| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.71 |
| Liaison | Christie-Joy Hartman |
| Submission Date | Sept. 13, 2024 |
James Madison University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.67 / 2.00 |
Abram
Kaufman Energy Conservation and Sustainability Manager Facilities Management Engineering & Sustainability |
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:
IIHHS staff have visited legislators at the Virginia General Assembly related to two major issues in Jan 2024.
-We joined staff from other Area Health Education Center (AHEC) regions to educate legislators about the important work of the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority in supporting AHEC. A key purpose of AHEC is to provide increased access to care for underserved individuals and communities through academic and community partnerships.
-Staff also participated with the Virginia Community Health Workers Association to talk about the importance of maintaining and growing commitments and support for the CHW workforce, many of whom are BIPOC and effective agents to promote health navigation and access to underserved communities.
-Staff also participated with Health Families Virginia to educate legislators about the importance of early home visiting for families with children 0 to 5. This is especially important in rural communities where families can be more isolated and resources to support them are not as easily found as in urban centers.
JMU is a member of Campus Compact. For 2023-24, the Campus Compact planned a new public policy agenda to build awareness of and advocacy for the public purposes of higher education. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uywh3OiD38 Also, Campus Compact leaders contributed to a guide to inform state policymakers as they address the complexities of preparing students for college, career and civic life. The State Civic Education Policy Framework: A Guide for Policymakers captures the expertise and recommendations of meeting participants and is informed by leading research on civic education. https://compact.org/news/state-civic-education-policy-framework-a-guide-for-policymakers
The Virginia Municipal Stormwater Association (VAMSA) brings together over 70 proactive local governments and leading stormwater consulting firms to work for clean water and safe infrastructure in Virginia based on sound science and good public policy (http://www.vamsa.org/). JMU and several other universities are active members (http://www.vamsa.org/membership/). VAMSA’s primary goals are to provide a venue for local governments to share knowledge on stormwater management regulation; to establish and maintain good working relationships with state and federal officials; to encourage the establishment of sound policy relating to stormwater management; and to assist in the development of laws, regulations and policies based on good science and technology and sound management practices. To these ends, VAMSA is actively involved with state policy makers on every major stormwater issue in Virginia critical to effective management of stormwater systems. (http://www.vamsa.org/accomplishments/)
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
VAMSA information from Abram Kaufman, Energy Conservation and Sustainability Manager
IIHHS information from Dr. Linda Plitt-Donaldson, Director, IIHHS. The IIHHS work was conducted to convey data and findings from IIHHS personnel.
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.