| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 47.06 |
| Liaison | Daniela Shebitz |
| Submission Date | Dec. 11, 2023 |
Kean University
EN-10: Community Partnerships
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Sarah
Coykendall Managing Assistant Director Diversity Council on Global Education and Citizenship |
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Which of the following best describes the partnership?:
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? :
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability:
New Jersey Clean Communities is based out of Kean University (https://www.njclean.org/). Not only are they given office space, but our students work on developing litter abatement programs with their assistance and serve as interns for NJCC.
New Jersey Clean Communities is a statewide, comprehensive, litter-abatement program created by the passage of the Clean Communities Act in 1986. The Act provides a funding source for the program by placing a tax on fifteen categories of businesses that may produce litter-generating products. The Clean Communities Program Fund generates about $ 20 million each year and is disbursed each year to municipalities (80%), counties (10%), state parks service (10%), and the New Jersey Clean Communities Council, Inc. ($375,000).
The New Jersey Clean Communities Council, Inc. (NJCCC) is the 501c3 nonprofit that works closely with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Department of Treasury to administer the Clean Communities program. The Clean Communities Council began as an advisory committee to the Department of Environmental Protection’s Clean Communities program in 1989. In 1995, in the face of state budget cuts that virtually eliminated the state positions that provided program oversight and statewide education for the program, the advisory committee sought and received nonprofit status; and became the New Jersey Clean Communities Council, Inc.
The Clean Communities Council oversees the implementation of litter abatement programs in 558 municipalities and 21 counties, collects statistical reports, maintains a database of information that tracks local programs, and implements a statewide program of public information and education that targets Clean Communities coordinators, schools, and the general public. The Clean Communities Council also administers New Jersey’s Adopt-a-Beach and Adopt-a- Highway programs.
Clean Communities works with Kean to employ our students as interns, conduct clean-ups in underserved communities, and provide resources to vulnerable communities in close proximity to campus. In addition, they help us to organize and run clean-ups through Kean University in the primarily minority communities in Union, NJ.
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (2nd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
When the Center for the Urban Environment was first established, it emphasized providing policy advice to New Jersey’s mayors in urban communities. However, its focus evolved to working on environmental justice public policy. The Center for the Urban Environment currently works alongside communities of color, communities of low-income, and organizations that work with and within these specific communities. CUE also engages with governmental agencies that have been attempting to address environmental justice concerns.
The Center for the Urban Environment at Kean has been recognized on both the state and national levels for its work on environmental justice. Director Nicky Sheats Esq. Ph.D. was appointed to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council in 2021.
Read more about this here:
https://www.kean.edu/news/kean-environmental-justice-expert-named-white-house-advisory-council
The Center for the Urban Environment also works closely with the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association (NJUMA), which is affiliated with Kean University. The association works with state and federal agencies, legislators and nongovernmental and community-based organizations to advance progressive and productive public policies for urban communities.
Read more about this here:
https://www.kean.edu/news/new-urban-policy-institute-launches-kean
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (3rd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Groundwork Elizabeth, one of the many networks of Groundwork USA, is a local, nonprofit environmental organization located in Elizabeth, NJ. Because of increasing urbanization pressure in Union County, NJ, Groundwork Elizabeth emerged as an organization dedicated to addressing the challenges of food security, and environmental degradation. Groundwork Elizabeth has provided resources and education to those who are environmentally vulnerable. The mission of Groundwork Elizabeth is to work alongside the community to improve the quality of the environment in order to build sustainable, healthy, and equitable communities. Groundwork Elizabeth’s initiatives, programs, and projects are focused in 5 distinct areas, those being: Climate Resilience, Healthy Communities, Urban Agriculture, Urban Water and Trails, and Youth Development.
Kean University supports Groundwork Elizabeth by providing greenhouse space to grow leafy greens for their distribution and provide faculty time to serve on advisory committees including providing guidance for the Elizabeth Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership (Partnership with Groundwork Elizabeth and US Fish and Wildlife). Groundwork Elizabeth is paid through the Department of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences to provide training for people on growing and maintaining the hydroponic systems.
Some collaborative initiatives include:
Collaborative work on microforest planting and monitoring in urban areas:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2O4XahOZm2LCr2Dg3mKhOz?si=XV1phvPRRDyAYXe7KKj5Xw&nd=1
A farm collaborative based at Kean University http://kutower.com/2015/09/24/pick-some-produce-with-the-liberty-hall-farm/
Transforming brownfields and abandoned properties into sustainable areas through environmental stewardship https://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2016/16_0023.htm
Mini- forest dedication in urban communities: https://www.civicstory.org/civicstory-blog/2022/10/6/from-plants-to-trees-to-forests-why-forests-are-making-headway-in-news
Sustainable urban farm that focuses on ecological renewal and civic engagement http://www.susted.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ShebitzCapozziAlbaum-May-2017-14-Regenerative-Agriculture-PDF.pdf
Urban soil conservation https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=keanquest
A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
There are many other Sustainability-focused community partnerships that are well-established at Kean University. These include:
Barnegat Bay Partnership (BBP is a National Estuary Program that was legislated into existence, and one of only 28 that exist in the entire US! We are lucky to have the BBP housed on the Ocean County College campus, where our Kean Ocean students attend classes).
New Jersey Urban Mayors Association
Legislative Black Caucus
NJ Sustainable Business Council
New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
BHEC, The Investment Fund
Nurture NJ Taskforce
Sustainable NJ
Garden State Agrihood Project
Capital City Farm Initiative
New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids/ RWJF Culture of Health
Shaping New Jersey
Affordable Care Act Workgroup
Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment Coalition
Lead in Drinking Water Taskforce, Jersey Water Works (NJ Futures)
Clean Water, Healthy Families, Good Jobs Steering Committee.(NJ Futures)
Housing Community Development of Network of NJ (HCDNNJ) - Rent Coalition
Collaborative Stakeholder Advisory Panel, Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub (MACH)
Website URL where information about the institution’s community partnerships to advance sustainability 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.