| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 83.37 |
| Liaison | Ruairi O'Mahony |
| Submission Date | Feb. 11, 2022 |
University of Massachusetts Lowell
EN-10: Community Partnerships
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Craig
Thomas Assistant Director Sustainability |
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Which of the following best describes the partnership?:
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? :
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability:
For years, many smaller, disparate activities around Earth Day were hosted by organizations and institutions in Lowell and surrounding communities. In late 2014, UMass Lowell led an effort to explore collaboration opportunities with a wide variety of community organizations to create a month-long calendar of events around Earth Day. As a result in 2015, about 25 organizations staged events to celebrate sustainability in Lowell in all of its aspects – environmental, artistic and cultural.
Over recent years this event has only grown. We now have a rich network of over 100 community partner organizations and institutions collaborating and taking part in a diverse array of collective programming across the city and region. We have established an annual collaborative, city-wide, month-long celebration of the arts, nature and sustainability. Local businesses, community groups, cultural and artistic organizations, public schools, the community college and the University all play integral roles in programming every year. This program continued during the COVID-19 pandemic with virtual programming and events that continued the partnership vision within the bounds of local and state gathering restrictions.
CORE BELIEFS:
WE BELIEVE LOWELL EARTH DAY:
Strengthens the role (and perception) of the university as a central player in convening and coordinating community cultural activities, particularly as they relate to critical social, economic and political issues such as climate change and the protection of the environment.
Raises awareness of climate change and sustainability.
Raises the profile of Lowell as a leader in promoting arts, economic development and sustainability.
Engages the university in off-campus cultural activities.
Provides a vehicle for engaging several critical constituencies, including:
Students and employees of higher education institutions at both the UMass Lowell campus and Middlesex Community College
Artists currently living and working in Lowell
Immigrant and minority groups in Lowell
Lowell Public School system
Lowell National Historical Park
Economic development organizations
Local businesses
Creates and strengthens relationships between a wide variety of non-profits, businesses, institutions, public schools and government agencies.
Provides opportunities for students of all levels to create or support educational experiences around climate change and sustainability in the community.
Provides a model for other similar collaborations at the other UMass campuses and in other cities across the nation.
https://www.lowellearthday.org/festival-parade-home/festival-parade-about-us/
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (2nd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (3rd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
Website URL where information about the institution’s community partnerships to advance sustainability is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.