The Environmental Policy Advisory Council (EPAC) & Climate Action Task Force (CATF) Environmental Literacy Workgro

1. The Environmental Policy Advisory Council (EPAC) & Climate Action Task Force (CATF) Environmental Literacy Workgroup October 31, 2008 Student Union, Room 320

2. Welcome & Introductions

3. Background & Overview of the Workgroup

4. Background & Overview of the Workgroup Environmental Literacy Workgroup Status (Rich Miller, EPAC Chair & CATF Co-Chair)

5. Environmental Policy Advisory Council (EPAC) • 25-30 Members • Advisory to President & Provost • Recommends Policies & Sustainability Initiatives • Workgroups develop action plans, coordinate implementation – Recycling, Env Literacy (Energy, Transportation?)

6. UConn’s Environmental Policy StatementAdopted April 2004 (rev. 2006) Performance:The University will institutionalize best practices, comply with environmental laws, regulations and standards, and continually monitor, report on and improve its environmental performance. Responsible management and growth:The University will endeavor to design, construct and maintain its buildings, infrastructure and grounds in a manner that ensures environmental sustainability and protects public health and safety. Outreach:The University will promote environmental stewardship in Connecticut and embrace environmental initiatives in partnership with its surrounding communities. Academics:The University will advance understanding of the environment through its curriculum, research and other academic programs, and will employ an ethic of environmental stewardship in all intellectual pursuits. Conservation:The University will conserve natural resources, increase its use of environmentally sustainable products, materials and services, including renewable resources, and prevent pollution and minimize wastes through reduction, reuse and recycling. Teamwork:The University will encourage teamwork and provide groups and individuals with support, guidance and recognition for achieving shared environmental goals.

7. Notable Accomplishments • 2004-2005: • Added Environment to focus areas to the Provost’s $8,000 grant program for new GenEd courses • ResLife Environmental Awareness Campaign • 2005-2006: • Environmental Career Panel • 2006-2007 • EnvironmentalLeadership Awards • Environmental Expressions Student Contest • 2007-2008: • Focus the Nation Teach-In, including a faculty panel regarding UConn’s/higher education’s role in addressing climate change.

8. Background & Overview of the Workgroup President’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) (Meghan Ruta, CAP Project Manager)

9. President Hogan Signs Pledge for Carbon-Neutral Campus – 03/25/08  UConn President Mike Hogan signs the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment as DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy and Vice Provost Greg Anderson observe. 100+ students, faculty and staff attend PCC signing ceremony at Wilbur Cross North Reading Room 

10. The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) “Campuses that address the climate challenge by reducing global warming emissions and byintegrating sustainability into their curriculum will better serve their students and meet their social mandate to help create a thriving, ethical and civil society…”

11. Background & Overview of the Workgroup Overview of 2008-2009 Charge (Dave Wagner & Kathy Segerson, EL Workgroup Co-Chairs)

12. Background & Overview of the Workgroup Related Updates, News, or Announcements?

13. Focal Areas in Brief

14. Focal Areas in Brief EcoHouse (Dave Ouimette, First Year Programs)

15. EcoHouse Residential Environmental Living & Learning Community Fall 2009 • Goals: • Provide a forum for discussion among students from diverse disciplines • Provide academic support for students majoring or minoring in environmental disciplines • Help first year students adjust to university life • Help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to serve as campus environmental stewards • Increase environmental awareness in the UConn community • Expose students to a variety of environmental disciplines Residential & Social Academic Service

16. Focal Areas in Brief Environmental Studies (Tim Byrne, Environmental Science Program Co-Director)

17. Environmental Studies Program Interdisciplinary approach to the study of the environment through the integration of physical and social sciences • Potential Benefits to UConn: • Encourage collaboration across disciplines • Fulfill student interest in environmental fields outside of the hard sciences • Prepare students for participation in new, rapidly expanding fields • Recruitment Possible Directions Reworking Environmental Studies minor Environmental Studies, BA as Sister program to ENVS Environmental Studies, BA

18. Framework • UConn Environmental Science, B.S. • Managed by CLAS and CANR with two co-directors • Follows BS requirements of CLAS with additional semester in biology/botany and statistics, and • Two introductory environmental science courses • Five “core” courses • Capstone course • Concentration requirements – nine concentrations (~15 credits) • Needs: “ENVS” course designation; faculty; physical home

19. Background • Existing Environmental Studies minor offered at UConn (<12 students completed to date) • Environmental studies/policy major increasingly pursued through Individualized Major program • Broad interest in environmental policy/law/studies has been expressed by students in environmental sciences • An Environmental Studies major is available at many major universities • Environmental certificate offered at some schools

20. Existing UConn Environmental Studies Minor • “Environmental studies is broadly concerned with the interaction between the humans and the environment. The environmental studies Minor is a coherent 16-credit interdisciplinary (humanities, social sciences, and sciences) program to enable students interested in social sciences and/or policy approaches to solve environmental problems on a local, national, and global level. This minor provides students the opportunity to focus their related area and/or electives on environmental issues. None of the courses in the minor can be used within the student’s major.”

