| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.78 |
| Liaison | Kelly Wellman |
| Submission Date | Dec. 20, 2023 |
Texas A&M University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Michael
Hardy Assistant Vice President for Government Relations Office of Government 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:
Texas A&M University (TAMU) works with the local community to influence policies that impact the region. Most recently, TAMU organized and led a team that worked with the City of College Station (COCS) and Amazon to advocate for College Station to serve as a host community for Amazon PrimeAir. Amazon PrimeAir earned its Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration in 2020 and is a drone delivery service. Drone deliveries are expected to reduce GHG emissions and fuel requirements related to fleet freight delivery vehicles. It will further reduce GHG emissions by minimizing traffic congestion locally and in larger markets as this service expands to other communities. The TAMU team’s advocacy and direct involvement with COCS Planning & Zoning and COCS City Council resulted in College Station being only one of two communities in the United States to serve as drone delivery startup sites that are poised to transform last-mile delivery.
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:
The University advocates for support and funding of exceptional items in Texas Legislative House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, specifically the funding for the Texas Sea Grant College Program to improve the understanding, wise use, and stewardship of Texas coastal marine resources.
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:
Texas A&M University continues to sign letters of support with other agencies and institutions of higher education in support of funding appropriations for agencies whose research funding focuses on energy challenges that could radically improve U.S. economic prosperity, national security, and environmental well-being. At both the state and federal level, Texas A&M supports and advocates for continued funding in public policy on the Texas Sea Grant College Program, which seeks to improve the understanding, wise use, and stewardship of Texas coastal and ocean resources. Further, we support and have advocated for energy projects including funding for the smart grid center. This project conducts transformational research to generate new concepts, technologies and integrated systems for the 21st century grid along with training engineering students and professionals in electric energy-related concepts and technologies.
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):
Not applicable since Texas A&M University is a public university.
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.