Sustainability Faculty Forum April 4th, 2013
Current Academic Endeavors Annual forum Created a course database and working definition of sustainability Created list serv on academic endeavors (THINKGREEN) Serving as an Institutional member of AASHE, www.aashe.org Served as founding member of the Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges and Universities, www.environmentalconsortium.org/ Several sustainability related FYE courses Established a Living, Learning Community on Environmental Sustainability Multi-disciplinary working group both with and outside of UAlbany Initiated Sustainability Roundtable series Sustainability minor in motion Hosted interdisciplinary speakers: Richard Heinberg, Jorgen Randers
Freshman Year Experience (FYE) Seven freshman year experience (one credit) courses with a sustainability theme will be offered this fall Gary Kleppel – The Sustainable Food System Mary Ellen Mallia – Choices for a Healthy Planet Bob Keesee – Globalization and the Environment Daniel Goodwin – Studio Visit: Developing a Sustainable Artistic Practice Irina Holden – Science Literacy through Sustainability Susan Harris – Public Health Ethics Bruce Coles – The World Ain’t Feeling Too Good: Politics, Power and Health
LLC (Living Learning Community) World of Environmental Sustainability Focus on Sustainable Food Production Located in Tuscarora Hall on Indian Quad Lead Faculty – Gary Kleppel Supporting Faculty – John Delano and Rocky Ferraro Students take classes together Weekly lunches CA assigned to hall to coordinate activities Students have pushed forward the local food agenda, labeling in the dining halls, initiating a composting pilot and developing a farm to table dinner
Related activities UAlbany: Campus sustainability assessment (STARS) SUNY Sustainability initiatives NYS Academic Working Group on Sustainability in HE Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges and Universities is developing a research collaborative AASHE has created an academic commons
Getting involved Join THINKGREEN list serv If interested in LLC or FYE, contact Linda Krzykowski If interested in the UAlbany multidisciplinary working group, contact Gary Kleppel If interested in the regional academic working group, contact Mary Ellen Check out the academic commons at AASHE: http://commons.aashe.org/ Keep track of sustainability programming at website (www.albany.edu/gogreen), Facebook (UAlbany Green Scene), read sustainability bulletin, come to the spring roundtables and attend events!
Questions for us? Questions for you: Discussion question: How can we best integrate our operational sustainability initiatives into curriculum and research? Does the idea of establishing campus based learning projects appeal to you? Survey time!
Discussion Contact info: Dr. Mary Ellen Mallia, Director mmallia@albany.edu Mary Alexis Leciejewski mleciejewski@albany.edu Office of Environmental Sustainability University Hall 212 518-956-8120 www.albany.edu/gogreen Facebook: Ualbany Green Scene Twitter: UAGreenScene