| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.33 |
| Liaison | Maria Dahmus |
| Submission Date | Nov. 30, 2023 |
University of St. Thomas
IN-38: Sustainability Course Designation
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 0.50 |
Elise
Amel Faculty Fellow Office of Sustainability Initiatives |
A brief description of the formal sustainability course designation program:
In Spring 2016, the Office of Sustainability Initiatives (OSI) launched the SUST Course Designation Initiative. This initiative created a SUST course designation at the University of St. Thomas for courses across disciplines that integrate a significant sustainability component (economic, social, and/or ecological dimensions of interconnections between human and environmental well-being). St. Thomas faculty from across disciplines were invited to apply to designate their courses as a SUST course.
Currently there are 164 courses from 42 different disciplines that are SUST designated. Not every course that is designated gets taught every year. During the 2022-2023 academic year, 79 undergraduate courses across 32 different disciplines were designated as SUST courses (see attached log) and offered. SUST-designated courses can be used by students to complete a Sustainability minor. The Department of Earth, Environment & Society now manages the application process for new SUST course designations.
Faculty may request a SUST designation for their course by completing an application that indicates how the course addresses the following criteria:
• Course introduces students to sustainability concepts (ecological, social, and/or economic dimensions);
• Students apply knowledge and methods of the course to engage with sustainability issues;
• Course learning goals are linked to or support one or more of the following competencies: thinking critically about environmental problems and solutions, solving problems by applying concepts and principles, communicating effectively about sustainability;
• Grading gives weight to sustainability related reflection or integrated assignments.
A copy of the official course catalog where the sustainability course designations appear:
Website URL for the official course catalog where the sustainability course designations appear:
Does the institution designate sustainability courses on student transcripts?:
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.