Afternoon concurrent track 3: Green curricula at UNLV

Presenters

Thomas Jones, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Ken TeetersFollow
Barbara St. Pierre Schneider, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Nancy Menzel, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Lori Candela, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Yu Xu, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Sally MillerFollow
Scott Nowicki, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Location

University of Nevada Las Vegas, Student Union Room 213

Start Date

6-3-2009 1:15 PM

End Date

6-3-2009 2:45 PM

Description

AFTERNOON CONCURRENT TRACK 3: GREEN CURRICULA AT UNLV Moderator Carolyn Yucha Student Union Room 213 Tom Jones, Ken Teeters – Incorporating Sustainability into a Hospitality Management Curriculum Abstract: For the past 15 years, faculty members in the Harrah College of Hotel Administration who teach Facilities Management (HMD 395) have incorporated a sustainability management component in this required course. The concepts of sustainability and global climate change are introduced through readings and multi-media. The concept of Triple Bottom Line is presented and is applied to almost every component in the course. Students are assigned a variety of semester-long service-learning projects that incorporate these concerns. This session will feature slides from past activities and will show how to establish similar sustainability components in other hospitality management programs. There will also be a short discussion on how the Harrah Hotel College is currently expanding and coordinating sustainability throughout its curricular and extracurricular activities. Barbara St. Pierre Schneider, Nancy Menzel, Lori Candela, Yu Xu, Sally Miller – Integrating Urban Sustainability into a Doctoral Nursing Program Abstract: According to the World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), people “are the ultimate resource” of sustainability, but to be effective people must be physically and mentally healthy. However, threats to health are of a major concern with global urban population growth and natural and man-made environmental hazards. The most economical and successful approach to counteract these threats is to promote and protect the health of people residing in the urban environment. Nurses have a rich history of working with groups and individuals in diverse urban environments on a wide range of health issues and are well positioned to play a critical role by discovering actions that promote health, minimizing the risk for and consequences of disease and illness, and communicating these efforts to citizens, employers, and policy makers. To accomplish this end, urban sustainability needs to be integrated into nursing education at the doctoral level. This presentation will consist of four parts: an overview of the evidence supporting nursing as a key discipline in urban sustainability; a description of the initial steps to integrate sustainability into the doctoral nursing curriculum; a presentation of the curriculum; and a discussion of the barriers encountered in developing this curriculum along with solutions to overcoming the barriers. Scott Nowicki – Commuting to UNLV: The Daily Lesson and Action in Sustainability Abstract: There are a number of programs operating in Las Vegas that have the look and feel of community efforts aimed at making life and business more sustainable, such as recycling, alternative energy, and trip reduction programs, but a serious effort is needed to gauge their effectiveness and plan for further development of these programs. The transportation system is an example of a potential significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, decrease in overall system costs, and increase in quality of life for residents. The Regional Transportation Commission’s plans for development of a comprehensive bike network, transit, and alternative mode integration are only likely to be successful if travel habits are viewed against the backdrop of the complex social/physical layout of the city. Participants in UNLV’s 400/600 GIS course are taking a systematic look at the way we use the transportation system in Las Vegas, as well as the physical layout and limitations of the bike and pedestrian network. Sociology students are focusing on the economic and social characteristics of the bike and public transportation system, while Geoscience students are mapping discrepancies between the publicly available map and the streets network. Using student researchers, these components are being brought together to discern what factors are limiting the Las Vegas metropolitan area from providing a sustainable way for people to get around.

Keywords

Climatic changes – Study and teaching (Elementary); Hospitality industry – Environmental aspects; Hospitality industry – Energy conservation; Sustainability – Study and teaching (Elementary)

Disciplines

Environmental Sciences | Hospitality Administration and Management | Natural Resources and Conservation | Sustainability

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