| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.15 |
| Liaison | Sara McIntyre |
| Submission Date | Dec. 20, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Sewanee - The University of the South
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Nick
Cookson Sustainability Program Manager Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability |
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
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:
The township of Sewanee is fully integrated into the University of the South which makes the Vice-Chancellor, John M. McCardell Jr., the de facto mayor of Sewanee. This means that any policies for the University, including public policy advocacy in issues of sustainability, are considered local policies for the surrounding locality. The Sustainability Master Plan, identified throughout this report, has precedence throughout the Sewanee community. An example of this is the local air quality ordinance that prohibits car idling in front of buildings. Additional advocacy for forest management & recreation can be found within the Strategic Plan for the University and Sewanee as a community.
Advocacy for policy by the institution takes on many forms, for example, in advocating the Sustainability Master Plan (and sustainability initiatives as a whole) a multi-disciplinary committee was formed (Faculty, Staff, and Students) to identify opportunities across the institution and to develop strategic goals and initiatives. These individuals (>30, found on the last page of the Sustainability Master Plan here: http://www.sewanee.edu/media/about/2013_Sustainability_Master_Plan.pdf) created the Master Plan and brought this before the Provost and VC for support from the highest level. The VC (and Mayor) supported the Master Plan and since has supported strategic goals that have brought sustainability-themed language into the overall Strategic Plan of the University (found on the Provost page here: http://www.sewanee.edu/provost/2018-strategic-plan-assessment/). As such, this is but one example of advocacy for Sustainability at the local level.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
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:
Sewanee interacts with the Tennessee State Forest Service, as well as the state agricultural extension to advocate land use management and policies that support the Domain. Collaboration with State, non-profit and higher education institutions to promote land use methods and protect sensitive lands. Specific examples include:
SAWG- Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group- Small Farmers cooperative, teaching opportunities
-Sustainable Agriculture outreach and food insecurity advocates/ actively seeking ways to overcome and implement new technology through education and Community Outreach for Sustainable Agriculture policy
-Faculty and Staff serve on statewide conservation boards and regional conservation planning
-Regional Planning and Sustainable Development- Steering Committees
-Operational support and guidance to county/state governments. (ie Zoning, programming, policy changes.)
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
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:
-Advocating for climate change resilience through grant acquiring, outreach, and application. More info can be found at Sewanee's Headwaters Initiative page http://www.sewanee.edu/offices/oess/headwaters-initiative/
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
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:
Dr. McGrath's work in Haiti for sustainable agriculture and advocation for policy shift towards supporting a Payment For Ecosystems model can be found here http://haiti.sewanee.edu/home/
A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
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:
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.