Sustainability

University Environment Committee
Sustainability (SU) Designation Course Process

Faculty member logs into Curriculog and fills out the Sustainability Course Designation (SU) Application.
The University Environment Committee is notified by email at uec@ecu.edu when the SU application has been completed in Curriculog.
SU Designation Subcommittee (2-3 members of the UEC on rotation selected by the UEC chair) reviews application, fills out the evaluation rubric, and provides the following information to the UEC chair to be added to the agenda: course, SU or SU* (select course sections only), and the SU Designation Subcommittee’s recommendation.
SU Designation Subcommittee discusses satisfaction of the rubric with the full UEC. If the Subcommittee decides that the applicant needs to modify the application, the UEC chair will notify the applicant of requested revisions. The Subcommittee will review the subsequent modifications to ensure the requested revisions have been implemented.
If the application meets SU Designation requirements, the UEC votes to recommend approval. If the course is new, the University Curriculum Committee must review the final course application before it is sent to Faculty Senate for approval. In this case, the UEC chair informs the University Curriculum Committee that the application has been approved by the UEC. If an SU designation is simply added to an existing course, the UEC chair informs the Faculty Senate Administrative Assistant (currently Rachel Baker) and the Faculty Senate chair directly of the UEC’s approval of the course.
UEC secretary notes the course title, number, SU or SU*, and committee decision in the meeting minutes.
Faculty Senate votes on SU designation (via approval of the UEC’s minutes).
The Faculty Senate resolution is sent to the chancellor.
Chancellor approves or denies resolution.
Faculty Senate notifies UEC of resolution decisions.

Faculty Senate Resolution #24-31
Approved by the Faculty Senate: March 26, 2024
Approved by the Chancellor: May 8, 2024

Definition of Sustainability for SU Designation Syllabi

The Brundtland Commission (1987) defines “sustainability” as: “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

This definition encompasses the interconnected social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability.

Justification: Sustainability course designation signals the importance of sustainability to students, faculty, staff, and other university stakeholders, both in individual course content and across the university as an institution. Sustainability-designated courses must provide foundational exposure to sustainability as a concept and a set of practices (e.g., students may learn to estimate their personal carbon footprint using an online calculator). Courses focused on sustainability help students understand a systems-thinking approach to problem solving along the continuum from local to global. Students who complete sustainability-focused courses will be prepared to understand and apply sustainability principles and practices as they enter the workforce and continue to engage in civic life. Sustainability course designation also allows current and prospective students to find and understand sustainability course offerings, which can assist them in planning their academic studies.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Define sustainability and identify major sustainability challenges.
Articulate how healthy ecosystems function.
Identify and evaluate interconnections between the environment, the economy, and society.
Apply critical thinking skills in assessing the effects of human actions on planet Earth.

Faculty Senate Resolution #24-31
Approved by Faculty Senate: March 26, 2024
Approved by the Chancellor: May 8, 2024

University Environment Committee
Sustainability Designation Course Application Evaluation Rubric

Sustainability Designation Course Application Evaluation Rubric Sample form (PDF)