| Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 38.93 |
| Liaison | Veronica Johnson |
| Submission Date | May 10, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Southwestern University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Keara
Hudler Student Sustainability Coordinator Environmental Studies |
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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:
From 2008-2010, Southwestern has communicated with local City of Georgetown officials to work toward becoming a 100% renewable energy campus, which it accomplished in 2010. This initial work allowed the City of Georgetown to use the Southwester campus as a case study to experiment with purchasing renewable energy in the Texas electrical grid market. In 2017 Georgetown became the only city in Texas to be powered by 100% renewable energy, and credited Southwestern with helping it learn more about the process. Since 2017, faculty and students have communicated with City of Georgetown officials to discuss sustainability issues and raise environmental awareness in the community. We are currently in talks with local environmental consultants and businesses about water conservation measures and sustainable design that would benefit the campus.
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:
We have a faculty representative of Citizen's Climate Lobby who has been working with state and local representatives to create meaningful policies that advance climate action and carbon reduction through market mechanisms. Earlier this academic year, a group of faculty met with representatives from US Senator John Cornyn's office to consider policy actions on climate change that can be advanced at the state and national level.
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:
Southwestern University is a signatory to both the Talloires Declaration and the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. Additionally, the President of Southwestern signed on to the "Letter to Homeland Security Secretary on Maintaining the United States as the Destination of Choice for Students, Scholars" through the American Council on Education in January 2017 in response to President Trump's executive order, "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States." Also, earlier this year, the faculty of Southwestern University became the first university faculty body in the united to issue a statement urging the US Congress to take direct policy action on climate change.
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, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:
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Optional Fields
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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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