| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 45.14 |
| Liaison | Kristina Hope |
| Submission Date | Feb. 2, 2024 |
Knox College
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 1.00 |
Kristina
Hope Director of Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of sustainability culture?:
Which of the following best describes the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered::
A brief description of how and when the cultural assessment(s) were developed and/or adopted:
Students in Intro to Environmental Science created a survey on sustainble eating and waste to get an understanding of how this matters to most students.
We also have worked with an older version of a sustainability survey to gather some baseline data of interest in sustainability to determine what people know about campus sustainability initiatives as well as individuals' sustainability behaviors and/or beliefs. Questions listed campus sustainability resources/programs and basic sustainability behaviors that we promote. These similar surveys were given in 2015, revised in 2018, and then again in 2022.
A copy or sample of the questions related to sustainability culture:
A sample of the questions related to sustainability culture or the website URL where the assessment tool is available:
We used the previous surveys to compare results.
Please indicate which of the following statements best describes your level of interest in sustainability
- I have a passion for sustainability
- I have considerable interest in sustainability
- I am neither interested nor disinterested in sustainability (neutral)
- I have little interest in sustainability
- I have no interest in sustainability
Of the following sustainability programs implemented by Knox College, which programs did you already know existed before taking this survey?
- Alumni Hall and Whitcomb Art Center earned LEED gold for being built as high-performing buildings
- At the end of each year the “There is no Away” campaign collects gently-used items for the campus Share Shop
- The Sustainability Fund is comprised of a per semester activity fee each student pays and all students can propose ways to use the funds for on-campus improvements
- “Non-traditional” recycling bins across campus to collect items such as toothbrushes, empty deodorant containers, foil-lined snack bags, batteries, electronics, and more
Of the following, which did you know was an example of sustainable practices before taking this survey?
- Powering down electrical devices when not using them for more than 15 minutes
- Reporting building issues to Facilities Services for repair
- Using a refillable cup/bottle for water, coffee, soda, and other drinks
- Putting on a sweater instead of turning up the heat or using a space heater
A brief description of how representative samples were reached (if applicable) and how the cultural assessment is administered:
The Sustainability staff tabled outside of the cafeteria during the lunch and dinner times for a week during Earth month. Students were asked to participate in the survey. The location and timing plus the in-person request, provides the best chance for a representative sample of campus to participate. The survey was a laminated single sheet of paper that students filled out in person at the table (not taken away and turned in later) and was reused after data was recorded.
A brief summary of results from the cultural assessment:
The results show that most students are interested in sustainability issues (I have a passion for sustainability -20%; I have considerable interest in sustainability - 58%. Only 15% were neutral or didn't answer. And 2% stated that they have little interest in sustainability and no one indicated that they have no interest in sustainability. Of the 4 sustainability behaviors the survey asked about, the majority of students previously knew about these general behaviors, but some more than others; the spread was 51-96%. Of the 4 sustainability programs listed, more than 40-50% of students responded that they didn't know 3 of them existed. One was known, but only by 56% of respondents. These results provided valuable feedback on how we share information.
Website URL where information about the assessment of sustainability culture is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.