieve regional and global impact through:
Education: Employing innovative, evidence-based, learner-centered education to prepare students, veterinarians, and scientists to assume vital roles in clinical, population, and diagnostic veterinary medicine; scientific inquiry; local and global public health; and public policy
Our Values:
Compassion: Demonstrating compassionate and humane care in the treatment of all animals and people.
Equity: Promoting practices of health and well-being that are consistent across different populations, and insuring equitable access to our education, training, and services.
Stewardship: Responsibly managing and conserving environmental and financial resources, and acting with transparency.


Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the program level (i.e. majors, minors, concentrations, degrees, diplomas, certificates, and other academic designations)?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the program level sustainability learning outcomes (or a list of sustainability-focused programs):

See attached spreadsheet for undergraduate and graduate sustainability programs list. Below are the learning outcomes for programs not a part of one of the three colleges mentioned above (CALS, Engineering, Vet). See programs list: https://www.cornell.edu/academics/fields.cfm. Programs with course-level sustainability learning outcomes are discussed in the "Course Level Learning Outcomes" section of this credit.

Undergraduate:
-Agriculture and Life Sciences - CALS
-Architecture - "Architects must have the ability to build abstract relationships and understand the impact of ideas based on research and analysis of multiple theoretical, social, political, economic, cultural and environmental contexts. Students learning aspirations include: Applying principles of sustainable design & Rationalizing environmental stewardship goals across multiple systems for an integrated solution" (https://aap.cornell.edu/academics/architecture/undergraduate/learning-outcomes)
-Design & Environmental Analysis - "Identify complex interactions between individuals and their environments; explain interactions within and between the natural, physical, and social sciences; manage diverse and changing social sciences; manage diverse and changing social, technological, and material environments" (http://dea.human.cornell.edu/mission)
-Engineering - Engineering
-Science of Earth Systems - Engineering & CALS
-Science & Technology Studies - "The major in Science & Technology Studies aims to further students' understanding of the social and cultural meanings of science and technology [including] the politics of climate change" (http://sts.cornell.edu/sts-major)
-Urban & Regional Studies - "The bachelor of science degree in urban and regional studies prepares graduates to: Address urban and regional issues ethically and sustainably" (https://aap.cornell.edu/academics/crp/undergraduate/learning-outcomes)
-Agribusiness Management - CALS
-Aerospace Engineering - Engineering
-American Indian Studies - CALS
-Applied Mathematics - Engineering
-Applied Exercise Science - CALS
-Animal Science - CALS
-Biomedical Engineering - Engineering
-Biomedical Sciences - Vet
-Biological Sciences - CALS & Engineering
-Biometry & Statistics - CALS
-Dyson Business Engineers - Engineering
-Business - CALS
-Business Minor-Life Sciences - CALS
-Climate Change - CALS
-Communication - CALS
-Crop Management - CALS
-Computer Science - Engineering
-Development Sociology - CALS
-Education - CALS
-Electrical and Computer Engr - Engineering
-Engineering Management - Engineering
-Entomology - CALS
-Environmental & Resource Econ - CALS
-Environmental Sustain & Sci - CALS
-Food Science - CALS
-Game Design - Engineering
-Horticulture - CALS
-Intl Development Studies - CALS
-Intl Trade & Development - CALS
-Information Science - CALS
-Landscape Studies - CALS
-Marine Biology - CALS
-Mechanical Engineering - Engineering
-Materials Science and Engr - Engineering
-Nutrition and Health - CALS
-Operations Research & Mgmt Sci - Engineering
-Plant Breeding - CALS
-Science of Earth Systems - CALS & Engineering
-Soil Science - CALS
-Sustainable Energy Systems - Engineering
-Viticulture and Enology - CALS

