STARS Curriculum: Trends, Challenges and a Proposed Solution

1. STARS Curriculum: Trends, Challenges and a Proposed Solution M Moin Uddin, PhD Kathleen Moore East Tennessee State University

2. STARS • STARS®, a self- assessment tool, enables colleges and universities to gauge their progress toward sustainability • It looks at all facets of our institutions—curriculum and research, campus operations, planning and institutional capacity—with the goal of aiding strategic planning, fostering cross-sector dialogue about sustainability on campus, and stimulating conversations and learning between institutions

3. STARS • East Tennessee State University

4. STARS • 11 Colleges – Emphasis is on the Health Sciences Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy Claudius G. Clemmer College of Education College of Arts and Sciences College of Business and Technology College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences College of Nursing College of Public Health Honors College James H. Quillen College of Medicine School of Continuing Studies and Academic OutreachSchool of Graduate Studies

5. STARS Department of Appalachian Studies 3 minors - Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Studies; Appalachian Studies; Environmental Studies * No Majors/Minors in Sustainability or Environmental Science

6. STARS – Sustainability • Sustainability Office opened in 2010 • Baseline STARS report in 2011 • Strategic Plan metric added in 2011 “To attain Silver Rating by 2014”

7. STARS - ETSU Definition • Sustainability at East Tennessee State University in both education and research is an interdisciplinary domain focusing on the dynamic relationship between the environment, economy, society and humanity. Sustainable systems preserve and advance individual and public health and health awareness, social equity, economic prosperity, and the vigorous functioning of ecological systems now and in the future. The greatest renewable and sustainable resources are the students, faculty and staff of the university.

8. STARS Metrics from 2011 Report • Education & Research 41.98% • Operations 32.14% • Planning, Admin & Engagement 36.74% • Innovation 4.00% • Co-Curricular Education 11.29/18.00 • Curriculum 20.57/55.00 • Research 10.12/27.00

9. STARS - Curriculum Credits • This subcategory seeks to recognize institutions that have formal education programs and courses that address sustainability • ER Credit 5 to 14 • Total Points: 55

10. STARS - Curriculum Credits

11. STARS • Sustainability-focused courses concentrate on the concept of sustainability, including its social, economic, and environmental dimensions, or examine an issue or topic using sustainability as a lens. • Sustainability-related courses incorporate sustainability as a distinct course component or module or concentrate on a single sustainability principle or issue.

12. STARS - Curriculum Credits • ETSU Procedure Attempt 1:Faculty Member from each college “nominated” by respective dean to survey faculty in college. Attempt 2:Course catalogs filtered using key words identified by curriculum committee. List of possible courses then sent to faculty member and deans for determination of whether identified courses were focused, related or neither. Issues Identified: - Didn’t survey all classes – only those in course catalogs - Course descriptions in catalogs are vague - Dependent on support from Provost, Deans, and Faculty Minimal response/support Great variability in data

13. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Study Objectives: • Identify best practices in rated institutions • Identify innovative method and implement

14. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Data Analysis • Sample Size : 279 • ER 5 - Sustainability Course Identification • Almost all institutions have developed a definition for sustainability 77.74% 22.26%

15. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Data Analysis • ER 5 - Sustainability Course Identification • Methodologies the institution followed to complete the inventory are course catalog, survey, and self reporting

16. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Data Analysis • ER 6 and & 7- Sustainability-Focused and Related Courses • More than 50,000 courses were offered with an average of 231 courses and 11.07% of all courses offered

17. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Data Analysis • ER 8 - Sustainability Courses by Department • On average 56% (28) departments offered sustainability related and focused courses Avg. = 56

18. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Data Analysis • ER 9 - Sustainability Learning Outcomes • About 80% of all rated institutions reported that only 13.46% of all graduates graduated from a program that has adopted at least one sustainability learning outcomes

19. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Data Analysis • ER 12 – Does the Institution Offer a Sustainability Immersive Experience Program?

20. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Data Analysis • ER 13 – Has the Institution Conducted a Sustainability Literacy Assessment? 79.93% 20.07%

21. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Data Analysis • ER 14 – Does the Institution Provide Incentives for Developing Sustainability Courses? 53.05% 46.95%

22. STARS - Curriculum Credits • Data Analysis • Sustainability learning outcomes data may not capture the full effort of courses offered

23. STARS - Curriculum Credits • The proposed solution: • A Sustainability designation of sustainability related and focus courses • Easy identification and reporting