Determining Criteria and Indicators for Success in Higher Education Programs Focused on Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

An increasing number of colleges and universities in the United States are restructuring courses and research programs to focus on long-term use and maintenance of our resources and protecting these resources for future generations. It is important that students be given the resources and tools necessary to create positive change for the pressing issues facing out local, regional, and global environments. I believe and established that an evaluation framework is necessary if academic programs focused on the issue of environmental sustainability are to remain viable into the next century. Previous research and assessment on environmental sustainability and higher education has focused on the role of the university in sustainable development, improving environmental track records of institutions, and environmental conservation and sustainability on campus. The purpose of this study was to develop a framework for evaluation, using criteria and indicators, for academic programs in higher education that are focused on environmental sustainability. The first objective to develop a framework for evaluation was met through a participatory process involving academic program stakeholders. The second objective to test the applicability of the framework for evaluation investigated a diversity of academic programs through nine case studies of land grant, regional, and private colleges and universities across the U.S. This study demonstrated that educational stakeholders are aware of the need and interested in evaluating success of academic programs aimed at addressing the issue of environmental sustainability. Specifically, I determined 5 criteria and the associated strategic indicators to be used as a framework for academic program evaluation. These criteria and indicators serve a number of purposes by providing a set of key terms that can be used in future educational program evaluation or assessment, a framework against which programs can evaluate their effectiveness, and a means for making changes and adapting, or to resolving areas of weakness.