II. One UW-wide sustainability framework by 2022

This target called for a standard sustainability framework by 2022, which was achieved through the adoption of UW’s definition of sustainability, as well as the university sustainability mission and vision statements.

In fiscal year 2024, the work toward a physical Student Sustainability Hub will be re-directed toward the establishment of a Student Sustainability Committee to serve as an advisory arm for the UW Sustainability Office. Continued work of the Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) will expand CSF’s role beyond grant-making to intersectional sustainability community building with students.

Steps we will take in FY 2023

Work with EC, ESC, and stakeholders to finalize statements

UW Sustainability has been working to create sustainability mission and vision statements for the University of Washington, gathering feedback from sustainability stakeholders and members of the UW’s Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) and Sustainability Action Plan Executive Committee (EC). The draft statements will be finalized with these groups and UW Sustainability will then work with UW leadership and other stakeholders to formalize these as our institutional sustainability mission and vision.

Steps we will take in FY 2023

Conduct outreach to update and refine course list 

To build off the work of creating an initial sustainability course list, UW Sustainability will connect with UW academic departments to refine the list, asking the departments to identify courses which should be added or removed from the list. This will build a course list which is more useful to students, while building relationships with academic departments.  Ideally, this process will also help identify faculty who may be interested in other sustainability collaborations or Campus as a Living Lab work.

Steps we will take in 2023

Develop a Hub strategic plan including purpose, goals, intended outcomes, needs, etc. 

UW Sustainability and the Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) will create a strategic plan around the creation of a possible Student Sustainability Hub, which would be a resource dedicated to supporting students around sustainability.

In FY 2021 we sought input from faculty, staff and students at all three UW campuses to create a definition of sustainability that would be used as a tool for engagement, a tool for deepening our individual understanding, a tool for developing common understanding, a tool for measuring progress toward sustainability goals and a tool for identifying research and coursework that is “sustainability-related.” The definition and information about the process we used to develop it can be found here.

Steps we will take in FY 2022

1. We will present the final definition to the UW Environmental Stewardship Committee, seek endorsement from the Faculty Senate, the Board of Deans and Chancellors, the Provost and the Board of Regents and determine where to formally post the definition.
2. We will work with the Target I workgroup to generate engagement with the definition (e.g. release a challenge to all courses to explore what would need to change in order to live up to the definition, provide the definition to the heads/deans of departments/schools across all campuses and ask them to share and bring back any feedback.)
3. We will work with other target workgroups to explicitly align their work with the definition. (Timeframe of Fall quarter 2021)
4. We will create a position description for a .50 or 1.0 FTE Sustainability Academic Coordinator manager position to help in the advancement and implementation of academic and research goals contained in this plan. In this process, we will explore whether this person should serve all three campuses or whether we should have separate positions at each campus. (Timeframe of December 2021)

Responsible party

UW Sustainability, Population Health Initiative, EarthLab, Urban@UW, Faculty

Statuses and linkages

• Work with Population Health Initiative and UW Sustainability STARS reporting data on sustainability-focused courses to identify themes.
• Review and consider findings from prior work:
  • Sustainability in the Curriculum Committee (2012-2015)
  • Sustainability Across the Curriculum report (2015)

Financing

• Funds for the Sustainability Academic Coordinator position (.5 or 1.0 FTE) are needed.

Metrics

• Getting the definition approved and posted by fall.
• Having conversations with the action owners about the implications for the definition for their action (by end of autumn quarter).
• Have a plan for broader engagement with the definition by the end of autumn quarter.

Catalogue and identify all existing sustainability-oriented courses through the design of a standardized reporting system that incorporates a shared sustainability framework.

