Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	65.09
Liaison	Shane Stennes
Submission Date	Jan. 11, 2023

STARS v2.2

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	2.00 / 2.00	Shane Stennes Director of Sustainability University Services

"---" 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?:

Yes

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

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:

The University, through its governance bodies, administrators, and parnterships with other entities advocate for sustainability policy through published statements, engagement with elected officials, and other means. Additionally, the University connects state leaders with research and outreach on initiatives and policy guidance conducted by U of M faculty and staff. Some recent examples:

- The University contributed to the Governor's Advisory Council on Climate Change (https://climate.state.mn.us/advisory-council) and in Work Groups (https://climate.state.mn.us/advisory-council) formed to review and advise on the State of Minnesota Climate Framework (https://climate.state.mn.us/minnesotas-climate-action-framework).
- As a member of and in partnership with the Sustainable Growth Coalition (https://environmental-initiative.org/our-work/sustainable-growth-coalition/) the University has testified to the Minnesota House and joined regulatory fillings to advocate for increased deployment of renewable energy (e.g. https://environmental-initiative.org/news-ideas/minnesota-sustainable-growth-coalition-members-share-sustainability-story-with-house-energy-committee/ and https://www.edockets.state.mn.us/edockets/searchDocuments.do?method=showPoup&documentId={4018F876-0000-C618-AE57-FA0043340E49}&documentTitle=20211-169734-01).

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, through its governance bodies, administrators, and parnterships with other entities advocate for sustainability policy through published statements, engagement with elected officials, and other means. Additionally, the University connects national leaders with research and outreach on initiatives and policy guidance conducted by U of M faculty and staff. Some recent examples:

-In 2020 following a Supreme Court ruling that ended legal protections for young immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, President Gabel issued a statement underscoring the institution's commitment to DACA receipients. The President and institution also joined the "Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a coalition of American college and university chancellors and presidents dedicated to increasing public understanding of how immigration policies and practices impact our students, campuses, and communities." (https://immigration.umn.edu/immigration-policy-updates/june-18-2020-update-president-gabel-following-supreme-courts-daca-ruling)
-Also in 2020 the University joined an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of a lawsuit challenging U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) restrictions on visas for international students. https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/university-minnesota-joins-others-challenging-us-visa-restrictions-international

International advocacy

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

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

---

Optional Fields

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

The University does not take political positions.

None

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

The University does not make political donations.

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

https://government-relations.umn.edu/

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.