| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.28 |
| Liaison | Geory Kurtzhals |
| Submission Date | Jan. 4, 2022 |
University of Notre Dame
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Geory
Kurtzhals Sr. Director Office of Sustainability |
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 Office of Sustainability, with support from University senior leadership and the surrounding community, co-presented with the City of South Bend Director of Sustainability to the local South Bend Common Council showcasing the strategy the University has taken to combat climate change. This was done in direct support and solidarity to advocate for the South Bend Climate Ordinance and the city's desire to pass their own Climate Action Plan.
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:
This information is being submitted under regional advocacy as the initiative covers several counties in our area and region.
In 2017, the University of Notre Dame began a partnership with a local food rescue program, Cultivate Food Rescue. Cultivate rescues and distributes unserved excess food and packages it into healthy single-serve meals to more than 100 organizations in the St. Joseph, Marshall, and Elkhart county areas in Indiana, including dozens of food pantries and soup kitchens. The organization also operates a school-based backpack program that provides frozen meals to 1,000 children in those same counties, helping to bridge the 68-hour food gap for many students between Friday at lunch and Monday at breakfast. As the program continues to grow, their need for a larger space and kitchen resources increases. In January of 2022, the University of Notre Dame submitted a letter of support regarding Cultivate Food Rescue's American Rescue Plan Fund request to the city of South Bend Board of Commissioners asking for the distribution of funds for the purchase of a community freezer, allowing them to support additional organizations who feed the food insecure, repurposing the excess food to the needy instead of it going to area landfills. If funds are received, it will allow Cultivate Food Rescue to continue moving forward in the fight to curb food insecurity in our area as well as continue to divert tons of food waste from our area landfills.
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:
February, 2018, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., spoke with a number of legislators, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, to push for an immediate fix for the DACA program. Despite the failed bipartisan bill, Fr. Jenkins continued those conversations. In a statement issued June 18, 2020, Fr. Jenkins applauded the ruling of the Supreme Court allowing the continuation of the DACA program.
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:
Notre Dame president co-signs climate change accords - https://www.nd.edu/stories/vatican-climate-conference/
Executives from among the world’s leading energy producers and investors concluded two days of Vatican-sponsored dialogue on energy transition Friday (June 14), with — for the first time — most signing statements of support for carbon pricing and disclosures on climate change risk. Pope Francis addressed the summit, and participated in a rare Q&A with participants.
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:
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.