Warren Wilson College
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Through its Civic Identity framework, Warren Wilson has adopted sustainability-focused learning outcomes for all undergraduates that specifically address this STARS criteria: “Students will identify, act on, and evaluate their professional and personal actions with the knowledge and appreciation of interconnections among economic, environmental, and social perspectives.” For purposes of this STARS report, we will focus primarily on the fulfillment of sustainability learning outcomes through the Academic component of our Civic Identity framework, though other required components of the Civic Identity metric - Work and Community Engagement— have specific requirements in support of this outcome. For one, Community Engagement provides the experiential component through which students personally act “with the knowledge and appreciation of interconnections among economic, environmental, and social perspectives.” All students are required to volunteer with community partners each year to address pressing sustainability challenges in the region.

When Warren Wilson uses the word sustainability in its policies, guidelines, goals, values and outcomes it refers to the institution’s definition of sustainability, which was approved through shared governance in 2008:

We acknowledge that a complex web of economic, social, cultural, spiritual and environmental factors determine the well-being of our community.
We recognize our power as individuals, and in community, to influence these complex, interdependent relationships.
We strive to make responsible decisions that take into account the multiple dimensions of sustainability in order to ensure quality of life now and for generations to come.

Civic Identity frames all learning at Warren Wilson. The model provides a scaffolded series of learning outcomes leading to attainment of a keystone outcome. In addition to Academics, Work Program and Community Engagement requirements directly support these learning outcomes. These outcomes strive to develop a citizen capable of dedicating themselves to living into the College’s definition of sustainability.

Civic Identity Keystone Learning Outcome:
Warren Wilson graduates are prepared to engage in groundbreaking scholarship, pursue meaningful careers with professionalism, and lead purposeful lives dedicated to fostering a just, equitable and sustainable world.

Scaffolded Learning Outcomes that Lead to the Keystone Outcome:

Knowledge:
Understanding of Complex Issues
Self-Awareness

Skills:
Effective Communication
Critical Inquiry: Evaluates and applies diverse perspectives to complex subjects within natural and human/social systems in the face of multiple and even conflicting positions.

Values:
Commitment to ethical integrity, justice and equity
Community Mindedness: Demonstrates evidence of adjustment in own attitudes and beliefs because of working within and learning from diversity of communities and cultures. Promotes others engagement with diversity.

Collective Action:
Collaborative problem-solving
Compromise, civility, mutual respect

In addition to Community Engagement requirements for Civic Identity that immerse students in action upon sustainability challenges in our region, coursework is required from the following categories to attain scaffolded and keystone Civic Identity Outcomes for all majors:
•Social Justice courses examine patterns of social inequality. These courses address concepts of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and/or disability, considering these at both the level of individuals' lived experiences and within larger societal contexts.
•Intercultural Perspectives courses have a primary focus on a region and culture outside the United States or a non-dominant cultural group within the United States. Courses may focus on a single region and culture, or may take a comparative view of the relationships between different nations, cultures, or regions. Students cultivate the ability to understand and respect diverse cultural and historical traditions.
•Environmental Responsibility courses have substantial focus on the examination of environmental issues in light of their causes, impacts, contexts, or solutions. Students reflect critically about how their actions affect the environment and about their responsibility for engaging with environmental issues.
•Service Learning courses have a substantial and integrated service component as part of the coursework. Service Learning is a method under which students learn and develop through thoughtfully organized service that is conducted in--and meets the needs of--a community. Service is integrated into the academic curriculum such that it enhances the students' learning experience.

All students at Warren Wilson must fulfill institutional level Civic Identity requirements that insure they understand the concept of sustainability. For program level requirements, 37 of the College's 101 graduates graduated from programs with program level requirements in understanding the concept of sustainability.

With institutional requirements as the filter, all degree programs at Warren Wilson require an understanding of sustainability in order for students to fulfill the Civic Identity learning outcomes requirements.

At the program level, the degree programs that are listed in AC-3 require a program level understanding of the concept of sustainability: majors in Environmental Studies, Global Studies, Interdisciplinary Business, Social Work, Peace and Justice Studies, Conservation Biology; concentrations in Ecological Forestry, Sustainable Agriculture, Environmental Policy and Justice, Environmental Education, and Water and Earth Resources.

101 students graduated from Warren Wilson College's undergraduate program in the 2018-2019 academic year. All graduates were required to fulfill Civic Identity requirements, General Education requirements, Major requirements, Work Program requirements and Community Engagement requirements. Learning outcomes from the component parts are integrated by the Civic Identity framework. These overarching outcomes ensure that Warren Wilson's graduates understand how to engage effectively in building "a just, equitable and sustainable world" because they have met specific requirements and deomnstrated learning outcomes that prepare them to understand sustainability challenges and motivate them to a life of continued engagement. Though all students fulfill institutional requirements for understanding the concept of sustainability, in 2018-2019, 37 students graduated from programs where that outcome is a program level requirement. The VP for Academic Affairs has reviewed this document and approved it as accurate in its claims.