| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 55.69 |
| Liaison | Derek Nichols |
| Submission Date | Nov. 20, 2012 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University at Buffalo
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Alan
Rabideau Professor Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering |
Has the institution developed a definition of sustainability in the curriculum?:
A copy of the institution's definition of sustainability in the curriculum?:
A. Sustainability-focused courses
Sustainability-focused courses are those courses that have as a central topical component the study of the long-term dynamic interplay between ecological integrity, economic vitality, and social welfare. These courses constitute the instructional correlate to core research into sustainability.
B. Sustainability-related courses
Sustainability-related courses should have as part of their course content (1) the study of at least one of the following (a) ecological integrity, (b) economic vitality , or (c) social welfare over time with a particular focus on the pressures we can expect on the features of sustainability in light of expected environmental, economic, and social constraints; and (2) the consideration of at least one of the following sustainability-relevant applications highlighting those constraints.
1. Ecosystem science, broadly construed
2. Management, conservation or preservation of natural resources
3. Examination of the role of values and ethics in science and public policy
4. Investigation of legal frameworks or regulatory policies that shape human behavior toward the natural world
5. Economic prosperity and human welfare
6. Health, human wellbeing, and the environment
7. Multidisciplinary investigation of human-environment interactions
8. Technology and technological innovation
9. Exploration of the interrelation of technology and science with public policy
10. Civic engagement and political participation
11. Social and political equity
12. Educational opportunity
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:
With the engagement of the Research, Teaching, and Public Service committee of the Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC), a comprehensive inventory of our sustainability related and focused courses was created.
A list of all faculty research was generated, and colleagues that were already teaching sustainability related and focused courses were identified. An email was sent to these faculty asking to confirm that their course(s) was sustainability focused or related and whether they knew of other colleagues doing this work.
Additionally, an email was sent to all faculty at the institution, asking them to complete a survey on whether they conduct sustainability related or focused research or teach courses in these areas.
Our final list was informed by our initial assessment, the specific responses we received from our targeted solicitation, and finally, from our broad request of all faculty.
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.