A National Trend: Sustainability in Higher Education and ACPA’s Leadership Role Debra Rowe, Ph.D.

1. A National Trend: Sustainability in Higher Education and ACPA’s Leadership Role Debra Rowe, Ph.D. President, U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development – www.uspartnership.org Co-coordinator, Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium – www.heasc.net dgrowe@oaklandcc.edu

2. Overview – Education For a Sustainable Future (EFS) • Part I Why EFS and Growing Expectations? • Part II What does it look like in higher education? • Part III National Trends and Resources • Part IV ACPA’s Initiatives • Part IV Next Steps

3. “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” World Commission on Env. and Development. (1987). Our Common Future. England: Oxford University Press. Sustainable Development is often defined as:

4. Social Well-being Flourishing Environment Strong Economy Sustainable Society Triple Bottom Line of Sustainability

5. The United Nations has declared a Decade of Education for Sustainable Development2005-2014

6. Education for a Sustainable Society:“enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to participate in decisions …, that will improve the quality of life now without damaging the planet for the future.”

7. Ecosystem Ecosystem Sustainable Communities Public Choices and Behaviors-Laws Applied Knowledge/ Technological Skills Private Choices and Behaviors-Habits Sustainable Economies Ecosystem Ecosystem

8. Why Sustainability Now? We are the first generation capable of determining the habitability of the planet for humans and other species. The decisions of this generation are crucial. 

9. Why Sustainability & Why Now? • Human presence on a global scale • All living systems in long term decline at unprecedented and accelerating rate • Unprecedented growth in population and consumption • Gap between rich and poor accelerating

10. Global Perspective life supporting resources declining consumption of life supporting resources rising

11. Why is ESD such a high priority in the U.S.? • Much of the U.S. public doesn’t know that we are exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet. (www.myfootprint.org) • All of the life supporting ecosystems are in decline (http://www.worldwatch.org/topics/nature) • The U.S. has approximately 5% of the world’s population and is consuming 25% of the world’s resources. (Jucker, Our Common Illiteracy – Education as If the Earth and People Mattered, Peter Lang Publishers) • Public doesn’t know we can reduce human suffering, environmental degradation and social injustice now while building stronger economies • A rapid shift in mindset is needed andeducation is the key.

12. Why is environmental responsibility such a high priority? • Freshwater withdrawal has almost doubled since 1960 and nearly half the world’s major rivers are going dry or are badly polluted (New Internationalist, no. 329 November, 2000. 18) • 11 of the world’s 15 major fishing areas and 69% of the world’s major fish species are in decline (State of the World 1998, 60-67) • Climate change (global warming) exists, a major culprit is fossil fuels, and impacts are very serious. (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report: Summary for Policymakers: The Science of Climate Change 1995)

13. Effects on food production More extreme weather events Disruptions of ecosystems Spread of disease to temperate climates Submersion of land masses – 1 to 4 foot sea level rise 50% of world’s population lives on the coasts (75% in 2050) 140,000 deaths per year attributed to climate change Sources: 1-5 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Effects -Climate Change

14. From Fossil powered Take, make, waste Living off nature’s capital Market as master Loss of cultural & biological diversity Independence Materialism as goal To Solar powered Cyclical production Living off nature’s income Market as servant Increased cultural & biological diversity Interdependence Human satisfaction goal Global Transition -

15. Dominant Inaccurate Human BeliefsWhich ones do you have to eliminate? • Humans dominant species separate from environment • Resources free and inexhaustible • Technology the answer • Earth can assimilate all wastes • All human needs can be met by human means • Individual success independent of health of communities, cultures and ecosystems

16. Many myths must be dispelled.Which of these myths do you believe?  • Sustainability is mostly about the environment • Sustainability is just another issue, like international studies or computer literacy • Sustainability is secondary to the university's core mission and function • Sustainability will almost always cost the university more money • Sustainability is primarily a scientific and technical problem

17. Potential is enormous • 4,096 U.S. Colleges and Universities (1) • 14.8 million students (1) • $277 billion annual expenditures; 2.8% of the GDP(1) • HE expenditures > the GDP of all but 25 countries in the world(2) 1 From: 2001 Digest of Education Statistics, US Dept. of Education. 2 From: 2001 CIA World Factbook and Dowling, Mike., "Interactive Table of World Nations," available from http://www.mrdowling.com/800nations.html; Internet; updated Friday, June 29, 2001

18. Part II What does education for a sustainable future look like within higher education?

19. What if higher education were to take a leadership role, as it did in the space race and the war on cancer, in preparing students and providing the information and knowledge to achieve a just and sustainable society? What would higher education look like?