21. Existing UConn Environmental Studies Minor • Core courses • EEB 2244 or GEOL 3010 • 3 credits from ANTH 3200, ARE 3434, ENGL 3240; GEOG 3410 NRME 3245 or PHIL 3216 • Electives (9 credits; no more than 6 from one dept.) • AH 3175: ANTH 3093, 3201, 3302; ARE 3434; EEB 3205, 2244; ENGL 3240; GEOG 3300, 3320/W, 3410, 4300; HIST/SCI 2206; NRME 3245; PHIL 3216; POLS 3406; SCI 2400. Plus core options if not used for core

22. Existing UConn Environmental Studies Minor • Core courses • EEB 2244 – General Ecology (prereq: 6 credits college biology) • GEOL 3010 – Earth History and Global Change (prereq: Intro to Geosciences, 4 credits) • 3 credits from: • ANTH 3200 – Human Behavior Ecology • ARE 3434 – Envir. & Resource Policy • ENGL 3240 – Am. Nature Writing • GEOG 3410 – Human Modifications of Natural Envir. • NRME 3245 – Environmental Law • PHIL 3216 – Environmental Ethics

23. Existing UConn Environmental Studies Minor • Concerns: • Very few students have completed the minor • Courses are probably out of date (many more seem possible) • “None of the courses in the minor can be used with the student’s major” • -> makes it difficult (impossible?) for ENVS students to minor in Environmental Studies. • Overlap is allowed for “related” courses

24. Possibilities for Proposed UConnEnvironmental Studies Major • Possible major: • Introduction course • Environmental sciences or environmental studies • Core courses • Environmental conservation • Population, food and the environment • Agriculture and resource economics • Society and global perspectives of the environment • Methods in social research • Concentrations

25. Possibilities for Proposed UConnEnvironmental Studies Major • Concentrations: • Policy and law • Environmental economics • Education and outreach • Environment and public health • Capstone • Environment and risk • Senior seminar

26. Proposed UConnEnvironmental Studies Major • BA Requirements: • GEOC + 5 BA courses (CLAS only?) + 24 200-level courses (“in the major”) + 12 related courses • Process for forming a major • Departments -> Schools/Colleges -> Senate -> Provosts Office -> State Dept. of Higher Education -> formal signing by the Provost • Could take a couple of years

27. Proposed UConnEnvironmental Studies Major • Key questions for Dept. Higher Ed. approval: • Objectives: • Who are the students and what will they do with the degree • Curriculum: • Major courses, related areas, GEOC, electives • Need: • Evidence that it’s needed, employment opportunities

28. Proposed UConnEnvironmental Studies Major • What are goals? • Opportunities for using existing resources? • Additional resources needed? • Optimal program format? • What needs to be done first, second…?

29. Focal Areas in Brief Climate Action Plan Environmental Literacy Recommendations (Meghan Ruta, CAP Project Manager)

30. EL & The Climate Action Plan • Survey past, existing and proposed UConn EL programs and initiatives (curriculum & education experience, research, community outreach and efforts). • Identify unique or successful climate change and/or environmental sustainability literacy efforts at other colleges/universities.

31. EL & The Climate Action Plan • Identify major gaps or areas for improvement and/or investment that would achieve both the goals of the Academic Plan and of the PCC. • Developmentenvironmental literacy recommendations, that would address the identified gaps and goals, forinclusion in the Climate Action Plan.

32. Break-Out Sessions 15 Minute Rotations PLEASE REFER TO THE REVERSE OF YOUR AGENDA

33. Group Discussion & Wrap Up

34. Review of Action Items Questions? Comments?

35. Thank You! The Environmental Policy Advisory Council (EPAC) & Climate Action Task Force (CATF) Environmental Literacy Workgroup October 31, 2008 Student Union, Room 320