Graduate:
-Aerospace Engineering - Engineering
-Agricultural Economics - CALS
-Agronomy - CALS
-American Indian & Indigenous - CALS
-American Indian Studies - CALS
-Animal Science - CALS
-Applied Economics & Management - CALS
-Applied Operations Research - Engineering
-Architectural Science - "Program objectives are (1) to afford an opportunity for students of architecture to expand their creative design potential by increasing their knowledge and understanding of environmental science and building technologies and (2) to provide a framework within which students who have graduated from other technical disciplines may explore computer science, computer graphics, and computer-aided design methods." (https://gradschool.cornell.edu/academics/fields-of-study/subject/architecture/architectural-science-ms-ithaca)
-Atmospheric Science - CALS & Engineering
-Behavioral Biology - CALS
-Biochemistry - CALS
-Biogeochemistry - CALS
-Biological&Environmental Engr - Engineering
-Biomedical Engineering - Engineering
-Biometry - CALS
-Biophysics - CALS
-Chemical Engineering - Engineering
-Civil & Environmental Engr - Engineering
-Communication - CALS
-Computational Biology - CALS
-Computational Science and Engr - Engineering
-Conserv & Sustainable Develop - CALS
-Conservation Biology - CALS
-DEA - Human Behavior & Design - "Research focuses on environmental settings across a range of scales (from products to buildings to cities), that support safe, healthy and productive behaviors and foster sustainable design and lifestyles." (http://dea.human.cornell.edu/phd-hbd)
-Design - "The M.A. in Design rests on the following basic premises: Individual and organizational behaviors are affected by the form of the environment. The users of environments are diverse and have different needs. Individual characteristics such as gender, stage in life cycle, family structure, role or task affect our environmental needs. How the goals and ideals of both the individual and the organization are translated into physical form; and what the designer's responsibility is to society." (http://dea.human.cornell.edu/m-a-design)
-Development Sociology - "the program examines a wide range of issues concerning processes and practices of social transformation both domestically and internationally, including: changes in labor markets, governance, community and civic organization, food production and distribution, migration, population patterns, environmental dynamics"(https://devsoc.cals.cornell.edu/graduate)
-Ecology - CALS
-Econ Dev Plan, Comm & Regions - "Economic development planning students acquire the analytical tools and practical skills to enable them to produce effective economic development policies and plans. They also gain perspective on sources of social inequalities and the politics of municipal finance as well as the ability to model different economic development approaches. Finally, they learn about how community and regional assets, such as those in social services as well as in the arts and culture, and can build healthy sustainable economies." (https://aap.cornell.edu/academics/crp/graduate/planning/mrp/concentrations/economic-development-planning)
-Education - CALS
-Electrical & Computer Engr - Engineering
-Electrical Engineering - Engineering
-Energy & Sustainability - CALS
-Engineering Management - Engineering
-Entomology - CALS
-Envir & Water Res Sys Engr - Engineering
-Envir Fluid Mech & Hydrology - Engineering
-Environ Information Science - CALS
-Environmental Policy - "MPA Fellows concentrating in Environmental Policy tailor their courses to gain an understanding of current economic, social, political, technical and legal issues regarding the restoration and management of our natural environment, as well as engineering, economic and legal perspectives for analyzing and formulating policy at the national, sub-national and international levels." (http://www.cipa.cornell.edu/academics/curriculum/concentrations/Environmental-Policy.cfm)
-Environmental Processes - Engineering
-Environmental Quality - Engineering
-Evolutionary Biology - CALS
-Field Crop Science - CALS
-Food Science - CALS
-Food Science & Technology - CALS
-Genetics - CALS
-Geological Sciences - CALS
-Horticultural Biology - CALS
-Human Behavior and Design - "The Ph.D. in Human Behavior and Design at Cornell University is a multidisciplinary program integrating the social sciences and design. Research focuses on environmental settings across a range of scales (from products to buildings to cities), that support safe, healthy and productive behaviors and foster sustainable design and lifestyles." (http://dea.human.cornell.edu/phd-hbd)
-Human-Environment Relations - "The M.S. in Human Environment Relations major rests on the following basic premises: Individual and organizational behaviors are affected by the form of the environment. The users of environments are diverse and have different needs. Individual characteristics such as gender, stage in life cycle, family structure, role or task affect our environmental needs." (http://dea.human.cornell.edu/human-environment-relations)
-Immunology - Vet
-International Development - CALS
-Intrnl Agric and Rural Develp - CALS
-Landscape Architecture - CALS
-Materials Science and Engr - Engineering
-Mechanical Engineering - Engineering
-Microbiology - CALS
-Molecular & Cell Biology - CALS
-Natural Resources - CALS
-Neurobiology - CALS
-Nutrition - CALS
-Operations Research - Engineering
-Opers Research & Info Engr - Engineering
-Pharmacology - CALS
-Physiology - Vet
-Plant Biology - CALS
-Plant Breeding - CALS
-Plant Pathology - CALS
-Plant Protection - CALS
-Population & Development - CALS
-Regional Science - "Investigate subjects including: Urban and regional development, Economic geography, regional interaction, and institutional systems, The environment: systems and natural resource use, Land use, spatial agglomeration, and segregation of activities" (http://aap.cornell.edu/academics/crp/graduate/regional-science)
-Risk Analy, Commun & Policy - CALS
-Rural & Envir Sociology - CALS
-Soil & Crop Sciences - CALS
-Soil Science - CALS
-State, Economy & Society - CALS
-Sustainable Energy - CALS
-Systems - Engineering
-Systems Engineering - Engineering
-Transportation Systems Engr - Engineering
-Veterinary Medicine - Vet
-Water Resources - CALS
-Zoology - Vet
-Sustainable Global Enterprise - "provides students with breadth and depth of knowledge related to the broad impact social and environmental issues present to firms across numerous industries." (http://www.johnson.cornell.edu/Center-for-Sustainable-Global-Enterprise/Students/Curriculum)
-Veterinary Medicine- Vet


Do course level sustainability learning outcomes contribute to the figure reported above (i.e. in the absence of program, division, or institution level learning outcomes)?:
No

A list or brief description of the course level sustainability learning outcomes and the programs for which the courses are required:
---

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:

The College-wide learning outcomes were used to calculate the number of students that have sustainability included in their learning outcome. The numbers were provided by the Cornell University Factbook http://irp.dpb.cornell.edu/university-factbook/graduation-and-degrees-conferred


The College-wide learning outcomes were used to calculate the number of students that have sustainability included in their learning outcome. The numbers were provided by the Cornell University Factbook http://irp.dpb.cornell.edu/university-factbook/graduation-and-degrees-conferred

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.