20. Curricula Research For higher education, Sustainable Development integrated into: Mission and Planning Operations Purchasing CommunityOutreach and Partnerships Professional Development Student Life

21. KEY THRUST Change operational and policy norms so all students can learn and practice how to be: • environmentally responsible • socially responsible • economically responsible • active citizens in a global economy

22. Goal – All students engaged as effective change agents in our sustainability challengesFrom apathy caring involvement.Students need to know that their daily decisions affect the quality of life of people around the globe

23. A community of learners. A community of real life problem solvers. The campus as a living lab for sustainability practices and skill building.Academics, Student Life, Facilities and Purchasing creatingSustainability as the Campus Context“Latent Currricula” Provides the models and opportunities for practicing the changing of behaviorsBuilding values, behaviors, and identities

24. Mission Strategic Plan Budget Orientation Campus Map and Signage Building Policies Operations and Purchasing Policies Student Life Residential Living Infused throughout curricula First Year Experience Gen Ed Core Curricula Review Community Partnerships Workforce Developmt Key places to place sustainability and institutionalize it:

25. Mission and Planning Already in most mission statements Tie it to the academic, student life and facilities/operation plan Include it in the budget

26. Purchasing and Operations • LEED – can be done without extra funds (Interface Engineering) – www.usgbc.org • Life Cycle Costing • Conservation first, renewables next (higher ed is #1 purchaser of wind power) – www.energystar.gov • Campus Climate Challenge and the mainstream Higher Education Climate Action Partnership – measure and reduce greenhouse gases – www.hecap.org • Environmentally and socially responsible purchasing – www.coopamerica.org, www.newdream.org, NAEP purchasing coalition – Brian Yeoman, Rutgers, National Association of Campus Stores

27. Student Life • Presidential Taskforce on Sustainability – ACPA http://www.myacpa.org/task-force/sustainability/ , including overview, learning outcomes, residential sustainable living campaigns (with ACUHO-I), first year experience, orientation, film series and sustainability media festivals, examples and templates for members… • ACUI and NACA national initiatives • NACUFS for dining halls and food services • Harvard Campus Greening by students -http://www.greencampus.harvard.edu/greenteams/ - How to manuals for you and students

28. 1) Examples at www.ncseonline.org/EFS/DebraRowe.pdf and www.aashe.org2) Textbook revisions to infuse ESD- creating a consistently updated worldview across disciplines Curricula: Gen. Ed. requirements and infusion into multiple disciplines

29. Challenges and Answers Challenges • Already busy • Don’t know this stuff • Putting out fires, don’t have time to do the right thing • Issues complex and systemic • Societal & environmental impacts invisible and often ignored Answers • Use national resources • Learn from other institutions • Use students and staff nationally to help you learn, grow and implement

30. HE Sustainability Examples • Systemic integration, including student life • University of Florida • Georgia Tech • University of North Carolina • University of British Columbia • Arizona State • Lane Community College • Transportation • UC Boulder • Cornell • Energy & Climate Change • SUNY Buffalo • University of California System • Western Washington University • University of Minnesota

31. HE Sustainability Examples • Curriculum • Northern Arizona University • University of Georgia • Oakland Community College • Food • University of Montana • UC Santa Cruz • Green Building • University of Washington • South Carolina universities

32. Group Question 1 What is the content, context and process of education, student life and campus operations that would result in all students having knowledge, skills and values to lead society down a more sustainable path?

