Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.27
Liaison Konrad Schlarbaum
Submission Date Feb. 15, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Colorado Colorado Springs
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 6.31 / 8.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total number of graduates from degree programs (i.e. majors, minors, concentrations, certificates, and other academic designations):
2,457

Number of students that graduate from programs that have adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome:
1,938

Percentage of students who graduate from programs that have adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome:
78.88

Do the figures reported above cover one, two, or three academic years?:
One

Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the institution level (e.g. covering all students)?:
Yes

Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the division level (e.g. covering particular schools or colleges within the institution)?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the institution level or division level sustainability learning outcomes:

The UCCS General Education Goals approved in fall 2010 and implemented in 2014, apply to all undergraduate students and include the following learning outcomes:

"Goal 3) Act and Interact. Students will cultivate self-awareness and understanding of their impact-locally, nationally, and globally. Students will be prepared to participate effectively in a society that encompasses diverse experiences, perspectives, and realities. This area includes [among others]:

Sustainability-understanding the interaction between human development and the natural environment"

In order to achieve the terms of this goal, students will learn about key principles of sustainability including social equity, environmental protection, and economic development, among others. The sustainability GE goal will be achieved by integrating teaching about sustainability within discipline-specific coursework and/or other GE components, or in general elective courses.

Integrated content and/or courses will vary across disciplines and will examine the integrative nature of the sustainability concept to their disciplinary work. Ideally, students will gain knowledge about how to promote sustainability in their place of employment (e.g. support diversity, environmental activities such as recycling, reduction of waste, etc.).


Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the program level (i.e. majors, minors, concentrations, degrees, diplomas, certificates, and other academic designations)?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the program level sustainability learning outcomes (or a list of sustainability-focused programs):

Sustainable Development Minor – Learning Outcomes (these are not the same as the campus-wide learning outcomes and referenced above)

Upon completion of this minor, students will be able to:

1. Define sustainable development.

2. Describe the interdependency of sustainable development’s three pillars of equity, environment, and economy.

3. Identify existing conditions of: a) environmental degradation, b) economic failure, and c) social inequity; and provide plausible explanations for their cause, interdependency, and reasonable ideas for their resolution.

4. State the importance of inter-generational responsibilities to sustainable development.

5. Describe inequities generated by current economic systems and access to resources.

6. Describe the current state of knowledge regarding global climate change, accurately depict where uncertainty exists with respect to climate change, and identify examples of social (i.e. equity), economic, and environmental impacts resulting from climate changes.

7. Explain the role of technology and its influences on sustainable development.

8. Describe how physical processes and systems create limitations upon and influence the needs of societies. This requires a working knowledge of the laws of thermodynamics; greenhouse effect; circulation of air and ocean currents; hydrological connectivity and watersheds, solid waste streams, and energy and food production, among others.

Graduate Level - There are three programs with sustainability learning outcomes.
1. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering - https://mae.uccs.edu/undergraduate/abet.php
2. Geography and Environmental Studies - The Master of Arts in Applied Geography at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a terminal master's program that encourages graduate students to focus on applied, community-based research projects to solve local, regional, and even international issues. Given pressing research needs and future labor force demands, the MA in Applied Geography incorporates a multitude of issues that speak to people, profit, and planet. https://www.uccs.edu/geography/graduate_students/general-information.html
3. MS Sport Nutrition - The goal of the Master of Sciences in Sport Nutrition degree is to graduate students with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in sport nutrition careers while integrating sustainability and a whole food approach in their practices. Our program is unique with this approach to Sport Nutrition. Students have numerous opportunities for hands-on experiences within our university and community to 1) raise their food literacy awareness and 2) integrate their knowledge and skills within sport nutrition. https://www.uccs.edu/bethel/health-sciences-programs/ms-sport-nutrition


Do course level sustainability learning outcomes contribute to the figure reported above (i.e. in the absence of program, division, or institution level learning outcomes)?:
No

A list or brief description of the course level sustainability learning outcomes and the programs for which the courses are required:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.