New Mexico State University
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

To be considered as sustainably-oriented a class must educate students on any or all of the following: 1. Technical: learning processes for sustainable actions (i.e., learning how needs are met in sustainable food production) 2. Cultural: learning about cultures around the world and connecting globally to benefit societies around the world (i.e., US and Mexico border relations and food production and water issues) 3. Management: learning management skills related to sustainability 4. Integration of multiple skills: using interdisciplinary skills learned from various departments across the college (i.e., integrating natural and social sciences, analytical methods, and critical reasoning skills to evaluate water resource issues) 5. Economics: all layers of sustainability must include the economics of keeping environmental systems alive (i.e., theoretical environmental, ecological, and natural resource economics that teaches students cost-benefit and financial analysis including environmental impacts and issues in the analysis)

As an agriculture and engineering college we have a great number of classes related to the environment, sustainability, food production, and policy with many that are truly focused on these issues. Four years ago a diverse committee of faculty went through the class catalogue and compiled our list of sustainably-oriented classes, whether focused or related. The group reviewed the class listing and determined whether it met the requirements of social responsibility, economics, global food issues, as well as cultural programs, particularly because we are so close to the border and NMSU focuses on the sociology and economics of border topics, where sustainability is of great concern. Some courses covered all the above criteria and some met only one. This did not eliminate it from our list but placed it on the sustainability-related class listing.