Environmental Caucus Survey
Summary of First Environmental Caucus Listserv Survey, 10/31/08, based on 59 surveys returned.
Most important role for the caucus:
| Roles | First Year (%) | Five Years (%) | Single Most Important |
| Focus on 3Cs – Communication, Collaboration, Coordination | 38.6 | 15.8 | 17.5 |
| Promote a culture of service | 12.3 | 15.8 | 5.3 |
| Increase efficiency of university resources | 19.3 | 24.6 | 0 |
| Expand external partnerships/serve as a key point of contact on sustainability | 26.3 | 24.6 | 0 |
| Connect with UA/ASU on environment and sustainability | 3.5 | 17.5 | 0 |
| Increase efficiency with external resources | 7 | 12.3 | 0 |
| Get administrative support/connect with upper administration/pester and push | 42.1 | 15.8 | 14 |
| Own our success at NAU as leaders in sustainability | 19.3 | 24.6 | 5.3 |
| Promote university-wide/community-wide sustainability initiatives | 35.1 | 45.6 | 19.3 |
| Work with internal partners to integrate sustainability into overall curriculum | 38.6 | 33.3 | 5.3 |
| Ensure broad student exposure to environmental sustainability, both academically and through non-academic exposure | 40.4 | 43.9 | 29.8 |
| Encourage and incentivize interdisciplinary teaching | 15.8 | 26.3 | 1.8 |
Most important initiatives for the caucus to achieve:
| Initatives | First Year (%) | Five Years (%) | Single Most Important |
| Coordinate research presentations | 0 | 10.5 | 0 |
| Host an inter-disciplinary seminar series | 29.8 | 12.3 |
0 |
| Hold a pre-semester half-day environmental caucus workshop | 8.8 | 8.8 | 0 |
| Advocate for implementation of ACUP President's Climate Commitment | 19.9 | 12.3 | 5.3 |
| Advocate for an NAU cabinet position for the environment | 24.6 | 14 | 1.8 |
| Create a website that serves as a point of contact for internal and external partners, students, etc. | 52.6 | 12.3 | 5.3 |
| Expand and promote Green Guide | 10.5 | 8.8 | 0 |
| Create database of expertise at NAU – to be posted on website | 31.6 | 8.8 | 1.8 |
| Host an electronic discussion forum | 5.3 | 3.5 | 0 |
| Coordinate external publications | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Develop an NAU identity related to environmental sustainability | 33.3 | 47.4 | 49.1 |
| Identify current gaps in curriculum and work with partners to address these gaps | 19.3 | 38.6 | 5.3 |
| Develop a coherent, interdisciplinary program in Climate Change education and research | 15.8 | 38.6 | 8.8 |
| Coordinate Sustainability Conference for faculty, students, public | 19.3 | 19.3 | 0 |
| Plan and create Certification and Professional Training Courses | 3.5 | 24.6 | 1.8 |
| Develop and implement specific sustainability initiatives | 22.8 | 29.8 | 15.8 |
| Coordinate and market decision support tools developed by NAU researchers | 7 | 17.5 | 1.8 |
Additional Suggestions for Roles:
- Create informal opportunities for faculty to talk and brainstorm (the "wine and cheese" thing works).
- Provide tools (assessments and solutions) for greening all university operations.
- Some sort of centralized "ask the experts" e-mail form that can be sent to one place then farmed out to the most appropriate person/unit on campus for an answer.
- Take the lead on rethinking NAU/state constraints on partnerships with private sector. (See initiative below)
- Promote engaged learning via action teams of undergrads, grads, and faculty.
Additional Suggestions for Initiatives:
- Develop a comprehensive, interdisciplinary academic degree program in community, regional, and national/international sustainability
- Encourage grounds crew to use ecologically friendly methods, initiate a sustainable agriculture program, workshops on permaculture.
- Promote and fundraise for ecological footprint analysis that will link rural with urban Arizona, and NAU with ASU and U of A. How far does the urban footprint reach into rural Arizona? To what extent is rural Arizona fueling energy use and resource consumption in other regions? This could provide a toehold for new and cutting-edge collaborative initiatives that would involve faculty and students.
- Audit each unit to assess environmental sustainability of the operations and
recommend changes. - Further transportation considerations: covered, secure employee bike parking (see the medical center's employee bike parking for an excellent example) --maybe three-four of these structures centrally located, active NAU card access. Many buildings don't allow indoor bike parking and this decreases the likelihood of regular bike commuting.
- Regularly schedule community service activities to involve both students and faculty.
- Joint interdisciplinary efforts to obtain external funding for new initiatives.
- Utilize the VPR/OGCS to facilitate info sharing on environmental research proposals and projects.
- Develop new structure that encourages NAU partnerships with private sector green enterprises.
- Civic engagement/Stewards Place certificate program.
Environmental CaucusRod Parnell, Chair
PO Box 4099
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
(928) 523-3329
Fax: (928) 523-9220
Rod.Parnell@nau.edu
Liz Wiggen, Grad Assistant
ARD 120
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
(928) 523-4529
ecw52@nau.edu
