ABSTRACT
The need to better understand sustainability and the environment has long been recognized; there is a history of environmental concern beginning in the 1940s and extending to today. In recent decades the focus has shifted from “environment” to “sustainability” as we realize planetary limitations. Universities have developed programs and degrees in environmental studies, environmental science, and sustainability, yet student uptake remains low. This is a concern, given the critical – and genuinely existential – need for all people to understand sustainability. This chapter addresses this need through the lens of leadership and university barriers and challenges faced by individuals and institutions seeking to broaden the scope and impact of sustainability scholarship and education. Individual barriers include disciplinary identity, time to commit, and a rewards/recognition system that disincentivizes interdisciplinary work. Individual barriers also include knowledge of pedagogy and “permission” to embed sustainability into a curriculum. Institutional barriers are those related to budget, organizational structure, governance, and culture. Budget models can determine failure or success of initiatives. Universities remain organized into disciplines, and governance layers limit curricular innovation. Academic culture also often fails to recognize or value applied or engaged scholarship. To address these barriers, it will be necessary to support individuals in their efforts, to budget for more than operational sustainability, and to include sustainability prominently in all aspects of university planning and decision-making.
