SUSTAINABILITY IN THE GRADUATE CURRICULUM

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1 SUSTAINABILITY IN THE Laura Foster Huenneke Provost Northern Arizona University

2 NAU: WHO ARE WE AS AN INSTITUTION? Public, doctoral, regional high-research institution Primary focus on excellent undergraduate education Vibrant small city setting in the spectacular Colorado Plateau Declines in state appropriations simultaneous with major enrollment growth both on-line and on Flagstaff campus

3 NAU: WHO ARE WE AS AN INSTITUTION? Sustainability and society s relationship to environment a key institutional value for 40 years Ponderosa Project (evolving more recently into Environmental Caucus and Academic Sustainability Programs Steering Committee) spins out curricular and research collaborations

4 NAU: WHO ARE WE AS AN INSTITUTION? Broad institutional commitment to sustainability offers opportunity Connections between research strengths and faculty expertise and opportunities for students and graduate programs Draw upon operations (Facilities Services, Finance & Administration, Residence Life, Dining) to provide internships, research opportunities, access to campus as a learning laboratory Learning, Living, Leading theme

5 OUTLINE AND OBJECTIVES Diversity of graduate programs Values and principles underlying curricular approaches Challenges and lessons learned

6 ARRAY OF GRADUATE PROGRAMS EVOLVING OVER TIME Historical emphasis on disciplinary programs with strong focus on regional resources (M.S. and a few Ph.D. programs) Decades of experience with interdisciplinary environmental programs Master s in Environmental Science and Policy Master s in Sustainable Communities

7 ARRAY OF GRADUATE PROGRAMS EVOLVING OVER TIME In past 5 years, unconventional master s programs Master of Science in Engineering (sustainable technologies focus) Professional Science Master s in Climate Science and Solutions 2012: interdisciplinary PhD in Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability

8 VALUES AND PRINCIPLES USED IN PLANNING PROGRAMS Planning and implementation emphasize linkages among our programs Courses, faculty advisors shared across units Transitions planned from undergraduate into graduate programs Living Learning Leading commitment draws on operational side of university, incorporates internships, research projects based on Flagstaff Campus, draws upon student leadership (GreenFund, Hooper Sustainability Project funding)

9 VALUES AND PRINCIPLES USED IN PLANNING PROGRAMS Primary outcomes are experiential, leadership, problem-solving, team approaches in addition to technical expertise NOT trying to emulate conventional PhD programs

10 CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED Reliant on partnerships and community connections Provides relevance and experiential components Enlarges intellectual resources e.g., federal partner personnel teaching or advising / mentoring students Local/regional governments, tribes, agencies Industry connections more challenging to build in non-urban location

11 CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED Opportunities for adapting newer modalities or approaches to student access to sustainability-focused programs NAU Yavapai, Bachelor s in Community Development and Sustainability (3 year, low cost) Hybrid Graduate Certificate in Conservation (dropped) Proposals to expand environmental sciences or environmental studies to statewide sites or on-line programs

12 CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED Broad institutional commitment to sustainability presents both tensions and opportunity Pulls toward claims of ownership, structure, formal departments or silos Promotes pride and efforts for coordination and resource sharing Unique mechanisms for communication Environmental Caucus Academic Sustainability Programs Committee, Director Coordinating Council for Sustainability Both new and current faculty drawn toward participation and larger campus community

13 TO LEARN MORE: nau.edu nau.edu/green Provost Academic Sustainability Programs Coordinator