Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 52.66
Liaison Logan Plaisted
Submission Date Aug. 1, 2011
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.0

Illinois Institute of Technology
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Peggy Murphy
Assistant Director
Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research, IIT
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution developed a definition of sustainability in the curriculum?:
Yes

A copy of the institution's definition of sustainability in the curriculum?:

The IIT task force for sustainability in education developed the following definition for sustainability. It was not designed to describe the development of making course material in addressing sustainability. Rather, it is a definition surrounding concepts that should be considered for integration in curriculum surrounding sustainability:

"Sustainability" (in the sense used here) is short for "sustainable development". Development is the improvement of the human condition overall; sustainability (in a narrower sense) implies achieving that improvement in ways not precluding any future generation doing the same. There are, then, at least three aspects of sustainability so understood:

1. Technological: Meeting human demand for natural resources (including air and water), industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, communication, pleasure, effective waste management, and the like, while protecting environmental quality. Development that damages the natural or social environment is not sustainable.

2. Social: Carrying on technological development in ways that improve, or at least do not worsen, the lives of those economically or otherwise disadvantaged, present or future. Development that increases poverty, oppression, or injustice is not sustainable.

3. Intergenerational: Carrying on technological development in ways that leave all future generations opportunities for development at least as good as the present generation has. Development that achieves success today at the expense of tomorrow is not sustainable.


Has the institution identified its sustainability-focused and sustainability-related course offerings?:
Yes

A brief description of the methodology the institution followed to complete the inventory:

IIT offers an array of course offerings focused on or related to sustainability. Staff at the Wanger Institute of Sustainable Energy Research (WISER) and select university staff went through and developed a list of classes that falls into either focused or related criteria based on the definition of sustainability in the curriculum.


Does the institution make its sustainability course inventory publicly available online?:
Yes

The website URL where the sustainability course inventory is posted:
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.