| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.46 |
| Liaison | Fortino Morales |
| Submission Date | April 21, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of California, Riverside
IN-4: Innovation 4
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
John
Cook Director of Sustainability Sustainability |
Title or keywords related to the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
In the Fall of 2015, UCR established the first Sustainability Studies major within a Gender and Sexuality Studies Department in the USA. The major approaches environmental and climate change as social and economic equity issues, as much as physical environmental ones. Gender and Sexuality Studies sees sustainability as an inherently gendered issue in many parts of the world because of how environmental changes affect men and women differently based on their division of labor and social statuses. Gender is also a critical element in devising and implementing sustainable practices around the world. Gender and Sexuality Studies, as a discipline, has a long tradition of developing research methods aligned with social justice that can be applied to studies of sustainability issues.
Courses within the major focus on environmental violence, food justice and climate impacts on underrepresented populations. An interdisciplinary cohort of faculty work with the students in traditional classroom settings as well as outdoors in Living Learning Laboratories and off-site within the community.
A brief description of any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation (if not reported above):
The initial enrollment in the major was three undergraduates, after two academic quarters, enrollment has reached 15. The first tenure track line for a Sustainability scholar was filled in support of this major at UCR.
A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise:
Which of the following STARS subcategories does the innovation most closely relate to? (Select all that apply up to a maximum of five):
| Yes or No | |
| Curriculum | Yes |
| Research | Yes |
| Campus Engagement | Yes |
| Public Engagement | Yes |
| Air & Climate | --- |
| Buildings | --- |
| Dining Services | --- |
| Energy | --- |
| Grounds | --- |
| Purchasing | --- |
| Transportation | --- |
| Waste | --- |
| Water | --- |
| Coordination, Planning & Governance | --- |
| Diversity & Affordability | Yes |
| Health, Wellbeing & Work | --- |
| Investment | --- |
Other topic(s) that the innovation relates to that are not listed above:
The website URL where information about the innovation is available:
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.