Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 67.45
Liaison Benjamin Newton
Submission Date March 3, 2023

STARS v2.2

Central Community College
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 4.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution conduct an assessment of the sustainability literacy of its students?:
Yes

Which of the following best describes the literacy assessment? The assessment is administered to::
A subset of students or a sample that may not be representative of the predominant student body

Which of the following best describes the structure of the assessment? The assessment is administered as a::
Standalone evaluation without a follow-up assessment of the same cohort or representative samples

A copy of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment(s):
A list or sample of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment or the website URL where the assessment tool may be found:
Students completing the ebadge must present their knowledge by volunteering or presenting their knowledge at a public event. Also, students wanting to complete the ebadge have an option to watch the Sustainability Leadership Presentation Series (SLPS) recorded YouTube videos. After watching the videos, they are given a quiz to assess their knowledge of the SLPS presentation. See document attached below.
www.cccneb.edu/slps
FALL 2021
September 2021 - Hastings Pollinator Garden Workshop
• What is the goal of “seasonal stars”?
o To make sure every bloom season is hit. Something should be blooming from late April to end of October.
October - 2021 Fall Conference Awards and Keynote Speaker
• Who is the keynote speaker and what is one accomplishment of Seven Generations Ahead?
o Gary Cuneen, executive director of Seven Generations Ahead. Residential curbside composting programs, zero-waste events (ex; Beer Festivals), zero-waste school programs
October 2021 - Campus Sustainability Month Roundtable
• What should you ask yourself before your next purchase?
o Refuse: Do I already have something that could work? If what I have is broken, can it be repaired? Is continuing to use what I already have safe for both me and the environment?
o Reduce: Can I find it secondhand? Can I borrow from a friend or a neighbor?
o Reuse: Is there a reusable, non-toxic, plastic free alternative? Is it repairable or does the company have a take-back program? Is the item fully compostable?
November 2021 - Closing the Loop: How Metropolitan Community College’s Culinary and Horticulture departments reduced waste, improved soil health, and supported pollinator species.
• What is the way to divert products from going into the landfill?
o Composting
December - Designing Out Waste: Conscious Design, Toward a Zero-Waste Society
• Why do some fashion business struggles to be more sustainable?
o Money. Companies want to ensure that they are still going to be making money from their products.
SPRING 2021
March - Conservation Nebraska and Conservation Voters Events Across the State
• What has high nitrate ingestion been connected to?
o Cancer, blue baby syndrome, birth defects, thyroid disease, macular degeneration
May - Composting for Regenerative Agriculture & Soil Health
• How can nutrients affect flavor of products?
o When there is a lack of nutrients, products may have a lack of flavor. When there are nutrient-dense foods, the food also tastes great.

A brief description of how the literacy assessment was developed and/or when it was adopted:
An eBadge is an award that demonstrates the holder’s knowledge and skills in different topics. eBadge opportunities at CCC are for all fields of study and for all learners and are earned by demonstrating proficiencies in both knowledge and applied skills. For CCC students, earned eBadges also appear on their co-curricular transcript and all learners can post the eBadge award on their resumes and social media networks, which could appeal to potential employers. The combination of eBadge proficiencies creates opportunities for learners to become change-agents for an environmentally sustainable future and can give earners a competitive edge in their field of study. CCC students, employees and those outside the college can choose among multiple options, including credit courses, community education courses and other experiences. Build your resume, advance your knowledge and skills and showcase your accomplishments by earning any of 4 CCC eBadges: Leadership in Environmental Stewardship, Symbiosis, or Problem Solving and Community Involvement.

Earning and signing-up for an e-badge is free, but costs may be associated with the learning experience(s) you choose.

A brief description of how a representative sample was reached (if applicable) and how the assessment(s) were administered :
Each individual student works with individual faculty or the Environmental Sustainability office for successful completion of the four eBadges- which include hands on sustainability projects and presentations.
www.cccneb.edu/ebadge

A brief summary of results from the literacy assessment(s):
We have had 36 students out of currently 167 registered completing the eBadges. There projects have been showcased at Central CC Earth Month, Nebraska State Fair events, and National Conferences such as AASHE, UMACS, and Second Nature Climate Leadership Summit. Also, some students have completed SLPS questions for the eBadge for proficiencies attached below.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the sustainability literacy assessment is available:
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.