Credit Language
AC 1: Sustainability Course Offerings – Version 3.0
Indicators
1.1. Percentage of academic departments with sustainability course offerings
1.2. Published sustainability course listings
1.3. Support for academic employees to integrate sustainability into the curriculum
Questions & Answers
How has this credit changed between STARS Version 2 and Version 3?
Performance is no longer assessed on the percentage of courses that are sustainability courses, and a detailed inventory is no longer required. Support for academic staff to integrate sustainability into the curriculum– a standalone credit in v2.2 – is now included as an indicator in this credit. A new indicator has been added to recognize published sustainability course listings. A comprehensive list of differences can be found in the STARS 3.0 Summary of changes.
What is the difference between sustainability-focused courses (a.k.a. sustainability courses) and sustainability-inclusive courses?
- Sustainability-focused courses have a primary and explicit focus on the integrated concept of sustainability and/or the interdependence of ecological and social/cultural/economic systems.
- Sustainability-inclusive courses are primarily focused on something other than sustainability, but clearly incorporate sustainability content or address one or more sustainability challenges.
Can we reference colleagues and divisions in lieu of academic departments under 1.1?
A “academic department” is intended to refer to an administrative subdivision of a college, university, or school faculty that is devoted to a particular academic discipline (e.g., Economics, Environmental Science, or Sociology) or a closely related set of disciplines (e.g., Asian Studies or Physics & Astronomy). Departments may exist under other nomenclature and with coarser or finer divisions, depending upon an institution’s context. If, however, the institution’s academic subdivisions typically incorporate multiple disciplines or fields of study, report instead on the academic disciplines or fields of study themselves. Colleges and divisions (e.g., College of Humanities or Division of Physical Sciences) typically do not include sufficient granularity to qualify.
Our college’s course offerings are organized into pathways rather than traditional academic subjects. How should we report for indicator 1.1?
Some institutions that offer career pathways also maintain a departmental structure, in which case it may still be possible to assess course offerings by academic department. If this is not the case, the pathways themselves may be used to distinguish between subjects/disciplines. Please email stars@aashe.org to inquire about whether an alternative methodology will meet the criteria.
If a department offers one sustainability-inclusive course but no sustainability-focused courses, can that department be counted under Indicator 1.1?
Yes. For Indicator 1.1, academic departments that offer one or more sustainability-focused courses or sustainability-inclusive courses can be counted.
Is there a particular format or file type required for the published course listing under Indicator 1.2?
There is no required or recommended format for Indicator 1.2. To qualify, the listings must include courses spanning multiple departments or fields of study, clearly distinguish sustainability courses from other course offerings, and be accessible to current and prospective students, either on the institution’s public website, through formal designation in the institution’s official course catalog, or in a standalone publication.
Do general faculty development or course development programs count under Indicator 1.3?
General or interdisciplinary faculty development or course development programs may qualify under Part A of Indicator 1.3 (incentives for integrating sustainability content) IF the program has resulted in the development of one or more new sustainability courses, units, modules, or instructional content during the previous three years.
Do one-time incentive programs count under Indicator 1.3?
To qualify, under Part A of Indicator 1.3, the incentives must be currently available at the time of submission. Part B of Indicator 1.3 recognizes ongoing programs rather than one-time offerings.
Resources, Templates & Tools
- AASHE’s suggested keywords for sustainability course and research inventories.
- Faculty survey template. Ask academic staff to self-identify sustainability courses and research.
Suggestions for Institutions
- It may take some time to assess departmental course content (Indicator 1.1) and to develop and publish a listing of sustainability course listings (Indicator 1.2). Consider getting started on these early in the data collection process.
Example Responses
- It may take some time to assess departmental course content (Indicator 1.1) and to develop and publish a listing of sustainability course listings (Indicator 1.2). Consider getting started on these early in the data collection process.
Potential Data Quality Issues
- Definitions for “sustainability-focused courses” and “sustainability-inclusive courses” should be followed. A common mistake is identifying courses as sustainability-focused that only address the social component (e.g. Social Work, International Relations) without referencing ecological dimensions or a sustainability challenge.
- Indicator 1.1. Low data outliers when reporting academic departments (5 or fewer reported departments for a medium-sized institution should be reviewed more closely) should be avoided and/or explained. Academic Departments are typically devoted to a particular academic discipline (e.g., Economics, Environmental Science, or Sociology) or a closely related set of disciplines (e.g., Asian Studies or Physics & Astronomy).