Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 69.32
Liaison Ian Johnson
Submission Date June 3, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Colorado College
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Ian Johnson
Sustainability Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
Colorado College worked closely with City Council members and the Colorado Springs Transportation Office to advocate for and successfully implement dedicated bicycle lanes through the campus and into downtown. The Director of Sustainability sat on the advisory committee that pursed a change in ordinance to allow for a public bike share. Colorado College, students, the Office of Sustainability, and faculty (through personal interest, class projects, and research) actively support and provide research and information in support of an advanced schedule to decommission the Martin Drake coal-fired power plant in Colorado Springs. The plant is owned by the municipal utility. Colorado College's Office of Sustainability has publicly advocated for and negotiated options for a renewable energy portfolio through the municipal utility to support a power purchase agreement in line with the college's renewable energy goals. Colorado College students actively engage local politics through curricular pursuits to support sustainability goals and policies locally. A recent example: https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/colorado-college-research-shows-urban-heat-islands-in-colorado-springs

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
Colorado College investigates and advocates for sustainability outcomes and issues unique to Rocky Mountain West through the State of the Rockies Project (https://www.coloradocollege.edu/stateoftherockies/) which seeks to increase public understanding of vital issues affecting the region. Through research, dissemination, and polling, the project advocates for state and regional (Rocky Mountain West) policies that support conservation agendas, water and forest resource use, wildfire policy, urbanization, and climate adaptation and readiness, among other issues.

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
Colorado College became a signatory to We Are Still In in January of 2019. We Are Still In is a coalition of sub-national actors, businesses, NGO's, educational institutions, and individuals who are committed to achieving the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement through their continued action, despite a lack of commitment and leadership at the federal level.

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
GlobeMed is a student organization that is dedicated to increasing the visibility and awareness of global health issues with the goal of improving health disparities around the world. GlobeMed advocates for issues regarding global health and health policy. Colorado College also sent a delegation of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and Board of Trusee members to attend COP24, the UN Climate Change Conference, in Poland in December of 2018. In February 2019, Colorado College became a signatory of We Are Still In, which advocates for meeting America's climate pledge as outlined in the Paris Agreement.

Optional Fields 

A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
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None
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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