Steps we will take in FY 2022

1. Using the shared sustainability framework as a reference, build a centralized reporting platform to collect information across campuses and assess the degree to which sustainability is incorporated in existing courses. Developing and implementing common metrics for tracking progress towards the attainment of this goal set forth in this plan are essential to realizing the goals of tri-campus coordination and accountability.
2. To ensure the proper entry of data, design a set of instructions on how to use the reporting system that will be displayed online.
3. Create communication material that will be offered to administrators, personnel in charge of academic affairs and students in each College and School across the UW. It may also be available to students.

Responsible party

UW Sustainability, Population Health Initiative, EarthLab, Urban@UW, Faculty

Statuses and linkages

This will be overseen by the UW Sustainability Project Manager who coordinates STARS reporting in partnership with Population Health and cataloging of academic research. Tied to Target I – Inventory and Expand Community Engagement.

Financing

• No additional financing needed in FY 2022.

Metrics

• Number of new courses added, measured against 2021 STARS academic course data.
• Yes/No completion of inventory

Initiate a consultative process to identify core sustainability skills and competencies for all UW students as an initial step to develop a university-wide set of learning outcomes that can incorporated in existing and new courses, regardless the discipline or concentration, in order to address a full range of ecological, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability. This target could open the space to considering a university-wide sustainability credit in the future.

Steps we will take in FY 2022

1. Identify inclusive sustainability academic objectives that can be incorporated in existing and new courses.
2. Benchmark from ASU and other universities that have undertaken similar efforts to integrate sustainability core competencies in curriculum.
3. Facilitate professional development opportunities for faculty and other instructors to foster the creation of innovative and interdisciplinary pedagogical strategies around inclusive sustainability.
4. Create a digital space where instructors can find tools and resources to better incorporate inclusive sustainability academic objectives in their courses.

Responsible party

UW Sustainability, Population Health Initiative, EarthLab, Urban@UW, Faculty

Statuses and linkages

This is tied to the UW-Wide Sustainability Definition.

Financing

• No additional financing needed in FY 2022.

Metrics

• We will develop baseline data to determine where inclusive sustainability objectives can be incorporated and how those objectives will impact course outcomes.

Determine the feasibility for a student-facing Sustainability Hub on the Seattle Campus; including the need, use cases, potential location, funding and staffing. The goal is to develop a tricampus model for ongoing student sustainability engagement and research through the UW-wide Sustainability Framework, using the Campus as a Living Lab for implementation of the Sustainability Plan. The feasibility study will be managed by UW Sustainability in collaboration with the Campus Sustainability Fund, and potential funding partnerships with the Population Health Initiative, EarthLab, the College of the Environment, the College of Built Environments, ASUW, GPSS and Student Services.

Steps we will take in FY 2022

1. Establish a project team to be sponsored by UW Sustainability that includes the Sustainability Action Plan Project Coordinator, CSF Program Manager, UW Sustainability DEI Coordinator and students from ASUW, GPSS, Student Life, and RSOs and the University Environmental Stewardship Committee.
2. Work with campus stakeholders to determine the scope, opportunities, and barriers through interviews, research into existing UW Centers/Initiatives and case studies of other universities. Review and present to ASUW, GPSS, Student Life and administrative stakeholders.
3. Publish a report which details the need for the Student Sustainability Hub, use cases, potential locations, funding model, and partnerships with other departments or programs.

Responsible party

Campus Sustainability Fund

Statuses and linkages

This Action is closely linked with other UW Sustainability Plan Actions: One UW Wide Sustainability Framework by 2022; Double Student, Staff and Faculty Sustainability Impressions by 2024; Double Sustainability Research Projects by 2025. These could be coordinated with the Sustainability Academic Coordinator position suggested in Target II - Finalize and publish the university-wide definition of sustainability.

Financing

• For FY21, UW Sustainability hired a .50 FTE graduate student Project Coordinator dedicated to the implementation of the Sustainability Action Plan and the steps associated with this and other actions of the plan. The funding for this position should be maintained.

For FY22, UW Sustainability and the Campus Sustainability Fund hired a .50 FTE graduate student Program Operations and DEI Coordinator position. This position will be supporting the work of this action by facilitating inclusive and diverse outreach and student engagement.

