Sustainability Practices and Research Center (SPARC)

• Mission Statement

  The mission of the Weber State University Sustainability Practices and Research Center is to inform and educate WSU students, faculty, staff and the local and statewide community in order to ensure the sustainability of our region and our world for future generations.
  
  The Center collaborates closely with the Environmental Initiatives Committee and the Energy and Sustainability Office, serving as a hub to connect campus activities, programs, departments, and community partners in order to advance a commitment to sustainability in the region.
  
  What the SPARC does:

  • Encourages sustainability teaching and assists faculty to designate applicable courses for the sustainability attribute.
  • Helps students identify courses that include sustainability or are sustainability focused.
  • Prepares students for future sustainability workforce needs by fostering sustainability education in courses and direct experience through campus employment/internships.
  • Rewards sustainability-focused student and faculty research.
  • Keeps the WSU community informed about sustainability-related events, internships, jobs, and news.
  • Hosts the annual Intermountain Sustainability Summitand other events for the campus and wider community.
  • Provides community programs which improve the lives of residents and increase sustainability practices across northern Utah.
  • Collaborates with regional partners to expand sustainability awareness and action.
• Program Goals
  • The SPARC's Five Overarching Goals

    The SPARC's goals focused on Teaching, Research & Engaged Learning, Campus & Community Engagement, can be summarized as:
    1. Expand the number of students who understand the importance and interconnections of sustainability, and how to incorporate sustainability at school, home and in their careers and communities by: Increasing the number of students taking SUS courses Having 100% of departments offering at least one SUS course Including one SUS course or learning outcome in the existing General Education structure/requirements Creating and promoting and optional "SUS path" through General Education
    2. Promote and support sustainability teaching and research by Facilitating faculty development in sustainability teaching Supporting and recognizing student and faculty sustainability research
    3. Provide high impact educational experiences for students by Offering sustainability-focused campus employment/internships Developing and placing sustainability interns within the community
    4. Facilitate campus. community and regional sustainability education and practices by Planning and hosting the Intermountain Sustainability Summit Providing annual community programs Assisting to build strategic relationships, and sharing the Weber sustainability story in order to inspire and help the region strive for climate neutrality by 2050 Creating a community-facing "Sustainability Solutions Hub"
    5. Attend to building equity, diversity and inclusion across all areas of engagement with sustainability on and off campus by Elevating voices of diverse populations in sustainability through building inclusive relationships across campus and with the community; Participating in and supporting events, programs and initiatives hosted by diverse populations; Engaging and serving under-represented groups in sustainability through campus sustainability initiatives, programs, events and opportunities.

    
     
  • Associate Degree (Not Applicable)
     
  • Bachelor Degree (Not Applicable)
     
• Curriculum Grid

   

• Program and Contact Information

  Contact Information

  Dr. Alice Mulder
  Lindquist Hall 364
  amulder@weber.edu
  
  SPARC website

• Assessment Plan

  Each year the Center identifies annual goals and assesses progress on those goals. These can be found in the SPARC Annual Reports.

• Assessment Report Submissions
   

• Program Review

  2022-23

This information is part of the cyclical program review process. Details such as mission statements, learning outcomes, etc., are updated as part of the biennial assessment reporting process, an integral component of program review.