Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 50.16
Liaison Dr. Jill Wicknick
Submission Date Jan. 7, 2023

STARS v2.2

University of Montevallo
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.91 / 8.00 Susan Caplow
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Behavioral and Social Sciences
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Institutional sustainability learning outcomes

Has the institution adopted one or more sustainability learning outcomes that apply to the entire student body or, at minimum, to the institution's predominant student body?:
Yes

Which of the following best describes the sustainability learning outcomes?:
Sustainability-supportive

A list of the institution level sustainability learning outcomes:
The General Education requirements are linked to the AAC&U Essential Learning Outcomes, which together include all sustainability elements:

Students should prepare for 21st-century challenges by gaining:
• Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World —through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts Focused by engagement with big questions, both contemporary and enduring
• Intellectual and Practical Skills, including —Inquiry and analysis —Critical and creative thinking
—Written and oral communication —Quantitative literacy —Information literacy —Teamwork and problem solving Practiced extensively, across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging problems, projects, and standards for performance
• Personal and Social Responsibility, including —Civic knowledge and engagement—local and global —Intercultural knowledge and competence —Ethical reasoning and action —Foundations and skills for lifelong learning Anchored through active involvement with diverse communities and real-world challenges
• Integrative and Applied Learning, including —Synthesis and advanced accomplishments across general and specialized studies Demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems.

Part 2. Program-level sustainability learning outcomes

Total number of graduates from degree programs:
1,346

Number of graduates from degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
153

A brief description of how the figure above was determined:
The number was determined by adding the students from these programs:
1. Environmental Studies (sustainability-focused program)
2. Family & Consumer Sciences (sustainability-focused learning outcomes)
3. Biology (sustainability-focused course: Ecology is a required course for both ES and Biology, and includes scientific conservation principles)
4. Political Science (sustainability-focused course: Public Policy is cross-listed to ES and has substantive environmental policy content)

I included students graduating in 2020,2021, and 2022. The University Statistics on this are here:
https://www.montevallo.edu/about-um/administration/irpa/university-statistics/degrees-awarded/

A list of degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
Environmental Studies has several sustainability-oriented learning outcomes:

1) ES majors will understand dynamics of complex socio-environmental systems.
2) ES majors will integrate and apply diverse disciplinary perspectives to complex environmental problems.
3) ES majors will develop the ability to work effectively as a member of an interdisciplinary team on a complex environmental problem with real-world stakeholders.
4) ES majors will communicate about environmental problems (both written and oral) in a way that is appropriate for both general and specialized audiences.
5) ES majors will collect original data relating to a sustainability challenge in the local context.

Family & Consumer Sciences Major has several sustainability-oriented learning outcomes:
4) Students will demonstrate an understanding of community vitality, which
measures how well basic human needs are met and focuses on providing an
environment conducive to individual and family well-being.
6) Students will integrate knowledge of human ecosystems within which
families function, including families, physical environment, human-built
environment, and social regulatory environment.
8) Students will integrate knowledge of global interdependence and understand
the effect of their actions on others around the world.
9) Students will apply knowledge of resource development and sustainability,
including managing resources wisely, protecting the environment, and
promoting sustainable practices.
11)Students will apply knowledge from their programs of study to the issues of
individuals, families, consumers, and communities in the environments in
which they function to enable the wellness of those entities.

Documentation supporting the figure reported above (upload):
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Do the figures reported above cover one, two, or three academic years?:
Three

Percentage of students who graduate from programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
11.37

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the sustainability learning outcomes is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
We have another major that just began, sustainable finance, and it will be included in future years.

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.