Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 46.59
Liaison Bambi Ingram
Submission Date July 29, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Alabama at Birmingham
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Bambi Ingram
SUS
Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:

At UAB we believe that institutions of higher learning should use their human and technical capacity to improve the quality of life in the communities where they are located and which they serve. UAB's Sustainability Coordinator serves on committees for the City of Birmingham's Solid Waste Authority, the Watershed Management Division, and the Sustainability Initiative. UAB has advocated for the institution of composting and enhanced recycling in the city, and assisted the City in initiating and completing the STAR Community rating assessment in 2015.

UAB sponsors the Multicultural Council, an organization that works to increase discussion, awareness and cooperation between multicultural organizations and student groups on campus, the University of Alabama at Birmingham student body as a whole, and the City of Birmingham

http://www.facebook.com/UABMulticultural?fref=ts

The UAB Undergraduate Student Government Association passed a resolution advocating opposition to coal mining on a University system property adjacent to the Birmingham City Water Works intake.
http://www.blackwarriorriver.org/pdf/UAB_USGA_Shepherd_Bend_Resolution.pdf


Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:

UAB is the largest single employer in the state of Alabama, and as such, has a significant impact on economic policy in the state. In March 2016, UAB raised the minimum wage for its employees to $11 per hour. The state of Alabama has no minimum wage and so, in general, employers abide by the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Weeks before UAB raised its minimum wage, the Birmingham City Council also voted to raise minimum wage in the City of Birmingham. This act resulted in the state legislature passing a law preventing municipalities within the state from raising the minimum wage above the state minimum. UAB is working to lead by example in the effort to support increased minimum wage policy in the state.


Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:

UAB's School of Public Health engages in public policy advocacy in the areas of health policy for low-income people, strategic planning in state public health agencies, and health disparities. Two UAB School of Public Health faculty, Edward Postlethwait and Naomi Fineberg, were named as the MPH program's "101 Most Influential Professors of Public Health."


Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
No

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
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A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
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A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):

N/A


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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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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.