| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 56.05 |
| Liaison | Mary Ellen Mallia |
| Submission Date | July 19, 2012 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University at Albany
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Mary Ellen
Mallia Director of Environmental Sustainability Finance and Business |
Has the institution developed a definition of sustainability in the curriculum?:
A copy of the institution's definition of sustainability in the curriculum?:
An informal group was convened in the spring/summer of 2012 to create a working definition for sustainability as well as develop the scope of sustainability related projects. The definition and scope of sustainability was compiled by the following individuals:
Jeremy Grunstra, Graduate Assistant, Environmental Sustainability
Dr. Gary Kleppel, Professor in the Biology Department
Dr. David Lewis, Professor in the Geography and Planning Department
Dr. Mary Ellen Mallia, Director of Environmental Sustainability
Dr. Kendra Smith-Howard, Professor in the History Department
The determination of sustainability courses and research projects was conducted by Mary Ellen Mallia and Jeremy Grunstra using the template developed below.
Preamble:
Sustainability’s broadest definition entails “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland 1987). At UAlbany, this translates into creating a citizenry whose understanding of and commitment to environmental sustainability informs and shapes the choices they make in their everyday lives, in the communities in which they live and work, in their careers and in the myriad other ways they serve as citizens in a democratic society.
Definition:
Sustainability entails recognizing one’s membership in the broader social and ecological community, exhibiting appreciation of and respect for others and the natural world, and acting justly to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of human communities and natural systems.
Template:
Society - JusticeHuman interaction
Environmental Justice
Quality of Life
Human Health
Education
Mental and Social Well-Being
Crime Prevention
Human Rights
Community Enhancement
Development of Social Culture
Environment - Stewardship
Interaction with the natural world
Preservation of Environment
Climate Change
Carbon Footprint
Prevent Pollution
Conservation of Resources
Economics - Equity
Ecological valuation
Valuation of Externalities
Lifecycle Analysis
Fair Cost Accounting
Employment Security
Fair Compensation
Poverty
Labor rights
A sustainability focused course is one which concentrates on the concept of sustainability or examines an issue or topic using sustainability as a lens.
A sustainability related course is one that incorporates sustainability as a course component, theme, module or concentrates on a single sustainability principle or issue with an existing course.
Has the institution identified its sustainability-focused and sustainability-related course offerings?:
A brief description of the methodology the institution followed to complete the inventory:
When inventorying the courses offered by the University at Albany, we researched the courses offered by each school and department at the University using the course title and the full course descriptions to decide whether or not the course was related to or focused on sustainability. If the course description suggested that the course covered multiple topics under the umbrella of sustainability we considered it a sustainability-focused course. If the course description discussed one or two major tenets of sustainability we considered it a sustainability-related course.
Does the institution make its sustainability course inventory publicly available online?:
The website URL where the sustainability course inventory is posted:
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.