| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 85.88 |
| Liaison | Sam Lubow |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2022 |
Stanford University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Melissa
Maigler Sustainability Coordinator Sustainability & Energy Management |
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:
CALTRAIN BUSINESS PLAN
Caltrain provides commuter rail services along a 77-mile corridor in the Bay Area Region where Stanford’s historic campus is located. Caltrain is owned by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, which includes representatives from San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Stanford University is one of the organizations that participated in and provided funding for the Caltrain Business Plan 2040, which was adopted by the Caltrain Board in 2020. One outcome from the related planning includes the adoption of the Equity, Connectivity, Recovery & Growth Framework. As one specific example of Stanford’s contributions, the University is listed in the August 2020 Framework draft as being a member of the Project Partner Committee conducting stakeholder outreach. In addition, Robert Reidy, Vice President from Stanford Lands, Buildings, and Real Estate, was a member of the General Managers committee that met regularly as the Business Plan was being developed. As noted in the final adopted document, “Age, gender, disability, and English proficiency can also expand or constrain access opportunities. The Caltrain Framework for Equity, Connectivity, Recovery & Growth outlines key steps toward reversing such disparities by focusing railroad resources and attention toward those most harmed by a lingering legacy of racism and discrimination in our community and along the rail corridor” (Caltrain Business Plan). The final Framework additionally notes, “Implementing the significant commitment to affordable housing included in Caltrain's 2020 Transit Oriented Development Policy” and “Prioritizing projects and programs that mitigate, reduce or eliminate localized environmental impacts of rail operations, including pollutant emissions and noise“ (Caltrain Business Plan). See more details here: https://caltrain2040.org/resources/ https://caltrain.com/media/1132/download https://caltrain.com/about-caltrain
Caltrain Business Plan. 2020, September 3. Caltrain framework for Equity, Connectivity, Recovery & Growth. CALTRAIN FRAMEWORK FOR EQUITY, CONNECTIVITY, RECOVERY & GROWTH. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://caltrain2040.org/wp-content/uploads/Equity-Connectivity-Recovery-Growth-Framework_FINAL.pdf
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BUILDING A BETTER NORMAL ORDINANCES
Stanford University President Tessier-Lavigne engaged in advocacy as a part of the 100-day Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable convened by local San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo with 59 CEOs, leaders and thinkers from across regionally based industries. As its first action of what will be ongoing undertakings in the future, the group produced a “Building a Better Normal” report with actionable policy recommendations for how to innovate to build the foundation for creating a “new normal” in Silicon Valley as it emerges from the pandemic. Notable policy-related recommendations in the report include adopting ordinances that would streamline the conversion of hotels into affordable housing and creating regulations to provide workers with consistent compensation and high safety standards. See more details here: https://news.stanford.edu/report/2021/01/06/qa-stanfords-engagement-community/ https://siliconvalleystrong.org/roundtable/ https://siliconvalleystrong.org/wp-content/uploads/Silicon-Valley_Full-Report_8_31_Final-2.pdf
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:
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:
In 2017, after the decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program, Stanford responded with a statement opposing the decision and a letter to the White House from President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. “At Stanford, we have seen first-hand that investing in their education is an investment in our country’s future, as they apply their talents to strengthening our society and to driving economic growth,” he wrote. “In keeping with our deeply held American values, they deserve the opportunity to have legal resident status and to flourish in our society.” More information is available here: https://undocumented.stanford.edu/news/stanford-university-statement-federal-administrations-plans-daca
As of 2020, Stanford has re-affirmed that it consistently and continually urges White House and Congressional leadership to support the concepts embodied in the DREAM Act and to provide a legislative solution addressing the needs of DREAMers and DACA recipients. We also have supported DACA in the courts and undertaken an array of advocacy efforts supporting undocumented members of our community. See more details here: https://news.stanford.edu/report/2020/06/18/the-supreme-courts-daca-decision/
In 2021, Stanford's president additionally submitted a letter of support of codifying the DACA policy into regulation to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The president also wrote, "it is also critical that Congress act to move forward with a legislative solution, including a pathway to citizenship, for our nation's DACA recipients, undocumented youth, and for others throughout the country that have long called America home. At Stanford, we continue to urge Congressional leadership to support the DREAM and Promise Act and have undertaken an array of advocacy efforts supporting undocumented members of our community." See more details here: https://immigration.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/01/Stanford-University-Comments-NPRM-2021-0006.pdf
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:
UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE
Stanford sends delegates to each of the gatherings of the Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. In 2021, Rayne Sullivan, a second-year student at Stanford Law School, joined COP26 as an official Stanford delegate. Sequestered at home on O’ahu throughout the pandemic (with concentrated beach time in between Zoom law school classes), Sullivan reaffirmed his passion for his island homelands and reawakened his deep concern about the climate crisis’ risk to human health, livelihoods and physical space in his community. Living in Hawai’i also reaffirmed his drive to continue empowering young, diverse voices to advocate for climate policies that will improve their lives and their lands. Sullivan used his unique experience as a multiracial environmental advocate to support multilateral initiatives at the conference, where he interacted with heads of state, senior diplomats, and fellow advocates. See more details here: https://news.stanford.edu/report/2021/11/24/law-student-combines-activism-policy-development-fight-climate-change/
CARBON CALL
The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment is a participating organization in Carbon Call. Carbon Call is "a ClimateWorks Foundation-hosted initiative, mobilizes collective action, investment, and resources to build reliable and interoperable carbon accounting for the planet." Other participating organizations include the United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Foundation, and more. See more details here: https://carboncall.org/
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):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts 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.