Future financing for implementation and staffing of the Student Sustainability Hub could come from multiple sources including a resource pooling of departments/units such as Campus Sustainability Fund, Student Life, Provost Office (for academics), Population Health Initiative, Earthlab, and student government bodies GPSS and ASUW. A student fee could also be a potential funding option.

Metrics

The second year of this action will focus on gathering data associated with the feasibility of establishing a Student Sustainability Hub, and we will therefore achieve the following:

• Cataloging student-centered services from all campuses that are related to sustainability.
• Perform an analysis of the potential impacts and outcomes of a Sustainability Hub.
• Benchmark with peer institutions and perform a gap analysis.

Identify and agree to a shared vision and definition of sustainability, recognizing the importance of integrating economic, social, cultural, and ecological domains as a mean to address climate change and associated social injustices within local, regional, and global contexts. This action will require engagement with UW community members across all three campuses to form a working group that develops a sustainability definition and framework. A clear framework around sustainability is necessary for effective communication and coordination in the design of courses and research opportunities across campuses.

Steps we will take in FY 2021

1. UW community members will participate in a multi-phased engagement process facilitated by UW Sustainability staff in partnership with Population Health Initiative staff to create an inclusive vision and definition of sustainability. Through this work, a task force group will be identified composed of interested members of the different colleges, schools, and units across the three campuses, who will work on socializing and creating this framework.

    

2. After the UW Environmental Stewardship Committee approves this shared framework, it will be published together with a set of tools and resources to guide its implementation.

    

3. Seek funding for a .50 or 1.0 FTE Sustainability Academic Coordinator manager position to help in the advancement and implementation of academic and research goals contained in this plan.

    

Responsible party

UW Sustainability, Population Health Initiative, EarthLab, faculty

Statuses and linkages

• Work with Population Health Initiative and UW Sustainability STARS reporting data on sustainability-focused courses to identify themes.
• Review and consider findings from prior work: 
  • Sustainability in the Curriculum Committee
  • Committee report

Financing

No additional financing needed in FY 2021.

Metrics

The first year will develop a process for gathering input to assess how we are engaging across our campuses. Quantitative and qualitative data will assess the potential impacts of the following:

• Representation of faculty from Seattle, Bothell, Tacoma campuses.

• Representation of diversity, co-curricular groups and RSOs.

• Representation of staff input.

This action enables changes that can affect STARS credit AC-2 Learning Outcomes where UW shows a point gap of 5.86.

Catalogue and identify all existing sustainability-oriented courses through the design of a standardized reporting system that incorporates a shared sustainability framework.

Steps we will take in FY 2021

1. Using the shared sustainability framework as a reference, build a centralized reporting platform to collect information across campuses and assess the degree to which sustainability is incorporated in existing courses. Developing and implementing common metrics for tracking progress towards the attainment of this goal set forth in this plan are essential to realizing the goals of tri-campus coordination and accountability.

    

2. To ensure the proper entry of data, design a set of instructions on how to use the reporting system that will be displayed online.

    

3. Create communication material that will be offered to administrators, personnel in charge of academic affairs and students in each College and School across the campuses. It may also be available to students.

    

Responsible party

UW Sustainability, Population Health Initiative, EarthLab, Faculty

Statuses and linkages

This will be overseen by the UW Sustainability Project Manager who coordinates STARS reporting in partnership with Population Health and cataloging of academic research. Tied to Target I – Expand Professional Development Opportunities for Faculty and Staff.

Financing

No additional financing needed in FY 2021.

Metrics

This Action enables changes that can affect STARS credit AC-1 Academic Courses where UW shows a point gap of 1.85.

• Number of new courses added / 2018 STARS data for academic courses.
• Yes/No completion of inventory.

