Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 36.89
Liaison Kevin Crosby
Submission Date Feb. 15, 2012
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.1

Taylor University
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 3.00 John Stanson
Grad Student
Environmental Science
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution developed a definition of sustainability in the curriculum?:
No

A copy of the institution's definition of sustainability in the curriculum?:

The definition of sustainability used for determining sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses was not defined by an interdisciplinary committee, but by the Office of Sustainability.

Sustainability in courses offered is defined as: "An emphasis placed on deliberate study of long-term environmental and societal impacts resulting from processes initiated and perpetuated by individuals as well as the collective decisions of society as a whole."

The purpose of including sustainability in coursework is to help students view their actions through a socially responsible, environmentally sound, and economically viable lens. This allows for the assessment of ones own lifestyle for the betterment of future generations and the stewardship of our planet. Sustainability in the curriculum is not limited to a particular department or school. It is not a course subject so much as it is a perspective. Taylor University hopes to foster this perspective in all course content so that students will realize the interconnectedness of sustainability and their chosen course of study and be better equipped to face the challenges that await them.


Has the institution identified its sustainability-focused and sustainability-related course offerings?:
Yes

A brief description of the methodology the institution followed to complete the inventory:

Using the Office of Sustainability's definition of sustainability (see previous answer) alongside the STARS definition of sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses, a list of courses meeting the outlined criteria was assembled. The first step in this process was to identify all course syllabi that included key words such as sustainability, sustainable, stewardship, renewable, environmental, and natural resources. From these lists, individual course syllabi were read through to determine if the course objectives and subject content aligned with the STARS definition of either sustainability-focused or sustainability-related courses. The result was a compilation of interdisciplinary courses that adhered to the definition of sustainability.


Does the institution make its sustainability course inventory publicly available online?:
No

The website URL where the sustainability course inventory is posted:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.