NEW 2024: Teaching Climate Change and Resilience FLC

In this CSU-wide FLC, participants are invited to think about teaching and learning with a focus on climate change and resilience. Our goal is to support teaching across the disciplines by creating a workshop that does not require you to leave your existing subject matter. We will come to you with class materials that are well researched, relevant, and relatable!  Our conversations will be driven by the questions that emerge from participants’ existing classes. What is keeping you from discussing climate change more in your classes, and how can we solve it together?

Participating faculty will learn from experts in the field about the science behind climate change, the solutions available to counter it, the need to incorporate justice into the conversation and the enormous anxiety all of this produces in our students. The five 90 minute sessions spread evenly throughout the semester will be held over Zoom, allowing faculty to form breakout rooms based on discipline for further discussion and curriculum development. In addition to changing their own courses, participating faculty will also become part of the systemwide network of colleagues focused on issues of climate change that formed after the first FLC, and learn how other faculty incorporate those issues across a wide spectrum of curricular disciplines

This FLC is designed and led by Dr. Mark Stemen (Geography and Planning, Chico State). Dr. Mary Gomes (Faculty Sustainability Chair, SSU) will be the SSU campus lead. The faculty commitment consists of attendance at the five Zoom sessions, one in-person meeting at SSU on Tuesday, February 6, and an additional 2-3 hours of work per session reviewing materials. At the end of the program, each participating faculty member will be asked to submit a course syllabus that identifies the changes made, and a two-minute video (or a short write-up) describing the changes made, why the participant made them, and what they hope students will get out of it.

Participating faculty are eligible for a $500 stipend. To learn more about the FLC requirements and express your interest in participating, please complete the interest form before the deadline of December 15.

If more than ten people indicate interest, participants will be chosen to represent a wide range of academic disciplines. Questions? Please contact Mary Gomes at mary.gomes@sonoma.edu.