Southern Oregon University
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

SOU broadly defines sustainability as achieving increased well-being for humanity over time through an equitable and sustained utilization of critical natural capital. The SOU definition includes sustainability goals set forth by 1) the U.N. World Commission on Environment and Development (1987 Brundtland Commission) which indicated that sustainable development will “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” and 2) the intertwined “economic, social and environmental elements” of sustainability, which AASHE incorporates into its definition of sustainability. SOU is committed to fostering sustainability efforts across the university at the administrative, operational, academic, and student activism levels. Recognizing the complex relationships between humans and their environments, we also seek to inspire and inform the next generation of leaders to practice a more restorative form of capitalism in all sectors of society. Sustainability-focused courses at Southern Oregon University concentrate on the concept of sustainability—including its social, economic, and environmental dimensions—or examine an issue “using sustainability as a lens” throughout the course. Sustainability-related courses at SOU relate to an aspect of sustainability, or include sustainability as part of the course.

A preliminary review of the SOU course catalog was conducted to identify courses that were candidates for designation as either sustainability-focused (SF) or sustainability-related (SR)courses based on the course descriptions. A list of potential SF or SR courses and their course descriptions was compiled. The Education and Research Subcommittee of the Sustainability Council evaluated the courses based on the stated learning outcomes and course objectives associated with each course.