| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 76.21 |
| Liaison | Lindsey Kalkbrenner |
| Submission Date | May 5, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Santa Clara University
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 4.00 |
Cara
Uy Sustainability Coordinator Center for Sustainability |
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Does the institution conduct an assessment of the sustainability literacy of its students (i.e. an assessment focused on student knowledge of sustainability topics and challenges)?:
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::
Pre- and post-assessment to the same cohort or to representative samples in both a pre- and post-test
A copy of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment(s):
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A sample of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment or the website URL where the assessment tool may be found:
Q: What is meant by the term “carbon footprint”?
A) The age of an item found at an archeological site
B) The carbon left on the ground each time you take a step
C) The size of the carbon chain in a given quantity of gasoline
D) The greenhouse gases released by burning fossil fuels for electricity and transportation
Q: What is the name of the primary federal agency that oversees environmental regulation?
A) Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA)
B) Department of Health, Environment, and Safety (the DHES)
C) National Environmental Agency (the NEA)
D) Federal Pollution Control Agency (the FPCA)
E) Do not know
Q: "Sustainability" with regard to natural resources means:
A) Using natural resources as slowly as possible
B) Using only as much as is replaced by natural processes
C) Not introducing new technology too quickly
D) Discovering new resources to allow maximum economic growth
E) Do not know
A brief description of how the literacy assessment was developed and/or when it was adopted:
The literacy assessment was developed in late 2016 with the sustainability coordinator and 2 faculty members (one from Environmental Studies and Sciences and one from the English Department). Questions were replicated from other university literacy assessments like Arizona State University, Ohio State University and University of Northern California - Chapel Hill as well as adding our own. It was finalized, adopted and administered at the end of January 2017.
A brief description of how a representative sample was reached (if applicable) and how the assessment(s) were administered :
The survey was sent to all first-time first year Santa Clara University students. The students were alerted of the survey via their University's email network, and the surveying tool used was Qualtrics.
A brief summary of results from the literacy assessment(s), including a description of any measurable changes over time:
This is the first year Santa Clara University has conducted a Sustainability Literacy Assessment, therefore there are no measurable changes over time. Going into the future, all incoming first-year students will be asked to complete the survey, with these sample group being re-assessed during their fourth year at the University.
Questions were designed to test students' base level of understanding of sustainability topics. Questions ranged from asking students to identify the appropriate definition of sustainability, to identifying the proper US government organization whose role it is to protect the environment.
Optional Fields
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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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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.