Initiate a consultative process to identify core sustainability skills and competencies for all UW students as an initial step to develop a university-wide set of learning outcomes that can incorporated in existing and new courses, regardless the discipline or concentration, in order to address a full range of ecological, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability. This target could open the space to considering a university- wide sustainability credit in the future.

Steps we will take in FY 2021

1. Identify inclusive sustainability academic objectives that can be incorporated in existing and new courses.

2. Benchmark from ASU and other universities that have undertaken similar efforts to integrate sustainability core competencies in curriculum.

3. Facilitate professional development opportunities for faculty and other instructors to foster the creation of innovative and interdisciplinary pedagogical strategies around inclusive sustainability.

4. Create a digital space where instructors can find tools and resources to better incorporate inclusive sustainability academic objectives in their courses.

Responsible party

UW Sustainability, Population Health Initiative, EarthLab, Faculty

Statuses and linkages

This is tied to the UW-Wide Sustainability Definition.

Financing

No additional financing needed in FY 2021.

Metrics

The first year we will develop baseline data to determine where inclusive sustainability objectives can be incorporated and how those objectives will impact course outcomes.

This action can gain points in STARS credit AC-2 Learning Outcomes where UW shows a point gap of 5.86.

Determine the feasibility of establishing a Student Sustainability Hub; including the need, use cases, funding, potential locations and staffing. The goal is to develop a tri- campus model for ongoing student engagement through the UW-Wide Sustainability Framework and implementation of the Sustainability Plan. The Hub will focus on student engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and interdisciplinary research using the campus, community and region as a living lab; from the undergraduate to the post-doctoral levels. The feasibility study will be managed by the UW Sustainability office in collaboration with the Campus Sustainability Fund, the College of the Environment, the College of Built Environments, the Population Health Initiative, ASUW, GPSS and student RSOs.

Steps we will take in FY 2021

1. Establish a project team to be sponsored by the UW Sustainability Office that includes the Student Outreach Coordinator for SAP, CSF Program Manager, and students from ASUW, GPSS, Student Life, and RSOs.

2. Work with campus stakeholders to determine the scope, opportunities, and barriers through interviews, research into existing UW Centers/Initiatives and case studies of other universities. Review and present to ASUW, GPSS, Student Life and administrative stakeholders.

3. Publish a final feasibility study which details the need for the Student Sustainability Hub, use cases, funding model, partnerships with other departments, potential locations and staffing to begin in FY22 or FY23.

Responsible party

Campus Sustainability Fund

Statuses and linkages

These could be coordinated with the positions suggested for the UW-Wide Sustainability Definition Task Force.

The UW Sustainability Office, Campus Sustainability Fund, ASUW, GPSS and student RSOs have begun to explore this idea though current limitations are space/location and on-going funding resources.

This Action is closely linked with other UW Sustainability Plan Actions: One UW Wide Sustainability Framework by 2022; Double Student, Staff and Faculty Sustainability Impressions by 2024; Double Sustainability Research Projects by 2025.

Financing

For FY21, UW Sustainability office hired a .50 FTE graduate student Student Outreach Coordinator dedicated to student engagement for the Sustainability Plan. This position will continue towards this Action.

Future financing for implementation and staffing of the Student Sustainability Hub could come from multiple sources including a resource pooling of departments/units including Campus Sustainability Fund, Student Life, Central Provost Office (for academics), and student government bodies GPSS and ASUW. A student fee could also be a potential funding option.

Metrics

The first year is dedicated to determining the feasibility of establishing a Student Sustainability Hub, and we will therefore achieve the following:

• Mapping student-centered services and support from all campuses that are related to sustainability.

• Perform a benefit cost analysis of the potential impacts and outcomes of a Sustainability Hub.

• Benchmark with peer institutions and gap analysis.

Student efforts, through the Campus Sustainability Fund mechanism, have historically worked to advance many of UW STARS targets and actions listed in this plan: Local Food; Divert compostable waste from recycle, landfill; Solar Photovoltaic Expansion.