Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 52.10
Liaison Ciara Tennis
Submission Date Jan. 11, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Eastern Connecticut State University
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 8.00 / 8.00 Stephen Nathan
Environmental Earth Science Professor
Environmental Earth Science
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Number of students who graduated from a program that has adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome:
1,200

Total number of graduates from degree programs:
1,200

A copy of the list or inventory of degree, diploma or certificate programs that have sustainability learning outcomes:
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A list of degree, diploma or certificate programs that have sustainability learning outcomes:

The below list was created using 'Learning Outcomes' available from the Academic Affairs website: http://www1.easternct.edu/academicaffairs/files/2014/04/learningoutcomes.pdf

Only the learning outcomes from each department that include sustainability as a learning outcome were listed.
* Accounting - Develop civic responsibility through community service.
* Biochemistry - Develop a broad range of basic scientific knowledge which is of critical importance in view of new scientific discoveries and achievement. Demonstration of achievement in advanced scientific coursework. Performance on standardized assessment examinations. Development of outstanding laboratory skills. Development of superior quantitative analysis skills. Ability to express scientific information in both verbal and written forms to colleagues, superiors, and general public. Aptitude writing Scientific Journal Style Laboratory reports.
* Biology - Complete comprehensive course curriculum in ecology/population biology. Develop competence in techniques used in field and laboratory work. Demonstrate ability to use scientific instruments and equipment via relevant hands-on lab and field experiences.
* Business - Develop and foster ethical decision making skills and behaviors. Practice multicultural and international awareness.
* Communication - Ethical applications: Make ethical evaluations and act upon those evaluations within the context of various exigencies of the field of communication. Take part in pre-professional experience through service learning, political activity, civic engagement and co-op service to the community. Global or International Perspectives: Offers an awareness and understanding of the global nature of issues or with an international perspective through an understanding of society and culture distinct from their own. Diverse perspectives: The curriculum incorporates diverse view points, experiences, and cultures and promotes an enlightened understanding.
* Economics - To be able to understand the working of the market economy and the role of government in the economy.
* Education - Students are able to formulate learning goals and objectives based upon community curriculum goals, and theories of human development and to plan and implement instructional activities which foster individual and collective inquiry, critical thinking, and problem solving to facilitate learning for all students in a safe and nurturing environment. Students must also ensure continuous intellectual, social, ethical and physical development of the new learner.
* English - Read analytically and engage intelligently with primary sources: Student contradicts, compromises, or agrees with primary sources or with situations in the primary source bu suggesting alternative views of resolutions.
* Environmental Earth Science - Identify and analyze applied geoscience problems. Use standard techniques to observe maps and describe bedrock characteristics and surface topography. Understand the relevance of applied geosciences to society. Identify geoscience applications that currently or potentially may impact human health and welfare. Qualitatively analyze impacts of geoscience applications on society. Correctly carryout quantitative analysis of the impact of geoscience applications on society.
* First Year Program - Develop multicultural awareness: Appreciate cultural, religious, racial, and sexual orientation differences. Understand how a persons culture influences his/her view of the world. Become familiar with the Windham/Willimantic Community, perform volunteer community work.
* History - Historical literacy - understanding the diversity of historical experience and the fundamental principles of historical understanding, locate places on a world map.
* Labor Relations and Human Resource Management - The Labor Relations and Human Resources Management Program provides students with an interdisciplinary course of study that is firmly grounded in the liberal arts. Students will demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate issues related to work and the employment relationship, and discuss these topics in both historic and contemporary contexts in the U.S. and globally. Students will also demonstrate an understanding of economics, business, sociological, and psychological theories and evidence about labor and the workplace.
* Music - Global perspectives in music history. Demonstrate an understanding of the issues associated with historical and or socio-cultural research.
* Organizational Management - Students will be able to understand and apply current management research and theoretical frameworks and they will be able to conduct original and secondary research into management topics. Students will develop their capacities to use critical, creative, analytical and statistical thinking.
* Political Science - Knowledge of the workings of political systems (domestic and international) with regard to institutions and inputs.
* Psychology - Students will respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and scientific approaches to solve problems.
* Social Work - Graduates will value human rights, social and economic justice, and the richness that diversity brings to the human condition.
* Sociology - Students will understand the internal diversity of American society, the interrelationships between individuals and society, appreciate how social interaction and the self influences society and social structure.
* Sports and Leisure Management - Including principles of leadership, planning and management.
* Theater - Pathways to leadership: Leadership roles in performance/research areas.


A list or sample of the sustainability learning outcomes associated with degree, diploma or certificate programs (if not included in an inventory above):

Specific learning outcomes from an example sustainability focused course at Eastern: "By the end of the course, students should (be able to):
1, Define sustainability and determine if a form of energy is sustainable;
2, Understand the cause and effects of Climate Change, e.g., global warming, sea level rise;
3, Know the difference between electric power and electric energy, and how the former is produced;
4, Define efficiency (i.e., power out divided by power in);
5, Outline the fundamentals of nuclear power and the two types of nuclear power plants;
6, Explain the workings of wind power and solar power (photovoltaics and solar collectors);
7, Describe the basics of oil and gas consumption, resources, and their environmental/societal impact;
8, Explain the interrelationships between transportation, energy consumption and air pollution;
9, Understand the significance of public policy and sustainable energy;
10, Understand the interrelationships between primary energy, CO2 and climate change; and
11, Explain the impact of their personal lifestyle upon the environment.

Discipline specific skills - By the end of the course, students should be able to:
1, Calculate the efficiency of any (sustainable) energy source (i.e., power out divided by power in);
2, Calculate the pay-back period for any sustainable energy system;
3, Read and critically analyze any energy topic presented/published in the media;
4, Know specific actions that they as individuals can take to lead more sustainable lives."


The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability learning outcomes is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Information for this credit was input by Steve Nathan from Environmental Earth Science. In conducting faculty surveys in addition to reviewing the current learning outcomes document that is available through the Office of Academic Affairs it was decided that students will receive sustainability related learning outcomes through 27 of 28 programs. Please see the link here to this document: http://www1.easternct.edu/academicaffairs/files/2014/04/learningoutcomes.pdf


Information for this credit was input by Steve Nathan from Environmental Earth Science. In conducting faculty surveys in addition to reviewing the current learning outcomes document that is available through the Office of Academic Affairs it was decided that students will receive sustainability related learning outcomes through 27 of 28 programs. Please see the link here to this document: http://www1.easternct.edu/academicaffairs/files/2014/04/learningoutcomes.pdf

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.