Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 56.22
Liaison Olivia Wiebe
Submission Date Jan. 28, 2022

STARS v2.2

University of Idaho
EN-10: Community Partnerships

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Olivia Wiebe
Sustainability Manager
Office of the President
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

1st Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
City of Moscow Climate Action Work Group (CAWG)

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
No

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Short-term project or event

Which of the following best describes the partnership?:
Sustainability-focused

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? :
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability:
The City of Moscow has assembled a sub-committee titled the Climate Action Work Group (CAWG) to address the creation of a Climate Action Plan that will mitigate local influences on climate change. Four of the fifteen committee members are affiliated with the university. The Sustainability Coordinator for UI serves as the connection point between the Climate Action Plan efforts of the city and the university, a UI faculty member serves as the scientific consultant, and two UI graduate students are completing research projects that focus on mitigation techniques that are relevant to the local community that can be included in the final Climate Action Plan.

2nd Partnership

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Palouse Basin Aquafer Committee (PBAC)

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
Sustainability-focused

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (2nd partnership):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
The Palouse groundwater basin is the sole source of water for over 60,000 residents of Pullman, Washington and Moscow, Idaho and outlying areas in both Whitman County (Washington) and Latah County (Idaho).

The University of Idaho is a member of the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee (PBAC), an ongoing partnership, along with six interstate members dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Palouse Basin Aquifer. The committee works to support water conservation and alternative water supply sources in the region. UI, a land grant university, serves the committee with two-voting members. The University is a 1992 signatory of the Palouse Basin Groundwater Management Plan and contributes $40,000 annually for research and interstate development of an alternative water supply.

The PBAC partnership simultaneously supports social equity and wellbeing, economic prosperity, and ecological health by: a) coordinating and planning to assure a long-range supply of water, b) updating and expanding a database instituted through previous studies, c) encouraging conservation to promote the life of the aquifer, d) investigating continuing and/or alternate sources of water, e) educating and advising on the quantity and quality of the public water, f) acting as liaison between the entities on water resource concerns and, g) promoting communications between the entities, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the Idaho Department of Water Resources.

PBAC is engaged in a Water Supplies Alternative project. Alternatives include, but are not limited to: reclaimed water, aquifer recharge, storm water harvesting, advanced water conservation protection, and preservation of both ground and surface water sources.

http://palousebasin.org/

3rd Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
U.S. Chapter of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Sustainability-focused

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (3rd partnership):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
In 2018, the College of Art and Architecture (CAA) was invited by Jeffery Sachs, Director of SDSN and Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General, to join the U.S. Chapter of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

The university is providing financial support for CAA professors John Anderson and Andy Kliskey to lead this partnership.

The partnerships sustainability focus simultaneously supports social equity and wellbeing, economic prosperity, and ecological health.

The SDSN USA will help to mobilize and support America’s colleges, universities, and other leading research institutions to promote the sustainable development goals (SDG) in the United States, and US’s contribution to the SDGs globally. In the opening meeting of the SDSN USA on December 4, representatives of more than 60 leading academic institutions around the nation developed a work plan for the new network, focusing on priority SDG challenges facing the United States.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. These 17 Goals build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.

http://unsdsn.org/

Optional Fields 

A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s community partnerships to advance sustainability is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
CAWG: Kelli M. Cooper, Environmental Education and Sustainability Specialist; City of Moscow

PBAC: Rusty Vineyard: Director of Facilities Operations

SDSN: John W Anderson, Faculty; College of Art and Architecture

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.