Grand Valley State University
EN-12: Continuing Education

Part 1. Continuing education courses in sustainability

Institution’s offers continuing education courses that are sustainability-focused or sustainability-inclusive (see Standards and Terms).

Required documentation

Institution must provide an inventory conducted during the previous three years to identify its continuing education sustainability course offerings and describe for current and prospective students how each course addresses sustainability. For each course, the inventory must include:

• The title and department (or equivalent) of the course.

• A brief course description or rationale explaining why the course is included that references sustainability, the interdependence of ecological and social/economic systems, or a sustainability challenge.

Courses for which partial or incomplete information is provided may not be counted toward earning points for this credit. An institution that has developed a more refined approach to course classification may use that approach as long as it is consistent with the definitions and guidance provided.

Part 2. Sustainability-focused certificate program

Institution has at least one sustainability-focused certificate program through its continuing education or extension department (or the equivalent).

Degree-granting programs (e.g., programs that confer Baccalaureate, Masters, or Associate degrees) and certificates that are part of academic degree programs are not included in this credit; they are covered in the Curriculum subcategory.

This credit applies to institutions that have a formal continuing education or community education program (e.g., that offers courses and awards certificates).

Each part of this credit is scored independently.

Part 1

An institution earns the maximum of 3 points for Part 1 of this credit when sustainability course offerings comprise 10 or more percent of all continuing education courses offered. Incremental points are awarded based on the percentage of continuing education course offerings that are sustainability-focused or sustainability-inclusive. For example, an institution where 5 percent of all continuing education courses offered were sustainability course offerings would earn 1.5 points (half of the points available for Part 1).

Points for Part 1 are calculated automatically in the STARS Reporting Tool as follows:

Part 2

An institution earns 2 points in Part 2 of this credit for having at least one certificate program that meets the criteria outlined above. Partial points are not available for Part 2.  

Timeframe

Part 1

Report on the most recent data available from within the three years prior to the anticipated date of submission. Institutions may count course offerings from one, two, or three academic years, as long as the counts of continuing education courses and sustainability continuing education courses are drawn from the same time period.  

Part 2

Report on current program status and offerings at the time of submission.

Sampling and Data Standards

Part 1

Each institution is free to choose a methodology to identify continuing education sustainability course offerings that is most appropriate given its unique circumstances. Asking continuing education faculty and programs to self-identify courses that are sustainability-focused and sustainability-inclusive using the definitions outlined in Standards and Terms or looking at the stated learning outcomes and course objectives associated with each course may provide a richer view of sustainability course offerings than simply reviewing course descriptions, but it is not required.

To best reflect the number of opportunities community members have to learn about sustainability, it is recommended that institutions count each time a course is offered as a separate course (e.g., a course with two sections taught in the fall term and two sections taught during spring term would count as four courses). To streamline the data gathering process, however, institutions may elect to count a course with multiple offerings as a single course as long as sustainability course offerings are counted in the same way as total course offerings. For example, a course that is held twice (or if there are two sections) in the fall term and once in the spring term may be counted as 3 courses or 1 course, as long as the institution’s course counting methodology is consistent. An institution that elects not to count each time a course is offered as a separate course should verify that 50 percent or more of the sections or offerings of a course are sustainability-focused or sustainability-inclusive.

Likewise, an institution may choose whether or not to count courses that are cross-listed as separate courses. For example, a course that is cross-listed in two departments may be counted as one or two courses, as long as the institution’s methodology is consistent. Similarly, a course that is listed as both an academic course and a continuing education course may be counted in both the Academic Courses credit and this credit, as long as this is done consistently.

Part 2

Not applicable.