Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 48.69
Liaison Tina Evans
Submission Date Aug. 20, 2024

STARS v2.2

Colorado Mountain College
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.33 / 2.00 Adrian Fielder
Assistant Dean of Instruction
Spring Valley
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Local advocacy

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:
During her tenure as Chair of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Board of Commissioners, CMC President Dr. Carrie Hauser oversaw the historic implementation of the charge to reintroduce Gray Wolves to Colorado. This effort included intentional local advocacy as Dr. Hauser gracefully mediated this controversial topic throughout the public development and approval of the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan. Her positive relations with the ranching communities of CMC’s district allowed her to ensure equitable representation of Western Slope livestock producers alongside the conservation interests that had garnered the voter support (concentrated on the Front Range) to require the state to take this measure, resulting in an innovative, stakeholder-driven set of protocols, including reimbursement for livestock lost to wolf predation and financial support for a range-rider coexistence program dedicated to maintaining the safety of livestock grazing in wolf territory. According to the now-approved Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, the initial release of wolves into the wild will take place just a few miles from CMC’s headquarters. Here is a news post honoring Dr. Hauser’s leadership during this period, which earned her the distinction of CPW’s “Warrior Award”:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/coparkswildlife_shes-a-warrior-last-week-our-colorado-activity-7102346173440557058-4HNO?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Regional advocacy

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:
HB22-1155: In-state Tuition for Colorado High School Graduates: CMC Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives Yesenia Silva Estrada participated in the bill signing ceremony in Denver after helping to campaign for its passage. While at the event, Silva Estrada stated, “During my career working in our rural mountain regions I have seen thousands of students without the ability to gain an education. Recently, the pandemic further exacerbated these inequities. House Bill 1155 will help these students, especially those from our rural communities, get back on track, fill the jobs in our local businesses, and fully participate in our economy." Joshua Robinson works within in the Office of Strategic Initiatives, where the team leads, manages, and implements college-wide grants and initiatives. He serves as one of the leads for the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) programs at CMC and is the main point of contact for the COSI Finish What You Started program. These programs promote equity and serve students who come to CMC from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds.

National advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
No

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
---

International advocacy

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
No

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
---

Optional Fields 

A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
---

None
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
---

Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts 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.