California Polytechnic State University
AC-7: Incentives for Developing Courses

The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT) Sustainability Book Circles: Offered 2-3 times per year, the books are chosen to stimulate conversation about sustainability and garner interest in infusing sustainability learning opportunities across the curriculum. Participation in CTLT sustainability workshops (described below) has increase with the inclusion of book circle offerings. Circles have an average of 12-15 participants and are led by two facilitators drawn from the CTLT sustainability specialist, faculty fellows, and the campus sustainability coordinator.

CTLT Quick Qualify Workshop: Offered year-round as an online workshop, and by request as a 60 -90 minute face-to-face workshop or private consultation, this workshop assists instructor in the process of submitting their sustainability related or sustainability focused courses for inclusion in the SusCat. The online course is self-directed with facilitation by the CTLT sustainability specialist. Both formats include feedback from and followup by the CTLT specialist. Instructors are guided through a course assessment process using a rubric designed by the Academic Senate Sustainability Committee (ASSC), which includes an analysis of the course content and learning outcomes, a narrative memo to the ASSC, and completion of the request form. The CTLT specialist follows up with participants if the ASSC requests revisions. Upon approval, the course is listed in the online SusCat.

CTLT Teaching Sustainability Community of Practice: Separate from other CTLT groups, this is an ongoing community of practice that is most active during the academic year. All Cal Poly educators are welcome to participate. Participants collaborate on projects that explore methods and assess outcomes related to sustainability education across the curriculum. Findings are meant to support refined approaches to curriculum infusion, as well as scholarly work in the form of presentations and publications.

In the Spring of 2022, sixty-two faculty from six different California State University campuses representing over thirty disciplines participated in the CSU Faculty Learning Community in Teaching Climate Change and Resilience, the first multi-campus faculty learning community in CSU history. In seven virtual ninety-minute sessions spread evenly throughout the semester, participants covered the science behind climate change, the solutions available to counter it, the need to incorporate justice into the discussion and the enormous anxiety all of this produces in our students. FLC participants heard from over twenty speakers from inside and outside academia who connected faculty with a broad range of approaches and ideas, as well as resources that were well researched, relevant, and relatable; lots of resources. Faculty also talked about taking thier teaching outside the classroom with discussions on civic engagement, service learning, and the campus as a living lab. By June, over 50 classes spanning all fields of study; from Polymers to Plato, had been redesigned to include greater discussion of climate change and resilience.

Book circles participants do not receive stipends, but do receive professional development credit in their evaluative processes.

CTLT Quick Qualify Workshop participants receive a $100 stipend upon completion of their SusCat submission, and receive professional development credit in their evaluative processes.

CTLT Teaching Sustainability Community of Practice do not receive a stipend, but do receive professional development credit in their evaluative processes and scholarship credit for publications and presentations that result from their participation.

CSU Systemwide FLC on Teaching Climate Change and Resilience participants receive a $500 stipend upon completion of sessions and turning in deliverables.