University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
EN-9: Staff Professional Development

The UTRGV Office for Sustainability provides sustainability training and professional development opportunities to UTRGV staff through workshops, speakers and other events. A major point of pride for the OFS is a faculty development program hosted in partnership with the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE): an intensive two-day faculty development program entitled the International Center for Sustainability Across the Curriculum (ICSAC) Conference. Building on the success of the Project Sin Fronteras workshop series, ICSAC brings together faculty from around the world, and local, state, national, and global participants to experience collaborative and networking opportunities. In this hands-on, fast-paced workshop, participants will 1) develop a trans disciplinary framing of sustainability relevant to their discipline, and 2) (re)design an existing or planned syllabus using a guided, hands-on process. The program will provide opportunities to share insights with peers within and across disciplines. Another training opportunity took the form of a teaching symposium. More than 100 faculty and staff members participated in the first Teaching and Learning Symposium. With a theme of “Meeting the Needs of 21st Century Learners,” the symposium focused on community-engaged teaching, experiential learning, linguistic and cultural diversity, resilience, and faculty development with a goal of enhancing student learning experiences and success. Symposium sponsors and partners included were the B3 Institute, Center for Online Learning and Teaching Technology (COLTT), College of Education and P-16 Integration, Community Engagement and Assessment, Department of Writing and Language Studies, Graduate College, Engaged Scholarship and Learning, International Programs and Partnerships, Office of Accreditation and Assessment, Office for Sustainability, Office of Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Diversity, Student Accessibility Services, Title V and Office of Student Success, and the University Library. -Educational workshops on international and regional sustainable issues provide a venue for networking and global communications with local cultural influences among industry leaders, practitioners, and university staff in our region. The 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. -Speakers invited to UTRGV include government officials, community leaders and citizen advocates who spark lively discussion on pressing sustainability-related topics. The series of speakers 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 for organizations they are members of and that correspond to their discipline. The list below is for these external professional development conferences that serve topics and professional training in sustainability. -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. -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. -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. -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. -The Texas Society of Architects 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). -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) 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. -UTRGV 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. -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. -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.

Staff professional development at UTRGV works towards the sustainable development goal of sustainable communities and strong institutions by regularly offering and involving its staff in sustainability professional development and training experiences.