Credit Language
EN 6: Community Partnerships – version 3.0
Indicators
- 6.1. Sustainability-focused community partnerships
- 6.2. Partnerships to support underrepresented groups and vulnerable populations
- 6.3. Community partnership assessment
Questions & Answers
How has this credit changed between STARS Version 2 and Version 3?
New indicators requiring qualitative information about: how an institution ensures that its community partnerships are reciprocal, mutually beneficial, and subject to assessment by the community partners (Indicator 6.1); and an institution’s community partnerships to support underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations (Indicator 6.2). A comprehensive list of differences can be found in the STARS 3.0 Summary of changes.
What types of community partnerships qualify under this credit?
- For Indicator 6.1, institutions should report on sustainability-focused community partnerships. To qualify as sustainability focused, the primary focus of the community partnership must be on the integrated concept of sustainability or the interdependence of ecological and social/cultural/economic systems.
- For Indicator 6.2, institutions should report on community partnerships that explicitly aim to support underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations in addressing the sustainability challenges they have identified.
Can community partnerships with individuals or student groups count for this credit?
No, in order to count for this credit, the partnership being claimed must be between a higher education institution and one or more other entities (e.g., a government agency, civil society organization, or business) formal at the institutional level; it is not sufficient if individuals, class cohorts, or student groups form a partnership in the community.
How does an institution go about assessing its community partnerships (Indicator 6.3)?
To qualify, an assessment process must address the reciprocity and mutual benefit of the partnerships and include feedback and/or assessment findings from community partners to the institution and from the institution to the community.
Suggestions for Institutions
- Implement community partnerships with guidelines and assessment in mind to facilitate reporting under Indicator 6.3.
Potential Data Quality Issues
- This credit is meant to address formal institutional partnerships. To qualify, partnerships must be between a higher education institution and one or more other entities.
- Indicator 6.1. If referencing one or more sustainability-focused community partnerships, the primary focus of the community partnership must be on the integrated concept of sustainability or the interdependence of ecological and social/cultural/economic systems.
- Indicator 6.2, to earn points, institutions must report on community partnerships that explicitly aim to support underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations in addressing the sustainability challenges they have identified.
- Indicator 6.3. Affirmative responses for published guidelines and assessment processes must be supported by information provided in descriptive fields.