Stacey Swearingen White

Public participation and organizational change in Wisconsin land use management

This article explores the issues that arise when land use management organizations change their previous ways of relating to the public. I introduce an analytic framework for evaluating organizational changes that are grounded in participatory planning and decision making. Using a case study of a recent planning initiative of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, I examine dynamics of trust, civic capacities, personal demands, history of working relationships, and interest in the issue at hand. Though preliminary, the conclusions drawn from this research illustrate how these dynamics may influence the success of participatory planning that reflects organizational change.

Campus sustainability plans in the United States: where, what, and how to evaluate?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the use of integrated campus sustainability plans at US institutions of higher education. The paper also offers a preliminary framework for the evaluation of these plans. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines 27 campus sustainability plans. It determines the types and characteristics of the institutions that have adopted these plans. It then uses content analysis techniques to determine their typical contents and emphases. Finally, the paper draws on literature pertaining to sustainability plans and plan evaluation to present a preliminary tool for evaluating campus sustainability planning efforts. Findings – Campus sustainability plans in the USA are extremely diverse. Environmental aspects are most prominent in these plans, and social equity aspects are least prominent. Campus operations receive more attention than do academic or administrative aspects. Most campuses have taken an inclusive, campus-wide approach to developing thei...

Early participation in the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze those US campuses that became signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) during the charter membership period of December 2006 through September 15, 2007.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on literature in organizational change, organizational learning, and innovation diffusion to develop a tentative idea as to what types of campuses might be most likely to be climate change innovators. It then characterizes signatory campuses with respect to such variables as their size, location, and type.Findings – The paper shows that there is no typical signatory among the 379 ACUPCC charter members. Many types of institutions, public and private, small and large, and located throughout the USA, have pledged to become climate neutral through this commitment.Practical implications – Understanding more about how USA higher education is responding to global climate change is an important component of ...

Planning for Water Quality: Implementation of the NPDES Phase II Stormwater Program in California and Kansas

Abstract In the United States, the federal government is increasingly relying on local governments to implement policies that address the nations lingering environmental problems. Yet, little is known about the factors that influence local level implementation of a federal mandate. This paper explores local government response to the NPDES Phase II Stormwater Program in California and Kansas by investigating local conditions, perceptions of the federal program, and implementer characteristics. The study found that fiscal resources, a well-educated public, positive perceptions of the federal policy, and co-operative planning efforts lead to better compliance with the mandate and a higher quality response.

Shifting Lands: Exploring Kansas Farmer Decision-Making in an Era of Climate Change and Biofuels Production

While farming has been the subject of frequent critical analysis with respect to its environmental impacts, including its greenhouse gas emissions, there has been relatively little consideration of the potentially positive role of agriculture in responding to a future greatly influenced by climate change. One possible realm for agriculture to contribute successfully to this future is through biofuels cultivation. This paper uses the state of Kansas as an example to examine factors that are influencing farmer decision-making during a time of heightened debates about climate and energy. Drawing on interviews with key informants and Kansas farmers, we apply and refine a conceptual model for understanding farmer decisions. We find that farmers have largely positive perceptions of the natural environment. Climate change, especially, is not a salient concern at this time. Factors that appear most likely to influence farmer decisions to adopt a new practice include the relative advantage of that practice and the ability to learn about and discuss it through existing social networks. Successful policy incentives must provide farmers with a continued sense of both independence and contribution to greater societal good.

Stormwater Quality and Local Government Innovation

Abstract This article investigates how local governments in Kansas approached planning for and implementing Phase II of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) storm water program, which required them to take measures to control nonpoint source pollution in order to improve surface water quality. We find that though these local governments undertook many new activities, there were few differences between those that acted early and those that waited until they were required to act, though the governments acting early had higher quality responses. Limitations on funds and personnel appear to have posed the most significant challenges to effective local innovation.

Promoting Sustainability through Transportation Infrastructure? Innovation and Inertia in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area

City engineers and planners have a critical role to play in the advancement of sustainable transportation systems at the local level. Practices that promote water quality and/or public health through transportation infrastructure are two central components of this role. Yet, little is known about the decision processes local governments use to adopt these sorts of new practices. This study explores innovations related to sustainable transportation systems using the Kansas City, Missouri, metropolitan area. Interviews with engineers and planners reveal that the automobile still dominates planning and decision making. However, when water quality or public health goals come to the fore, important decision factors include the relative advantage and observability of the strategies themselves, leadership of elected officials and public works directors, perceptions of funding levels, educational opportunities provided by professional organizations, and federal mandates.

Learning Expectations in Environmental Planning Predictions and Interpretations

Most graduate planning programs offer a specialization in environmental planning, yet there has been little recent discussion of environmental planning pedagogy. This article draws on the results of a survey of planning educators to determine trends and patterns in environmental planning curricula. It develops an explanatory model for predicting the learning expectations for various types of knowledge that are part of environmental planning education in U.S. and Canadian planning programs. This model uses individual, organizational, and curricular characteristics to predict the substantive environmental planning topics taught in graduate planning programs.

Environmental Education in Graduate Professional Degrees: The Case of Urban Planning

Environmental education (EE) is a prominent aspect of graduate-level masters programs in urban and regional planning. This article draws on the results of a survey of 66 environmental planning educators in urban and regional planning programs to show what types of EE are most prevalent in these graduate professional programs and in planning practice. The authors examine the relative importance of foundational and applied knowledge topics in both masters-level planning education and in seeking employment in the field of environmental planning. Environmental planning educators generally believe that applied knowledge topics are more important than foundational topics for students.

Sustainable campuses and campus planning

This article explores the possibilities of teaching environmental planning by focusing on the sustainability of the campus and the campus master planning process. It describes the development of an urban planning course centered on campus master planning and its environmental impacts at the University of Kansas. Drawing on existing knowledge of campus planning and campus ecology, the article presents a tentative framework for assessing issues that can affect the structure of a campus environmental planning class, discusses the structure of the University of Kansas course, and outlines the lessons and reflections that have emerged from that course.