| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.35 |
| Liaison | Juliana Goodlaw-Morris |
| Submission Date | Feb. 6, 2024 |
California State University, San Marcos
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Juliana
Goodlaw-Morris Sustainability Manager Safety, Risk and Sustainability |
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:
This past year, CSUSM has been advocating for alternative transportation between the university and the Temecula - a town about 25 miles north east of the campus. There used to be a bus line that ran between the towns prior to COVID, but it was shut down and has not resumed. Spearheaded by our campus, we are in conversation right now with 2 transit districts and our local community college to see the viability of a direct bus line to the campus. Hundreds of students and staff commute in daily and we are working to reduce that by providing a bus option. This is supported by our President and her leadership and has involved many high level stakeholders across multiple cities and different transit districts.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:
The California State University (CSU) participates in public policy through the State Relations & Advocacy Office which advocates through lobbying efforts on behalf of the CSU system. The CSU’s Advocacy and State Relations (ASR) team monitors all sustainability legislation that impacts the CSU specifically. It also participates in state-wide advocacy on issues such as climate change policy, energy efficiency, water resources and other utility issues that impact the operation and physical facilities. ASR and the Chancellor’s Office also work with the Governor’s Offices and are members of the Direct Access Customer Coalition (DACC) and the Alliance for Retail Markets advocacy groups to advocate for the best interest of the CSU on energy and sustainability efforts.
The CSU provides public comment, meets with legislative staff, and testifies at budget subcommittee hearings in order to express CSU support for regulatory initiatives and activities related to carbon emission reductions and climate resiliency.
The CSU’s advocacy, in collaboration with the Board of Trustees, work to ensure diverse stakeholders are represented and considered in decision-making processes.
In Calendar Year 2022, CSU engaged on two (2) specific bills pertaining to sustainability with the state legislature:
SB 155: Public resources trailer bill, contains historic infusions of funding for public resource projects, including wildfire & forest resilience, water & drought, climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, and energy.
AB 2232: School facilities: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, requires a covered school, and request the University of California, to ensure that its HVAC system meets the minimum ventilation rates in effect at the time the building permit for installation of that HVAC system was issued. The bill would also require a covered school, and request the University of California, to install filtration that achieves specified minimum efficiency reporting values (MERV) levels, determined by the school to be feasible with the existing HVAC system, as provided. The bill would require, upon the next triennial update of the California Building Standards Code, the California Building Standards Commission and the Division of the State Architect to research, develop, and propose for adoption mandatory standards for carbon dioxide monitors in classrooms of a covered school and the University of California. By imposing new duties on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
CSU's national advocacy is focused on a variety of areas, but includes funding for Educating Students for Tomorrow’s Workforce and Solving Societal Problems through Applied Research- of which a focus on climate change research is a part of this. In addition, other advocacy at the national level includes promoting federal funding and policies that support students’ well-being and basic needs, including housing and food security and mental health.
https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/government/federal-relations/Pages/csu-priorities.aspx
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
N/A
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.