| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 62.47 |
| Liaison | Kara Holmstrom |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Luther College
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Jim
Martin-Schramm Professor of Religion Religion |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
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, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
Luther has offered some ideas and remarks to the planning and zoning commissions of both the City of Decorah and the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors regarding draft zoning regulations and restrictions regarding the siting of renewable energy systems.
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, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
Luther College has advocated repeatedly for public policies related to the growth of renewable energy in Iowa. More specifically, Luther College and Luther College Wind Energy Project, LLC have jointly responded on several occasions over the past two and a half years to invitations from the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) to address various public policy questions regarding the growth of "distributed generation" in the State of Iowa.
Much of Luther's advocacy in the IUB docket NOI-2014-0001 has supported Iowa's net metering policy because this key policy has enabled substantial investment in renewable energy systems in Iowa. Luther has encouraged the IUB to increase the cap on the size of systems that are eligible for net metering. Luther has also proposed expanding net metering to virtual net metering, which would make it possible for Iowans to invest in community solar gardens rather than in systems on their own property. Luther has also countered claims by utilities in Iowa that net metering results in an unfair cross-subsidization of renewable energy by those who do not own eligible distributed generation systems. In response, Luther has encouraged the IUB to conduct an extensive Value of Solar study.
Luther has also hosted local, state, and federal elected officials to tour Luther's significant investments in wind and solar power and to learn more about the key policies that enabled these investments. Iowa's Lieutenant Governor, Kim Reynolds, and Luther's congressional representative, Rod Blum, both participated in such tours in the past year.
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, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
Luther has also worked in close partnership with the Winneshiek Energy District to submit funding proposals to the federal government to support investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy on campus, in Decorah, and throughout Winneshiek County.
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, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
In 2014 the Luther College President wrote to Senator Tom Harkin to urge him to restore the $30 million reduction to the Fulbright Program in the Department of State's Fiscal Year 2015 budget request. For Iowa students and scholars, the Fulbright program opens the world and empowers them to engage in the kinds of cultural exchange and mutual understanding that is vital to our state and our nation. Over the years, the benefits of the Fulbright Program to Luther College have been tremendous, assisting us in fulfilling our mission to provide students the kind of learning that moves us beyond immediate interests and present knowledge into a larger world. In just the past few years, our graduates and faculty have been awarded Fulbright grants to study, work, and teach in countries around the world, from Ecuador to Turkey, Senegal, Malaysia, Montenegro, Egypt, Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, Columbia, and more. The benefits of their contributions in those cultures and to increasing U.S. understanding of these cultures are enormous, providing leadership to confront pressing global issues at home and abroad.
In February 2017 Luther College President Paula Carlson signed onto letters to Senators Grassley and Ernst requesting their support and co-sponsorship of the Bridge Act to extend the safety and security of DACA to undocumented students.
In January 2017 Luther College President Paula Carlson signed onto an American Council on Education letter to Secretary of Homeland Security, John Kelly following the January 27th executive order.
Optional Fields
---
None
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
---
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
---
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Information about local, regional and state policy initiatives from Jim Martin-Schramm.
Information about federal policy from Terry Sparkes.
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.