Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 65.17
Liaison Lisa Mitten
Submission Date March 2, 2023

STARS v2.2

State University of New York at New Paltz
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 7.68 / 8.00 Lisa Mitten
Campus Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Campus Sustainability
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Part 1. Institutional sustainability learning outcomes

Has the institution adopted one or more sustainability learning outcomes that apply to the entire student body or, at minimum, to the institution's predominant student body?:
Yes

Which of the following best describes the sustainability learning outcomes?:
Sustainability-focused

A list of the institution level sustainability learning outcomes:
Attain an understanding of yourself as a citizen and community member with the knowledge and ability to engage others in progress toward a more sustainable world.

To view the institutional sustainability learning outcome, visit this page https://www.newpaltz.edu/ugc/aboutnp.html

Part 2. Program-level sustainability learning outcomes

Total number of graduates from degree programs:
1,681

Number of graduates from degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
352

A brief description of how the figure above was determined:
Building upon the 2018 STARS report, the Office of Campus Sustainability researched published SLOs across degree programs on the SUNY New Paltz website and in particular targeted programs with a high likelihood that a sustainability SLO would be present.

A list of degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
Geography with an Environmental Concentration
* Students will learn to define basic concepts and theories in environmental geography;
* Students will learn to apply analytical methods used in environmental geography, including:
- Distinguishing human from nonhuman factors of environmental change
- Linking social and physical processes at multiple scales
- Using logic and arithmetic in problem-solving activities
- Identifying social causes of human impact on the environment
- Thinking critically about environmental issues, including considering relations of power behind negative human impact and the social repercussions of environmental degradation
- Asking what motivates people to act on or think about environments in particular ways
- Identifying problematic assumptions in popular notions

Environmental Studies:
1. Define concepts and utilize methods from the social sciences as they pertain to analysis of environmental policies and institutions
2. Apply basic concepts and methods of physical science to environmental problem solving
3. Describe the interdependent relationship between human and natural systems at scales ranging from local to global
4. Apply systems and sustainability concepts and methodologies to analyze interactions between social and environmental processes
5. Assess the ethical dimensions of ecological degradation and its disparate impact on different populations
6. Describe how power and social position relate to one’s experience with and attitudes toward the environment and environmental problems
7. Interpret political struggles over environmental issues and identify ways in which individuals can be agents of change fostering a more just and sustainable society

Environmental Geochemical Science
* Students will develop a deeper understanding of the interaction between technology and the natural environment that hosts it so that our society can work toward building a sustainable civilization, providing for human needs while still preserving the earth's unique natural heritage.

Theater Arts:
* Articulate self-reflection and respond as a member of the local community and global society; to continually evaluate and motivate one's actions—connecting work as artists and as global citizens to sustainability in all of its forms - social, environmental, and economic.

Biology (Environmental Concentration):
Required Course: Ecology-
From the course description: "...You will use this foundation to build a scientific approach to understanding pressing environmental and ecological concerns such as climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability."
Learning outcome:
* Students will be able to make scientific predictions about how ecological processes affect human well-being and how human activities affect ecosystems at local, regional, or global scales.

Biology:
All Biology Majors and minors take BIO202 General Biology 2 - Apply scientific understanding to issues facing individuals and society including ecology, climate change, ecological restoration, and ecological management

Business Management (Sustainability Track):
Required Course: Introduction to Managing Sustainability:
*Define the core concepts of sustainability and explain how they translate to a business context.
*Identify and select tools appropriate to the analysis of sustainability issues and to generate solution pathways for businesses.
*Develop and argue the business case for solving sustainability problems or pursuing opportunities framed by actual experiences of diverse organizations.
*Identify and assess information sources pertinent to sustainable business practices.
*Communicate to prospective employers how sustainability knowledge can add value to an organization.

Art Department:
* Build professional networks to support lifelong learning and sustainable practices

Mechanical Engineering:
* an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
* the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
* a knowledge of contemporary issues

Electrical Engineering:
* an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
* the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
* a knowledge of contemporary issues

Computer Engineering
* an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
* the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
* a knowledge of contemporary issues

Documentation supporting the figure reported above (upload):
Do the figures reported above cover one, two, or three academic years?:
One

Percentage of students who graduate from programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
20.94

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the sustainability learning outcomes is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.