| Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 36.72 |
| Liaison | Lindsey Abernathy |
| Submission Date | July 17, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Mississippi
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 1.00 |
Kendall
McDonald Project Manager Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of sustainability culture (i.e. the assessment focuses on sustainability values, behaviors and beliefs, and may also address awareness of campus sustainability initiatives)?:
Which of the following best describes the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered::
A brief description of how and when the cultural assessment(s) were developed and/or adopted:
The assessment was developed in February and March of 2017 in partnership with the Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning (IREP). The assessment measured awareness and concern for environmental issues, as well as awareness of sustainability initiatives at the university. IREP developed a representative sample of faculty, staff and students on the Oxford campus.
A copy or sample of the questions related to sustainability culture:
A sample of the questions related to sustainability culture or the website URL where the assessment tool is available:
Q1 Climate change refers to an overall increase in the Earth’s air and water temperature by greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere?
Q2 How important is it to you that the University of Mississippi be a leader in sustainability and environmental responsibility?
Q3 From the list of options below, please select the three sustainability goals that are most important to you. (Select three options)
Q4 Please indicate how important you think the following sustainability-related topics are for the University of Mississippi?
Q5 How important do you think the following programs are at the University of Mississippi? Q6 Which of the following waste reduction programs would you like to see expanded at the University of Mississippi?
Q7 To what extent do you feel environmental and sustainability-related content is integrated into academic curriculum at the University of Mississippi? (Select statement you most closely agree with)
Q8 How connected do you feel with environmental and sustainability efforts on campus?
A brief description of how representative samples were reached (if applicable) and how the cultural assessment is administered:
The Office of Institutional Research, Effectivenss and Planning (IREP) developed the representative sample, which included students, faculty and staff, and considered demographic information including origin, ethnicity, gender, and educational attainment. IREP distributed the survey to the sample.
A brief summary of results from the cultural assessment, including a description of any measurable changes over time:
The 2017 Sustainability Assessment Survey gauged environmental concern and awareness of sustainability initiatives on campus among faculty, staff and students. The survey was sent to a representative sample of 5000 participants and garnered 172 completed responses. Among respondents surveyed, 62% felt that global climate change would be a “major problem” during their lifetime, while 84% felt it would be a major problem for future generations. 73% of respondents felt it was “very important” for the university to be a leader in environmental responsibility and sustainability. Initiatives to reduce energy consumption, establish a long term sustainability plan and improve recycling were identified as highest priorities. Among faculty and staff, Office of Sustainability programs aimed at reducing energy consumption, recycling and advocating for a living wage was deemed the most important. Students prioritized programs targeting energy consumption, waste reduction, and active transportation. Interestingly, 72% of student respondents indicated that sustainability topics should be more integrated with the curriculum.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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.