San Jose State University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

SJSU's Community and Government Relations team lead the University’s interactions with City and County leadership. Cultivating a stronger relationship means that both sides are able to maximize economic development, attract and retain top talent, and celebrate the vibrancy that comes with a large college community. We facilitate meetings, events, and introductions. SJSU Facilities and Sustainability staff work closely with city and county government officials to take a holistic approach to managing local water, energy, and waste infrastructure such as expanding the recycled water infrastructure that will serve the campus and the surrounding community. This close communication ensures that local policy is created with the university in mind and that key university stakeholders participate in the local policy-making process. Some key areas that the university participates in include the Center for Community Learning and Leadership, CommUniversity, Beyond Sparta, and SJSU votes. For more information, see the link below: https://www.sjsu.edu/cgr/government-relations/local-relations.php

The California State University (CSU) participates in public policy through open dialogue with the State Relations & Advocacy Office which advocates through lobbying efforts on behalf of the CSU system. The CSU’s Advocacy and State Relations (ASR) team monitors all sustainability legislation that impacts the CSU specifically. It also participates in state-wide advocacy on issues, such as climate change policy, energy efficiency, water resources and other utility issues that impact the operation and physical facilities. ASR and the Chancellor’s Office also work with the Governor’s Offices and are members of the Direct Access Customer Coalition (DACC) and the Alliance for Retail Markets advocacy groups to advocate for the best interest of the CSU on energy and sustainability efforts. The CSU provides public comment, meets with legislative staff, and testifies at budget subcommittee hearings in order to express CSU support for regulatory initiatives and activities related to carbon emission reductions and climate resiliency. The CSU’s advocacy, in collaboration with the Board of Trustees, work to ensure diverse stakeholders are represented and considered in decision-making processes. In Calendar Year 2022, CSU engaged on two (2) bills pertaining to sustainability-related with the state legislature: SB 155: Public resources trailer bill, contains historic infusions of funding for public resource projects, including wildfire & forest resilience, water & drought, climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, and energy. Press article: Governor Newsom Signs Climate Action Bills, Outlines Historic $15 Billion Package to Tackle the Climate Crisis and Protect Vulnerable Communities | California Governor This Department of Finance memo includes charts summarizing the specific funding amounts and state departments involved: Budget Summary (ca.gov) AB 2232: School facilities: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, requires a covered school, and request the University of California, to ensure that its HVAC system meets the minimum ventilation rates in effect at the time the building permit for installation of that HVAC system was issued. The bill would also require a covered school, and request the University of California, to install filtration that achieves specified minimum efficiency reporting values (MERV) levels, determined by the school to be feasible with the existing HVAC system, as provided. The bill would require, upon the next triennial update of the California Building Standards Code, the California Building Standards Commission and the Division of the State Architect to research, develop, and propose for adoption mandatory standards for carbon dioxide monitors in classrooms of a covered school and the University of California. By imposing new duties on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The CSU wrote letters, met with legislative staff, and testified at budget subcommittee hearings in order to express the CUS's support for strong research funding for projects related to climate change. The CSU’s work in collaboration with the Board of Trustees when adopting new policies to ensure that all stakeholders are considered when making decisions in regards to the implementation of system-wide sustainability. The California State University Board of Trustees adopted a comprehensive Sustainability Policy for the first time in 2014.

The Community and Government Relations team engages with federal relations and actively cultivates relationships with the White House, Members of Congress (locally and in Washington, D.C.), federal agency staff, and higher education advocacy organizations in order to further SJSU’s mission. CGR federal relations also advocates for a federal budget and regulatory flexibility that enhances and reflects SJSU’s research goals, as well as legislative and policy priorities that promote the success of our students, faculty, staff, and the greater SJSU community. Some of their current priorities include: doubling the maximum Pell Grant award, increasing research funding at NSF, NASA, NIH, and other federal agencies, support for undocumented students, investing in the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)and Work-Study programs, and many more initiatives. For a full list of the university's involvement, see the link below: https://www.sjsu.edu/cgr/government-relations/federal-relations.php

The CSU has 29 centers and institutes dedicated to environmental and energy issues – with many more dedicated to food and water studies. The combined capacity of 23 campuses supports the CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology, the CSU Agricultural Research Institute and the CSU Water Resources & Policy Initiatives. Such initiatives help the CSU partner with government agencies and industry, raise awareness on careers, and provide a base to commercialize new ideas.

As a publicly-funded institution, this is not applicable.