| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.99 |
| Liaison | Sarah Gilly |
| Submission Date | Aug. 31, 2023 |
Stevens Institute of Technology
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Gregory
Townsend Senior Director of Corporate, Government and Community Relations University Relations |
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:
Transportation
Stevens advocates for the success of Hoboken’s bike share program (Citi Bike) because widespread use of the program is critical to Hoboken’s goals of reducing automobile usage in the city and parking needs on the Stevens campus.
Citi Bike is extremely popular in Hoboken and with Stevens employees and students.
Stevens has shown its support for this local public policy aimed at reducing automobile usage in Hoboken and surrounding communities by hosting bicycle docking stations on our campus. Docking stations would not be placed on campus property without support from the school’s administration. Many Stevens students and employees also receive free bike share memberships from Stevens, approved by our Vice President of Facilities and Campus Operations, to ensure our community members are part of the solution.
Maritime Park
The City of Hoboken is developing a new Maritime Park north of the Stevens campus. This new park will create a fully public waterfront in Hoboken.
By replacing a dilapidated dry dock with a park, Hoboken is transforming a former industrial site into a sustainable and resilient park that will serve residents and visitors.
Stevens leadership provided input to the City of Hoboken and its designers on how Stevens’ history and expertise can be leveraged to support the park.
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:
Wave Energy
Stevens supported New Jersey bill A4483/S3141, which would require a study of ocean energy potential and directs the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to establish wave and tidal energy generation goals and take other actions to establish New Jersey as a nationwide leader in ocean energy.
One of the primary goals of the legislators pushing wave energy at the state level is to get it included in the New Jersey Energy Master Plan, which guides resources and public policy related to New Jersey’s energy future.
In early 2022, the Chair of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Ocean Engineering testified before the New Jersey legislature on the potential of wave energy and ongoing research in the field with the support of the Provost and President’s Office.
Mental Health Legislation
Stevens advocated for New Jersey bill A1176, which requires institutions of higher education to implement suicide prevention programs and raise awareness of mental health services.
A1176 – which will expand mental health requirements on college campuses and was directly impacted by Stevens’ advocacy efforts – was signed into law by Acting Governor Tahesha Way on October 19, 2023. Stevens’ efforts to maintain students’ mental health and wellness contribute to strong outcomes and completion rates for all students in New Jersey.
A1176 and other bills addressing mental health on college campuses were supported by then-Vice President of Student Affairs, MaryBeth Murphy, and other high-level administrators at Stevens. Stevens actively worked with bill sponsors to craft amendments to the legislation.
New Jersey Higher Education Mental Health Summit
Stevens’ Vice President of Student Affairs, Sara Klein, is the co-chair of the first ever New Jersey Higher Education Mental Health Summit. The event, which will take place on January 10, 2024, will convene state leaders including the Governor and the Secretary of Higher Education to discuss and advocate for the mental health needs of college students.
https://www.shu.edu/new-jersey-higher-education-mental-health-summit.html
ACES Expansion
ACES is a Stevens initiative that guarantees scholarship funding for accepted students. This allows them to partake in our summer pre-college programs, workshops, and enrichment and mentorship opportunities. Through collaborative efforts with our Congressional delegation, Stevens advocated for and received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to expand the program to more schools in New Jersey. Thanks to these efforts, ACES has expanded its partner schools in the region from 10 to 18.
The goal of this program is to provide opportunities for underserved students, both at the pre-college level and as part of their undergraduate education—financial and academic support, mentoring, career pathway guidance—to pursue a STEM education. This program is not an initiative intended to boost enrollment or bring in more revenue at Stevens. Instead, ACES is an important advocacy effort because it is often the only reason high performing students from underrepresented communities can attend Stevens or our summer programs. ACES is contributing to the diversification of STEM scholars in the region.
ACES has been a top priority of President Farvardin since its inception in 2017. President Farvardin’s support for the program and the advocacy that led to its recent expansion is encapsulated in this recent article: https://www.stevens.edu/news/everythings-aces.
ACES has received full institutional support with 100% of Stevens Board of Trustees already committing to help fund the initiative. President Farvardin has expressed his support though various statements. In September 2022, he said “On behalf of Stevens and our extraordinary students who have benefited from the ACES program, I offer my gratitude to Congressman Sires for the support he has extended to our university and our community... This federal grant will allow Stevens to expand access, opportunity and support to students from underserved communities. In this way, Stevens will provide models and best practices for replication at other institutions.”
Additionally, in 2021, President Farvardin mentioned, “These inequities are unacceptable... Talented students from all socioeconomic, racial and ethnic groups deserve opportunities to pursue study in disciplines that fuel our nation’s economy. Increasing these opportunities will result in a more diverse workforce.”
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:
Flood Advisory System and Coastal Resilience
In FY2023, Stevens worked with its federal Congressional delegation to secure Community Directed Project Funding to purchase equipment and computing power to significantly enhance the capabilities of the Stevens Flood Advisory System (SFAS). SFAS’s high-resolution four-day predictions of storm surge and risk levels prior to and during storm events have improved preparedness and resiliency at critical NY/NJ Port Authority infrastructure sites for the past seven years.
In 2023, Stevens hosted a convening of New Jersey state agencies (Governor’s Office, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, NJ Economic Development Authority, NJ Department of Community Affairs) and county and municipal emergency management officials, township administrators, and first responders to highlight Stevens’ expertise in flood prediction and coastal resilience and identify ways in which Stevens could support the public sector’s preparedness and response efforts during natural disasters.
More than 1,300 people throughout New Jersey receive email alerts of potential or actual storm surges. The enhanced capabilities will provide real-time short-term forecasts of precipitation amounts and flood levels and will help communities better prepare for hurricanes and other storms through long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies. SFAS upgrades will increase the system’s coverage of wider and more detailed forecasts, including inland portions of coastal cities and lower-income communities that are disproportionally impacted by extreme events.
These efforts have leveraged existing research and expertise to save lives and protect assets in flood-prone areas throughout the region and state. Participation has led to greater connectivity to municipalities and neighborhoods outside the immediate radius of Stevens’ campus.
President Farvardin has supported the funding for Stevens Flood Advisory System and its impact: “These technical upgrades and additions will bolster the university’s ability to produce real-time, actionable research that addresses critical national and global challenges and makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
Federal Work Study and Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants
The President of Stevens recently authored a letter to Congress expressing concern about the elimination of NSF programs in the House Labor HHS appropriations bill. This is a national issue that would impact tens of thousands of students who rely on this funding to afford college.
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:
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:
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