Hi, all: I'm curious to know: How is environment/sustainability organized within your university? (This is with regard to education, research, and outreach elements/functions.) Do you, for example, have a department or school of environment or sustainability where all faculty focused on such topics sit together--or do you have faculty across campus with a focus on these areas who may be in different departments and schools, maybe drawn together through a center or institute, or who collaborate through projects, teaching, advising? (In some ways, one might make an analogy to a block versus infusion model in curriculum.) Thanks in advance for your insights and input! Cheers, Nicole
Location of Environment / Sustainability within your university?
Hi Nicole,
I work for a small community college in Northern Arizona. We have faculty, students and staff interested in initiating sustainability projects for education and outreach but whether or not they actually happen is determined by funding available. For example, there was a recent effort by a professor and facilities personnel to get funding to establish a hydroponic garden using STEM funding we received but the project did not fit the somewhat narrow criteria to receive funding. We have three different campuses and professors do collaborate on curriculum and delivery of instruction on the environment and sustainability. I would love to be in a concerted effort that allows students to become leaders in developing and implementing some measures beyond the simple recycling program we have in place. Are there any organizations we might be able to get help from or collaborate with to make this happen?
AASHE (https://www.aashe.org/) would be the best place to start if you haven't already.