Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.90
Liaison Kathleen Crawford
Submission Date July 23, 2020

STARS v2.2

Florida Gulf Coast University
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Kathleen Crawford
Sustainability Coordinator
Environmental Health & Safety
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Is the institution currently a member of a national or international higher education sustainability network?:
Yes

The name of the national or international sustainability network(s):
-AASHE MEMBERSHIP
FGCU is a member of the Advancing Sustainability in Higher Education professional association which supports the advancement of sustainability in higher education by empowering higher education faculty, administrators, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders.

-NAAEE Member
As a force multiplier for environmental education, the North American Association for Environmental Education is committed to promoting excellence in the field and expanding the reach and impact of our collective work. Through signature programs, advocacy, conferences, and other activities, NAAEE works with partners across North America and beyond, to advance our mission of accelerating environmental literacy and civic engagement to create a more sustainable future.

-AFFILIATE OF THE EARTH CHARTER
FGCU is a member of The Earth Charter Initiative, whose mission is to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace.

-GREEN FAITH INTERNATIONAL
Dr. Maria Roca serves as the Chaplin for the Green Faith Spiritual Associates Program which is a global program that brings eco-theologians together in daily prayer and sharing about environmental issues. She also serves on the Green Faith International Core Team which is the advisory team for the organization. Their mission is "inspiring education, and mobilizing people of diverse religious backgrounds for environmental leadership." https://greenfaith.org/team

Does the institution actively participate in a regional, state/provincial, or local higher education sustainability network?:
Yes

The name of the regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s):
-Sustainable Florida
Sustainable Florida promotes sustainable best management practices through collaborative educational efforts throughout Florida. These efforts include convening and working with regional grassroots sustainability organizations and Florida’s colleges and universities.

-Southwest Florida Community Foundation
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation understands that working toward a more sustainable future in our region is a powerful tool in efforts to protect and enhance our quality of life. It is also true that global change starts at the local level, magnifying the importance of our success right here in Southwest Florida.

-Community Foundation of Collier County
The Community Foundation of Collier County, Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Florida Gulf Coast University and Conservancy of Southwest Florida formalized a three-year partnership to align community resources in an effort to address issues related to our region’s changing climate.

Has the institution presented at a higher education sustainability conference during the previous year?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):
This is not a comprehensive list of all sustainability-focused conference presentations FGCU faculty and staff have offered, but a few examples are:

Ted Thornhill, PhD, "We Want Black Students, Just Not You: How White Admissions Counselors Screen BlackProspective Students," 34th Annual Secondary Schools Issues Conference,University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, June 13, 2019.

Jacqueline Salmond, PhD, "Teaching Sustainable Design: Partnerships for the Future" at Paris Design Summit, (Paris, France) 2019

Jacqueline Salmond, PhD, "Using the Earth Charter to Teach Social Sustainability" at The Earth Charter Conference, (San Jose, Costa Rica) 2019

Using Games to Teach Biodiversity (poster presentation), north American Association for Environmental Education Conference, Spokane, WA (October 2018)

Jen Jones, PhD, "Climate Science on Tap: Climate Hope-Turning Angst into Action" University of Florida Thompson Earth Systems Institute (virtual event/July 2020)

Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to an external higher education sustainability resource center or awards program?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s):
AASHE 2019 Campus Sustainability Research Award Winner
Ted Thornhill from Florida Gulf Coast University for “We Want Black Students, Just Not You: How White Admissions Counselors Screen Black Prospective Students.” This research shows that white admissions counselors from historically and predominantly white institutions are more responsive to black students who present as deracialized and racially apolitical than they are to those who present a commitment to anti-racism and racial justice.

Has the institution had employees or students serving on a board or committee of a sustainability network or conference during the previous three years?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the board or committee appointment(s):
-29th Annual SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER RESOURCES CONFERENCE January 2020
The conference brings together researchers, managers, agency staff, consultants, and other interested parties to discuss ongoing technical and social research and innovative projects, to share ideas, and to increase awareness of the issues of water supply, water use efficiency, waterbody protection, watershed health, and environmental sustainability facing Florida. This conference had a 17 member steering committee which included 5 FGCU faculty members, 1 FGCU staff member. Students were also instrumental in planning and running parts of the conference like registration and organizing poster presentation sessions. https://www.swfwrc.org/

-Cela Tega 2020
"The Estero Bay is in trouble: What Citizens can do to help"
Chaired by FGCU Faculty member Dr. Nora Demers. From the conference brochure, "The program is one which should be of interest to all residents of Southwest Florida, especially to our residents who want to help effect positive change in the health of the Estero Bay Region. We have long been aware of the problems of excess nutrients in out waters. The red tide and cyanobacteria blooms of 2018 brought the issue to the forefront of our collective minds. Our beaches were littered with dead sea life; our rivers were full of a blue-green algae bloom that was releasing toxins into the environment, and likely fueling red tide even further. The economic vitality of the region is based on a healthy environment for visitors and residents alike. The need to address these problems has never been more immediate. Attendees to this conference will hear from experts in science, policy and civic engagement. Our goal is to help residents obtain the knowledge, information and skills to be a positive influence in addressing these issues."

Does the institution have an ongoing mentoring relationship with another institution through which it assists the institution with its sustainability reporting and/or the development of its sustainability program?:
Yes

A brief description of the mentoring relationship and activities:
FGCU's department of Environmental Health and Safety Worked with Florida International University's Office of University Sustainability through correspondence and providing a tour of FGCU.

Also worked with Florida Atlantic University doctoral student providing information on FGCU on a multiple site case study is to describe the campus sustainability performance at four exemplary higher education institutions,
as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) and to understand the drivers and challenges from the perspective of university leaders.

The Center for Environmental and Sustainability Education used the FGCU campus for two teacher training workshops this year:
-CESE hosted 5 teachers from School District of Lee County in a full day of water quality research training.
-CESE hosted nine teachers from Collier County School District who completed a half-day of tree coring training.

Has the institution had employees or students serving as peer reviewers of another institution’s sustainability data and/or STARS submission during the previous three years?:
No

A brief description of the peer review activities:
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A brief description of other inter-campus collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year :
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Website URL where information about the institution’s inter-campus collaborations is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.