Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 66.77
Liaison Paul Edlund
Submission Date May 31, 2023

STARS v2.2

Montana State University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Kristin Blackler
Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:

Montana State University engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the local level through participation on the Bozeman Climate Partners working group, a monthly meeting to provide expertise to support carbon emission reductions. Since 2021, Kristin Blackler, MSU's Sustainability Director has been an appointed member of the City of Bozeman Sustainability Advisory Board, providing recommendations to the City Commissioners on sustainability-related policies and programs.

MSU Administration and ASMSU participate on the Streamline Advisory Board as well as provide financial support to maintain and grow Bozeman's fare free public transportation system. ASMSU campaigned for ballot initiative to create the Gallatin Valley Urban Transportation District https://www.montana.edu/asmsu/2022R17Streamline.html


Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:

The Office of Government Relations and Communications, a division of the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education is responsible for advocacy at the state level. The Office serves as the primary point of contact for the Montana University System with the Montana Legislature, Office of the Governor, Office of Public Instruction, and Department of Labor and Industry. Tracy Ellig is the Montana State University campus contact.

While direct advocacy as a state institution is prohibited, MSU leadership regularly meets with local and state elected officials to discuss issues that are a high priority to the institution and students. MSU's Sustainability Director is invited to the President's box during football games to engage in discussions related to sustainability with elected officials.

In addition to employing an Associated Students of Montana State University (ASMSU) student lobbyist, each session ASMSU develops a list of legislative priorities supported by ASMSU resolutions. For the 2021 session, several issues intersected with advocacy for sustainability at the state level. Examples of the priorities and resolutions include: voter accessibility, anti-discrimination policies, support for transgender athletes, and support for MUS in the MUS v State of Montana lawsuit related to HB 102.

The majority of this student advocacy is supported by the MSU administration. For example, during the 2021 legislative session, University lobbyists prioritized lobbying and advocacy against HB 102 which would override the Board of Regent's policy prohibiting guns on campus and HB112 which requires interscholastic athletes to participate under sex assigned at birth.

The Montana State University Alumni Foundation also hosts the Alumni Advocate Program. The Alumni Advocate Network is a group of volunteers who work to educate members of the legislature and Montana communities about the needs of our students and institutions of higher education across the state.


Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:

Montana State University is a member of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU). President Cruzado was elected APLU Board Chair in 2021. Through its membership, MSU supports the initiatives and advocacy efforts of the APLU in relation to sustainability. This includes participating in the Research Intensive Committees (RIC). APLU also advocates yearly on behalf of natural resources research and outreach funding through its Boards on Natural Resources (BNR) and Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate (BOAC). for the Board on Natural Resources, and the Board on Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate. Additionally, APLU, through the BOAC advocates for NOAA appropriations and authorization legislation for relevant programs and weighs in on administrative implementation of those programs.

The Montana State University administration, including the MSU President, VP Bajwa and MSU Extension Director Cody Stone


Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
No

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
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A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):

The Associated Students of Montana State University (ASMSU) declared a climate emergency in the fall of 2021. Below is the declaration:

ntent: The Associated Students of Montana State University (ASMSU) supports bringing awareness to global climate change. To formally declare a state of climate crisis, and recommend the use of Montana State University's (MSU) resources to facilitate rapid, sustained, and immediate climate action.

Whereas, the IPCC has issued repeated and increasingly dire warnings regarding the state of the global climate;1 and,

Whereas, the global temperature in 2019 was 1.1 degrees C above the pre-industrial period;2 and,

Whereas, 2010-2019 was the hottest decade on record;2 and,

Whereas, 30 percent of the world’s population is exposed to deadly heatwaves more than 20 days a year;3 and,

Whereas, the 2018 National Climate Assessment asserts that climatic changes caused by global warming have caused increasing disruption to quality of life, health, resources, food production, public works, private holdings, etc. in the United States of America. These damages are expected to continue and worsen in the coming decades; and,

Whereas, H.R.794 - Climate Emergency Act of 2021 which declares a national state of climate emergency has been introduced to the United States House of Representatives and is in discussion in the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change;4 and,

Whereas, MSU is capable of an urgent and effective response to climate change, having already demonstrated has made notable progress toward sustainable operationsility including waste reduction and diversion (composting and recycling), energy efficiency retrofits, LEED buildings, geothermal heat pumps, and investments into photovoltaic and passive solar currently reaping a 2.12% gross annual emissions reduction (3.45% normalized to university square footage growth)5; and,

Whereas, the UN has articulated that there is a Climate Emergency and “To prevent warming beyond 1.5°C, we need to reduce emissions by 7.6% every year from this year to 2030”;6 and,

Whereas,

Institutions of higher education have a duty to be thought leaders in the global fight against climate change,7 by going above and beyond the UN minimum recommendations; and,

Whereas, Bozeman, MT is already experiencing effects of climate change including increased wildfire activity and associated smoke, decreased winter snowpacks, and drought conditions; and,

Whereas, Montana and Montana State University have long sported a culture of land stewardship, centered around serving the land today so that it will continue to take care of us tomorrow; and,

Whereas, We the students of Montana State University desire a safe and healthy future for ourselves and our children, a future that is increasingly jeopardized by the escalating climate crisis; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the ASMSU Senate formally endorses the MSU Sustainability Plan put forth by the Campus Sustainability Advisory Council and called for in Intentional Focus 3 of MSU’s 2019 Strategic Plan, Choosing Promise⁹; and be it

Further Resolved, the ASMSU Senate declares the existence and severity of the extant global climate crisis and strongly endorses MSU’s allocation of resources for rapid, sustained and immediate action. Submit this resolution to Dr. Waded Cruzado, Montana State University President; Julia Haggerty, MSU Campus Sustainability Advisory Council Chair; Kristin Blackler, MSU Office of Sustainability Director; Chris Murray, MSU Alumni Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer; Mike Kosevich, MSU Culinary Services Director; EJ Hook, Facilities Services Director; Montana Associated Students (MAS) President; and Sustainability Now, Student Organization.


A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
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Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
http://www.montana.edu/asmsu/governingdocuments.html

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.