| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 78.69 |
| Liaison | Lindsey Kalkbrenner |
| Submission Date | Feb. 14, 2023 |
Santa Clara University
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 1.00 |
Lindsey
Kalkbrenner Director Center for Sustainability |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of sustainability culture?:
Which of the following best describes the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered::
A brief description of how and when the cultural assessment(s) were developed and/or adopted:
The culture assessment was developed in late 2016 with the sustainability coordinator and 2 faculty members (one from Environmental Studies and Sciences and one from the Communications Department). The assessment covers multiple sustainability topics through questions that address awareness of campus operations (e.g. recycled water) and initiatives (e.g. food systems education through the urban garden), inquiries of energy-conserving behaviors, and a Likert scale for the degree of importance of waste minimization and diversion practices. It was finalized, adopted, and administered with the literacy assessment at the end of January 2017.
A copy or sample of the questions related to sustainability culture:
A sample of the questions related to sustainability culture or the website URL where the assessment tool is available:
Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements:
- I make an effort to be knowledgeable about environmental issues.
- I make an effort to be knowledgeable about sustainability issues.
- My daily behavior reflects a concern about sustainability.
- I value knowing if my food is grown locally.
- I think about how and where my clothes/accessories are made.
Please indicate the degree of importance you place on the following personal sustainability issues:
- Minimization of waste being sent to the landfill
- Choosing food based on its environmental impact
- Water conservation
- Energy reduction
A brief description of how representative samples were reached (if applicable) and how the cultural assessment is administered:
All incoming first-year students are asked to complete the survey, with a representative sample of this same class being re-assessed during their fourth year at the University. The survey is voluntarily and sent to all graduating students of that class year whether or not they initially responded to it in their first year of college. Students are alerted of the survey via their University's email network, and the surveying tool used was Qualtrics.
The survey was sent in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 academic years. The survey was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and will resume in 2022-2023 academic year with updated and revised questions.
A brief summary of results from the cultural assessment:
For the class of 2020:
• Effort to learn about sustainability issues increased by 21.21% from their first year to final year
• Effort to correctly sort waste increased by 0.79% from their first year to final year
• Effort to choose sustainable practices daily increased by 16.32% from their first year to final year
Website URL where information about the assessment of sustainability culture is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Only undergraduate first-year and graduating students are surveyed during the academic year.
Only undergraduate first-year and graduating students are surveyed during the academic year.
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.