| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 60.64 |
| Liaison | Eva Rocke |
| Submission Date | June 30, 2021 |
University of Montana
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.33 / 2.00 |
Madeleine
Jones ASUM Sustainability Coordinator ASUM |
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:
The Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM) has authored numerous resolutions advocating for various sustainability policies and initiatives at the local level. Examples of such advocacy includes a resolution advocating for support of renewable energy and encouraging the university to sign onto the City's goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035 authored in 2019. Additionally, ASUM has endorsed several ballot initiatives including the Open Space Bond and City Stewardship Levy which provided funding for acquisitions of land and capital improvements of open space in 2018, and support for the Mountain Line Mill Levy which provided the city bus system increased funding to expand service and expand their electric fleet in 2020.
Top UM administration has supported the local clean electricity resolution adopted by Missoula city and county governments as well as the mill levy for city bus service. In the first example, UM was a co-sponsor of several 2019 clean electricity campaign events and UM President Seth Bodnar attended a press event wherein the Missoula Mayor, city council members, and city/county sustainability staff officially endorsed the resolution. In the case of the mill levy for additional buses and expanded transit service, UM has been a committed financial partner in our zero fare local transit program for the last 5 years and co-sponsored a campaign event leading up to the vote.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/asum_resolutions/685/
https://www.umt.edu/asum/student-government/agendas-and-minutes.php
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:
Each legislative session, the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM) set forth a list of priorities for the session. For the 2021 session, numerous priorities intersected with advocacy for sustainability at the state level. Examples of the priorities include: increased funding for scholarships and financial aid for students, advocacy and protection for student renters, allocation of funding for mental health services, promote non-discrimination policies, and support and advocate for reproductive healthcare and reproductive rights.
The majority of this student advocacy is supported by UM administration. For example, during the 2021 legislative session, University lobbyists prioritized lobbying and advocacy against HB112 which requires interscholastic athletes to participate under sex assigned at birth.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
The University administration, specifically the UM President, has advocated for numerous policies and engagement in sustainability issues of national concern. Examples of such include promoting civic engagement around voting, being vocal in support of diversity initiatives such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and LGBTQ+ Pride. This support is usually in the form of a campus communication from the President's office.
https://www.umt.edu/president/communication/2018/elections-civildiscourse-and-diverseu.php
https://www.umt.edu/president/communication/2019/montana-big-sky-pride-celebration.php
https://www.umt.edu/president/communication/2020/americans-with-disabilities-act-and-disability-access.php
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:
A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Information on UM's lobby efforts provided by Dave Kuntz, Director of Strategic Communication, Dave.Kuntz@mso.umt.edu
Information on UM's lobby efforts provided by Dave Kuntz, Director of Strategic Communication, Dave.Kuntz@mso.umt.edu
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.