University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
EN-8: Staff Professional Development

OFS workshop series The office for sustainability provides different sustainability training and professional development opportunities to the staff through workshop series, film series, speaker series. -Workshop series is a series of educational workshops on international and regional sustainable issues designed to provide a venue for networking and global communications with local cultural influences among industry leaders and practitioners (and staff) in our region. The series presentations are delivered by leading experts in various fields of sustainability research and practice, and professional development, including but not limited to environmental quality, green technology, conservation, policy, remediation, restoration, and renewable energy. -Film series is an exciting collaborative series of films and panel discussions designed to educate and raise awareness, conversation, and debate around current issues in sustainability. The series features visionary documentary films that explore sustainability, followed by vibrant and informative panel discussions comprised of leading academics, community leaders, and proactive citizens who present and exchange ideas and views on current and local developments in sustainability. -Speaker series draws government officials, community leaders and citizen advocates to campus to spark lively discussion on pressing sustainability-related topics. The series addresses the problems and solutions of sustainability, from global climate change and rural poverty to new business models and investment strategies. Our distinguished speakers include expert practitioners and leaders from across the nonprofit, government, and corporate sectors. The University sends staff to professional development conferences with topics and professional training in sustainability for organizations they are members of and that correspond to their discipline. The list below is for these external professional development conferences. International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) https://www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org/ The International Society of Sustainability Professional provides networking for shared interest or sustainability project collaboration; sharing best practices and tools to have a repository for case studies, sample policies and job descriptions as well as other sustainability resources; and professional development to have access to conferences and workshops dedicated to sustainability practitioners at UTRGV. Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) is an independent non-profit organization that defines sustainability in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for all generations. For that reason membership includes every individual at an institution. The goal of AASHE is to facilitate efforts to integrate UTRGV education policy and sustainability into all sectors of the campus setting. This includes providing administrators, faculty, staff and students, as well as the business that serve them at local, state and national levels, with: thought leadership and essential information resources; outstanding opportunities for professional development that disseminates knowledge and best practices; and a unique framework for demonstrating the value and competitive edge created by sustainability initiatives. Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) board and staff pledge to incorporate the principles of sustainability into member benefits and daily operations. The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), which was established in 1965, is a community of higher education leaders who are responsible for, or are involved in, the integration of planning on their campuses and for the professionals who support them. Members look to SCUP to find ways to successfully integrate the institution's mission into their academic plan, and then seek to integrate all other kinds of planning on campus in support of the academic plan. The society works with external organizations, such as the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), and the Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC), supports initiatives such as the Higher Education Sustainability Act (HESA) and Carbonfund.org, and creates professional development programming (conference sessions, workshops, webcasts, etc.) on this crucial topic. AIA/LRGV-AIA American Institute of Architects The Lower Rio Grande Valley-American Institute of Architects LRGV-AIA is the leading professional membership association for licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners. As the voice of the architectural profession dedicated to serving its members AIA sponsors hundreds of continuing education experiences advancing architectural knowledge to help architects maintain their licensure, set the industry standard in contract documents, provide countless web-based resources for emerging architecture professionals. AIA also conducts market research and provides analysis of the economic factors that affect the business of architecture while improving the quality of the built environment. LRGV-AIA carries out its goal through advocacy, information, and community. Texas Society of Architects TSA The Texas Society of Architects/AIA is the voice for Texas architecture, supporting the creation of safe, beautiful, sustainable environments. There are currently over 6,500 members in Texas Society of Architects, with classifications of membership as Architect, Associate, Associate Intern, Student, and Emeritus Members. The following organizations were established by and are related to Texas Society of Architects: Texas Architectural Foundation (TAF), Texas Architects Committee (TAC) and Texas Society of Architects Disaster Action, Inc. (disaster response team). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) http://www.nacubo.org/ The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) is a membership organization representing more than 2,500 colleges, universities, and higher education service providers across the country and around the world. NACUBO specifically represents chief business and financial officers with sustainable business practices such as advocacy efforts, community service, and professional development activities. The association's mission is to advance the economic viability and business practices of higher education institutions in fulfillment of their academic missions. Texas Association of Physical Plant Administrators APPA/TAPPA http://broncnotes.utpa.edu/displayBulletin.aspx?bulletinID=2791 Texas Association of Physical Plant Administrators APPA/TAPPA is a non-profit organization in the state of Texas that promotes, common interests, proficiency and professionalism in college and university Physical Plant operations to include planning, development, administration, maintenance and operations. TAPPA fosters sustainable professional ideals and standards to better serve the objectives of institutions of higher education and to promote interest and proficiency in the administration of college and university physical plant operations. This association aids and supplements the work of the (Texas Association of State Senior College and University Business Officers) TASSCUBO, APPA, and the (Central States Association of Physical Plant Administrators of Universities and Colleges) CAPPA. Its primary emphasis is in the area of higher education (post secondary) however, membership is welcomed from all institutions involved in education. Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) The University of Texas Pan American and Office for Sustainability staff often participate in the annual Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability. This statewide network embodies inter-campus collaboration. TRACS provides expertise and resources pertaining to climate and sustainability initiatives through summits or conferences. This event is sponsored through members who represent colleges, universities, and staff of the National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology program. SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support and recognize purchasing leadership that accelerates the transition to a prosperous and sustainable future. The Council’s programs and community of practice will help institutional purchasers to prioritize opportunities to influence the social, environmental and economic life cycle impacts of purchased goods and services, identify existing leadership standards and approaches that address these priorities, benchmark progress toward goals, and receive recognition for advancement. College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC) Support collegiate recycling programs through technical assistance, education, and training. Each year, we organize and host a Webinar series on timely and innovative topics, hold one regional workshop and one national workshop. We publish a quarterly newsletter, develop best-practices manuals and toolkits and we help connect members through an active email listserv (RECYC-L) and through informal gatherings in conjunction with state and national conferences. CURC members partner with innovative programs such as the RecycleMania® Tournament, which uses a friendly competition format to engage students and staff on college campuses in recycling and waste reduction issues. Green Sports Alliance Summit The event brings together more than 800 industry stakeholders to learn and share better practices and the latest innovations in greening operations, advancing the supply chain and engaging fans.