| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 83.87 |
| Liaison | Yolanda Cieters |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
Seattle University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Yolanda
Cieters Associate Director CEJS |
Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
In 2018, Seattle University's Board of trustees voted to divest from fossil fuels with goals to "by June 30, 2023, fully divest the marketable portion of the endowment from any investments in companies owning fossil fuel reserves,” and “to achieve a 50 percent reduction by December 31, 2020.”
In June 2023, the University fulfilled its commitment to fully divest its endowment portfolio of fossil fuel investments, becoming the first university in Washington state and the first Jesuit Catholic university in the country to do so.
Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Website URL where more information about the accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Name of a second highlighted sustainability program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
In Fall of 2021, in response to Pope Francis’s invitation to higher education institutions, Seattle University committed to institutional participation in the “Seven-Year Journey Toward Integral Ecology through the Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP).” This papal initiative was launched to envision sustainability in the holistic spirit of integral ecology and to redefine and rebuild our relationship with each other and our common home.
SU adopted the LSAP commitment as a university strategic goal. An LSAP Executive Committee has been created to oversee, facilitate, and coordinate the implementation and infusion of Laudato Si’ into what we do at SU across all campus areas. In February 2023, the Executive Committee adopted Seattle University’s first sustainability action plan (the “Laudato Si’ Action Plan”), which includes four main priorities and 27 goals that span across campus operations, departments, and partnerships.
Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Name of a third highlighted program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
It is a Seattle University strategic goal to reimagine and revise the curriculum with an emphasis on three major challenges facing our society: sustainability and climate change; racial injustice and widening economic inequity; and rapid technological change and its attendant social and economic impacts.
In 2021, a cohort of five faculty fellows was appointed to focus on the area of sustainability and climate change in this broader, strategic curricular effort. The goal is that every student will graduate from Seattle University with an understanding of those concepts.
Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.