Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	75.28
Liaison	Yumiko Jakobcic
Submission Date	March 3, 2023

STARS v2.2

Grand Valley State University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	2.00 / 2.00	Yumiko Jakobcic Campus Sustainability Coordinator Office of Sustainability Practices

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Local advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:

Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:

GVSU has been collaborating with Allendale Township to consider a county-wide Environmental Sustainability Center on GVSU's Allendale campus. If built, the center would provide a “drop-off location for recycling and hard to recycle items” for county residents, including GVSU and local apartment complexes. It would also serve as a “hub” for the county’s existing recycling centers, located in Holland, Grand Haven, Coopersville and Georgetown Township. County commissioners will vote whether to approve a grant proposal for $1 million from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, with a $250,000 match from the county:

https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/news/politics/county/2023/03/08/commissioners-ok-parks-grant-applications-wait-on-recycling-center-grant/69977889007/

Regional advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:

Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:

GVSU's Annis Water Resource Institute has been involved with public policy related to the great lakes. It recently hosted US Senator Gary Peters, a member of the Senate Great Lakes Taskforce and has hosted government officials to share progress on restoration and remediation efforts:

https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnext/2022/awri-hosts-us-senator-gary-peters-on-tour-of-muskegon-lake.htm and

https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnext/2022/awris-work-helps-muskegon-lake-reach-pivotal-milestone.htm

AWRI and the Cell & Molecular Biology department also collaborated with the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to use "digital droplet Polymerase Chain Reaction" or ddPCR methodology to measure COVID-19 in wastewater:

https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnext/2020/grand-valley-partnership-testing-to-provide-public-health-experts-with-data-about-potential-covid-19-hotspots.htm

National advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:

Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:

GVSU participates on the Great Lakes Advisory Board, which serves to provide advice and recommendations on matters related to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and the implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada:

https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnext/2020/epa-administrator-wheeler-announces-re-establishment-of-great-11566.htm

A list of policies recommended to the EPA can be found here: https://www.glri.us/sites/default/files/glab_final_report_april_6_2022_0.pdf

These policies are to support the United States participation in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada.

International advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:

Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:

GVSU's Annis Water Resource Institute participates in the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup which is a campaign to take action on the plastics pollution problem in the United States and Canada: https://www.greatlakesplasticcleanup.org/

GVSU is listed as a collaborator here https://www.greatlakesplasticcleanup.org/partners and related policy communication and engagement begin on page 18 of this report: https://www.greatlakesplasticcleanup.org/_files/ugd/30c05b_b0092bccae06412a939f00ee366878ec.pdf which includes support for Bill 228 https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-228

Optional Fields

A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):

GVSU also hosts Democracy 101: A Series of Critical Conversations
This series of co-curricular lectures, panel discussions and workshops focuses on the idea and practice of democracy. We welcome faculty, staff, students and community partners to present. Topics include student activism, how to run for office, the history of social movements, democratic values, the idea of commons, student civic development, the role of media in a democracy, how to organize for social change, and more!

https://www.gvsu.edu/service/democracy-101-a-series-of-critical-conversations-181.htm

None

A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):

This activity is forbidden by state and federal law.

Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:

http://www.gvsu.edu/sustainability

Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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