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

STARS v2.1

Cornell University
EN-10: Community Partnerships

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Gary Stewart
Director of Community Relations
Department of Government and Community Relations
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Ways of Knowing: Indigenous and Place-Based Ecological Knowledge

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Short-term project or event

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus?:
The partnership simultaneously supports social equity and wellbeing, economic prosperity, and ecological health

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners in strategic planning, decision-making, implementation and review? (Yes, No, or Not Sure):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability, including website URL (if available) and information to support each affirmative response above:

Based on indigenous and place-based “ways of knowing,” this course (1) presents a theoretical and humanistic framework from which to understand generation of ecological knowledge; (2) examines processes by which to engage indigenous and place-based knowledge of natural resources, the nonhuman environment, and human-environment interactions; and (3) reflects upon the relevance of this knowledge to climatic change, resource extraction, food sovereignty, medicinal plant biodiversity, and issues of sustainability and conservation. The fundamental premise of this course is that human beings are embedded in their ecological systems.


Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Agriculture, Food, Sustainability and Social Justice

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
The partnership simultaneously supports social equity and wellbeing, economic prosperity, and ecological health

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners in strategic planning, decision-making, implementation and review? (2nd partnership) (Yes, No, or Not Sure):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability, including website URL (if available) and information to support each affirmative response above (2nd partnership):

How is our food produced: where, by whom and under what conditions? What are the major trends and drivers of the agriculture and food system? How has our agriculture and food system changed over time? What are some of the environmental, social, nutritional and health implications of our food system? In this course we will use a sociological perspective to examine the social, political, economic and environmental aspects of agriculture and food. We will consider the historical background to our food and agricultural system, and will look at different agriculture and food issues in the Global North and South. We will also examine examples of alternative agriculture and food approaches and concepts, such as food sovereignty, agroecology, food justice, fair trade and community-supported agriculture, all of which attempt to support more sustainable, socially equitable agriculture and food systems. Engaged, critical learning is encouraged, including regular field trips for hands-on learning, guest speakers and films as well as discussions and lecture-based classes.


Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Student-Community Partnerships in Ecuador

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Short-term project or event

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (3rd partnership):
The partnership simultaneously supports social equity and wellbeing, economic prosperity, and ecological health

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners in strategic planning, decision-making, implementation and review? (3rd partnership) (Yes, No, or Unknown):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability, including website URL (if available) and information to support each affirmative response above (3rd partnership):

The class will expose students to a community that has rejected the prospect of open-pit mining, and instead attempted to create an alternative model of development focusing on artisan cooperatives, conservation initiatives, and sustainable agriculture. A series of guest lecturers from a wide range of disciplines will contextualize the case-study by addressing issues of sustainable development, community-based conservation, and resistance to extractive industries. Students will communicate directly with practitioners in Ecuador during the Fall semester and develop projects with their practitioners. Students will be able to choose between three topics: Design and Marketing for Artisanal Women’s Groups, Agroforestry and Ecoagriculture for a Shade-Grown Coffee Cooperative, and Ecological Conservation and Reserve Management for a local conservation.


A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:

Cornell is involved in many sustainability initiatives with local, state, and global communities. The Office of Engagement Initiatives and The Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future are two important leaders at Cornell in providing support for community, sustainability initiatives.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.