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
EN-10: Community Partnerships

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 3.00 Lisa Mitten
Campus Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Campus Sustainability
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1st Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Mohonk Preserve

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership?:
Sustainability-focused

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? :
No

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability:
SUNY New Paltz and the Mohonk Preserve, the largest not-for-profit nature preserve in New York State, have had an ongoing formal institutional agreement since 1998 for which a fee is paid by the College to the Preserve. Under this agreement, faculty schedule the use of Mohonk Preserve lands for teaching and research with students in their classes. Classes in art, biology, black studies, business, elementary & secondary education, English, English as a second language (ESL), modern languages, literature and cultures, geography, geology, math, physical education, physics, political science, psychology, and sociology have visited the Preserve. Hundreds of students have visited the Preserve with their classes for a variety of subjects including biology, art, and geology. In addition, the Honors Center, Residence Life, Counseling Center, Faculty Development Center, and Athletic and Wellness Center have visited the Preserve. At least five faculty members have worked as Research Associates at the Preserve and engaged their undergraduate and graduate student in their own research. These faculty have access to archival data at the Preserve. Multiple geography & environmental studies, biology, and environmental geochemical science students have had internships in annually Conservation Science at the Preserve. In addition, SUNY New Paltz and the Shawangunk Ridge Biodiversity Partnership of which the Mohonk Preserve is a partner co-sponsored an annual winter public lecture on the SUNY New Paltz campus that has shifted to virtual presentations since the start of the pandemic.

2nd Partnership

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Phillies Bridge Farm

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
Sustainability-focused

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (2nd partnership):
No

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
The Phillies Bridge Farm-SUNY New Paltz partnership allows faculty and students to learn about sustainability on site. Numerous students have also completed internships for credit working at the farm, advancing both student learning and helping the PBF to remain viable and carry out its sustainability mission. The Phillies Bridge Farm Project demonstrates and promotes local agriculture that is ecologically sound, community-oriented, and economically viable. Campus Auxiliary Services funds class visits to the Phillies Bridge Farm.

3rd Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
New Yorkers for Clean Power and other community-based climate organizations

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Short-term project or event

Which of the following best describes the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Sustainability-focused

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (3rd partnership):
No

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
The Office of Campus Sustainability partnered with New Yorkers for Clean Power and many other community-based organizations across New York State and our region to host the Climate Solutions Summit of 2019. For more information, visit: https://climatesolutionssummit.org/

Optional Fields 

A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s community partnerships to advance sustainability 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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