Overall Rating	Silver - expired
Overall Score	60.32
Liaison	Andy Mitchell
Submission Date	July 16, 2021

STARS v2.2

University of Illinois Chicago
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	2.00 / 2.00	Cynthia Klein-Banai Associate Chancellor for Sustainability Office of Sustainability

"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Local advocacy

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

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:

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Regional advocacy

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:

UI System joined nearly two dozen companies and higher education institutions in Illinois urging state lawmakers to accelerate the state's transition to 100% clean energy and build a cleaner, more equitable transportation system. https://www.ceres.org/news-center/press-releases/major-companies-institutions-illinois-call-100-clean-energy-legislation

Earlier this year, the University of Illinois system signed on to a Illinois Clean Energy letter - “Climate Letter Release”. https://www.ceres.org/sites/default/files/Ceres%202021%20IL%20Business%20Climate%20Action%20Letter_vFinal%20(1).pdf

Renewable energy - the University of Illinois Office of Government Affairs advocated for a regulatory change that allows public higher education institutions in Illinois to enter into long term Power Purchase Agreements. It was passed in spring 2019 (SB211) https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=211&GAID=15&GA=101&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=116094&SessionID=108

National advocacy

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:

The University of Illinois System Office of Governmental Relations (https://www.ogr.uillinois.edu/) coordinates and documents the University of Illinois' efforts at lobbying for state and federal policies. In the past year, the University of Illinois has specifically supported efforts toward sustainable energy and agriculture policies, among many other efforts. Additionally, the university has joined several "Dear Colleague" letters related to sustainable topics.

International advocacy

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

Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:

UI System President Timothy Killeen, on behalf of the University, has reiterated our institutional commitment to the Paris Accord and combating climate change numerous times, including in a high-profile public statement following the United States' own withdrawal. https://massmail.illinois.edu/massmail/28147.html

Optional Fields

A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):

Four Faculty from UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs Invited To Serve On Chicago Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot’s Transition Committees. This was sanctioned by upper administration.
https://cuppa.uic.edu/news-stories/four-cuppa-faculty-invited-to-serve-on-chicago-mayor-elect-lori-lightfoots-transition-committees/

None

A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):

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Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts 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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