Objective: Examine places and methods to introduce sustainability concepts across the curriculum; explore opportunities for enhancing recruitment and retention of both students and faculty.
Group Leader: Hans-Peter Plag
Group Members: Scott Slovic, David Crowther, Mike Collopy, ASUN Rep, Narsimha Kondamudi, John Sagebiel
http://geodesy.unr.edu/wgcur/
The Curriculum Working Group has the goal to strengthen the focus on sustainability issues across the curriculum. The broad participation in this working group from many different colleges and departments has ensured a cross-disciplinary approach. In extensive discussions, the group has reached an agreement on a definition of sustainability that integrates social, economic and environmental aspects, and the understanding that sustainability concerns almost all disciplines and study areas. Initially, the group's main interest is in undergraduate teaching. A survey of faculty involved in undergraduate teaching was conducted in order to establish a baseline. This survey revealed considerable interest of faculty in increasing focus on sustainability in teaching, indicated appropriate ways that would support faculty in changing existing courses or developing new ones, and identified obstacles that keep faculty from doing so. The discussions in the group have also emphasized the need for developing a culture on campus that values sustainability as a practice and a subject of inquiry. As a first steps towards such a culture, the group has initiated a series of Sustainability Lunches, which take place every last Wednesday in a month, and which create a forum for faculty and students to discuss a relevant theme with an invited expert. The group is now working on a chapter for the report of the Sustainability Committee, which will include a summary of the survey, discuss the gaps in the curriculum and recommend extensions, consider the obstacles and the support required by faculty, provide a draft policy for sustainability teaching, and recommend specific steps to increase focus on sustainability issues in teaching.