Resolution EXEC 24-02 ILOs and Sustainability

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate of California State University Dominguez Hills urges the Institutional Learning Outcomes Subcommittee to consider integrating Environmental Sustainability into the University’s Institutional Learning Outcomes, review the attached draft resolution from the Office of Sustainability, and seek input and feedback from the Office of Sustainability in the process of revising CSUDH ILOs; and

RESOLVED: That this resolution be distributed to the CSUDH President, Provost, Graduate Dean, Undergraduate Dean, and members of the Institutional Learning Outcomes Subcommittee.

RATIONALE: Increasingly students need and desire the education, skills, and attitudes necessary to address sustainability in their careers and communities. CSUDH has become a leader in sustainability in the CSU and in the state of California. Integrating Environmental Sustainability into CSUDH’s ILOs will assure that CSUDH can maintain that leadership and equip our graduates to become environmentally responsible leaders in their respective fields and communities

Office of Sustainability Document

Office of Sustainability Integrate Sustainability into University Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

January 17, 2024

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate of California State University, Dominguez Hills (ASCSUDH) approves the integration of environmental sustainability into the undergraduate and graduate University Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs).

RESOLVED: That the ASCSUDH will, if this resolution is accepted, distribute to the appropriate committee the attached “Proposed Drafts for Undergraduate and Graduate ILOs” (attached) for final review, edit, and formal integration into the University ILOs, assigning the necessary sub-committees and/or task force to ensure completion of this task within the 2024-2025 academic year.

RESOLVED: That the resulting sustainability integrated ILOs be used to inspire the integration of environmental sustainability concepts, principles, and practices into all academic programs.

RESOLVED: That the resulting environmental sustainability integrated ILOs be used to guide institutional processes, inform faculty, staff, student, administrator, and executive actions, as well as inform current and future members of the campus community of our commitments.

RESOLVED: That the ASCSUDH distribute the resulting environmental sustainability integrated ILOs and this resolution to the campus President, Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs, Vice Presidents, Deans, Associated Students, Inc. President, Associated Students, Inc.[1], all faculty including Chairs and Program Coordinators, Academic Resource Managers, all staff, the ASCSU, and the CSU Chancellors.

Rationale Environmental sustainability is a core university value and outlined in CSUDH’s Strategic Plan, which states “We recognize and live up to our responsibility to our campus community, and the community at large, through the sustainable and equitable stewardship of our natural, social, and economic resources.” This principle is relevant to all aspects and operations of the university, including in its academic mission and should be reflected in the university’s fundamental institutional learning outcomes for all students accordingly.

As a human being, every student served by the university is fundamentally reliant on our shared planet for their continued wellness and basic survival. Living successfully in a world that is rapidly changing from forces including global climate change, the depletion of the Earth’s finite natural resources, and the ongoing imbalances in the relationships between the environment, economy, and equity will require measurable skills and competencies to navigate. The impacts of and necessary frameworks for thinking about these issues are relevant to all academic disciplines, and critical to student achievement and success regardless of field.

Integrating environmental sustainability into the University’s ILOs will foster a culture of environmental responsibility and equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address complex sustainability issues within their careers and communities.

CSUDH has already been recognized as a leading state institution in sustainability efforts, having in 2023 achieved a Gold rating on the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). No other school in the California State University (CSU) system has ever progressed from Bronze to Gold in as short a time as CSUDH which is a testament to the institution’s commitment to environmental stewardship and justice.

CSUDH is a university that serves the communities and students most vulnerable to the impacts of global climate change, environmental racism, and environmental pollution. Acknowledging this in the academic experience via a shared ILO will greatly strengthen the ability of the university to support adding these essential principles into the curriculum, equip students and faculty with the tools necessary to adapt these concepts into the classroom, and cement CSUDH’s continued leadership in ensuring a more sustainable future for all.

Proposed Drafts for Undergraduate and Graduate ILOs

Proposed Draft for Undergraduate ILO: “Apply principles of environmental wellness and sustainability to promote equitable stewardship of our natural, social, and economic resources at the local, regional, and global levels.”

Proposed Draft for Graduate ILO: “Integrate principles of environmental wellness and sustainability to promote equitable stewardship of our natural, social, and economic resources at the local, regional, and global levels within the development of their discipline or profession.”

[1] ASI has already issued a resolution urging ASCSUDH to adopt sustainability into the university’s institutional learning outcomes (“Sustainability and Instructional Learning Outcomes Resolution”- 9/22/2023).