Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.47
Liaison Daryl Pierson
Submission Date March 30, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Portland State University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Amanda Wolf
Program + Assessment Coordinator
Campus Sustainability Office
"---" 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:

-PSU advocates for increased alternative transportation modes and has been very successful in bringing improved MAX light rail service to campus and works with the Portland Bureu of Transportation (PBOT) and advocates for alternative transportation modes.

-Staff from PSU sits on the Bicylce Advisory Board, advocating for increased bicycle infrastructure to and from campus.

-PSU is involved with they city's efforts to monitor and improve commercial building energy use.

-Staff form PSU sat on the Central City 2035 Advisory Committee. This committee helped develop a plan for the City of Portland's Central city (where PSU is located) that focused on sustainability development in the central city.

-Staff from PSU sits on the SW Downtown Neighborhood Association and advocates for sustainable development

-The PSU Northwest Economic Research Center conducted and economic analysis comparing the costs and benefits of building deconstruction versus building demolition in Portland. The goal of the this project was to categorize, quantify,and analyze these costs benefits, and impacts in a comprehensive and ubiased manner. Their work informed a 2016 city policy decision to require deconstruction for homes building in 1916 or earlier.

-PSU class is focusing on the issue of sustainable food purchasing in Portland by conducting research and making recommendation for a new climate-friendly purchasing city policy.


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:

-PSU advocates at the state level for sustainable development, funding for building improvements, and funding for energy efficiency projects on campus.

-ASPSU advocates at the state level for lower tuition and lower fees


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:

-In 2015, PSU was a founding signatory of Second Nature's Climate Commitment, combining a focus on carbon emissions mitigation and planning for resiliency

-In 2016, President signed a letter to new White House Administration urging continued attention and action on the issue of Climate Change

-PSU has been designated as a sanctuary campus, reaffirming our commitment to our diverse student population including DACA students


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:

President signed a joint letter fall 2016 urging support for the Paris Climate Agreement

PSU is part of the Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes advocating for sustainable solutions across the globe.


A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
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A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.