33. Make sustainability an integral part of planning, operations, facility design, purchasing, investments, and student life, and tie all of these efforts to the formal curriculum.Student life is both the content, the context and the glue for this learning.Latent Professors

34. Example of Student Sustainability Projects for all campuses Part I • Campus sustainability audits – www.ulsf.org • Green and fair trade purchasing research • Higher Ed. Climate Action Partnership (http://www.campusclimatechallenge.org and www.hecap.org) • Fellowships through National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology - http://www.nwf.org/campusecology/

35. Example of Student Sustainability Projects for all campuses Part II • Film and speaker series and positive futures fairs • Green building designs and sustainable living “campaigns” • Info on sustainability in career office, orientation, first year experience • Many more possibilities– project website!

36. Part III National Trends and Resources

37. Some statistics on activities: • 250 sustainability coordinators/offices/ committees • 275 campus sustainability assessments • 300 LEED (green) Buildings • Greatly increased student activism – 271 campuses for Campus Climate Challenge

38. GREAT NEWS!!!Growing National Trend:Seventeen national HE associations and thirteen national disciplinary associations are creating initiatives on Education for Sustainable Development

39. 1. ACE–Am. Council on Ed.–Presidency Magazine W’06 2. AACU – Ass. of American Colleges and Universities 3. AACC – Am. Ass. of Community Colleges 4. AASCU – State Institutions 5. ACUHO – Housing 6. NACAS – Aux. Officers 7. NAEP – Educational Buyers 8. NACA – Campus Activities 9.APPA – Facilities 10. NACUBO – Business 11. SCUP – College and University Planners 12. ACUI – Student Unions 13. ACPA – Student Life 14. NACUFS – Food 15. ACEED-I – Events and Conference Directors 16. NACS – Campus Stores 17. NIRSA – Recreation 18. AGB – Ass. of Governing Boards AND MORE Engaged National Associations

40. Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortiumwww.heasc.net

41. HEASC founding members ACPA AASCU – state colleges and universities APPA - facilities directors SCUP - planners NACUBO - business officers NAEP - buyers AASHE - sustainability leaders ACUI - student unions

42. Members in HEASC as of 6/06 College Student  Educators International (ACPA)American Association of State Colleges & Universities (AASCU)APPA: Serving Higher Education Facilities ProfessionalsAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)Association of College & University Housing Officers International (ACUHO-I) Association of College Unions International (ACUI)Association of Governing Boards of Universities & Colleges (AGB)National Association for Campus Activities (NACA)National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO)National Association of College Stores (NACS) National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP)National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA)Society for College & University Planning (SCUP)

43. More Exciting News!! Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education AASHE (AY-shee) www.aashe.org

44. AASHE’s Mission • Catalyze sustainability in all sectors of higher ed - from governance and operations to curriculum and research • Vision: campuses modeling sustainability in all learning, operations, and outreach

45. AASHE Resources • Case Studies of curricula, planning, operations… • Tools (e.g. sustainability assessments/indicators, • greenhouse gas calculators) • Conferences and professional development • Web resources – over 800 syllabi, institutional profiles • Listservs (for faculty, business officers, purchasing agents, facilities managers, students) • Inform local, state & national policy • Encourage & facilitate collaboration • Awards and recognition

46. National Discipline Associations • Convened this year in May • Political Science, Religion, Philosophy, Sociology, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, Geography, Psychology, Modern Languages… • Cosponsors • AAC&U • AASHE • ULSF • Academic learning combined with real life problem solving for sustainability – good for students and good for you

47. More National Organizations to assist you: • Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future – www.ulsf.org – Tailloires Declaration • Second Nature – www.secondnature.org • Grey Pinstripes for business schools through the World Resources Institute - http://projects.wri.org/project_description.cfm?ProjectID=18 • U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

48. U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development • Non-partisan • Multiple Sector Teams: Business, Higher Ed., K-12, Youth, Faith… • Convene, Catalyze, Communicate www.uspartnership.org

49. www.uspartnership.orgJoin for free Participate in a sector or action team

50. Helpful simulation tools For example, “We Can Afford to Solve the World’s Problems – The World Game Institute - 18 strategies for confronting the major systemic problems confronting humanity” http://www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/theme_a/mod02/www.worldgame.org/wwwproject/index.shtml