Oberlin College
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

Oberlin College follows a general definition that is derived from the widely-cited 1983 Brundtland Commission of the U.N. definitions of sustainable development, which defines sustainability as: “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Oberlin recognizes three dimensions of sustainable systems (e.g. institutions, communities, regions, countries etc.). They must be: environmentally sound, socially just, & economically viable. A consideration of the intersection between these dimensions is fundamental to both assessment and promotion of sustainability. In accordance with the definition provided above, general criteria will be used to identify sustainability-related and focused courses in the Oberlin curriculum and additional criteria will be used to distinguish between these two categories. Sustainability-related Courses meet the general criteria and are consistent with at least one of these approaches: • Focus significantly on the intersection of at least two dimensions of sustainability; • Focus principally on one dimension of sustainability but explicitly and regularly relate this dimension to the other dimensions; • Focus a significant sub-theme, module, major course assignment, significant project or service-learning experience on the concept of sustainability.; Sustainability-focused Courses meet the general criteria and either: • Concentrate centrally on the concept of sustainability, including all three dimensions; • Focus on examining an issue or topic using sustainability as a lens.

The Committee on Environmental Sustainability and Office of Environmental Sustainability sent a survey to members of the faculty.The Office of Environmental Sustainability examined the course catalog to find any additional courses.