We are very pleased to announce that a course has been added to the Spring 2017 line-up. NRES 499 XM3: Illinois Environmental Policy and Advocacy (3 credit hours) will be taught on Tuesday evenings, 6:30 – 9:00 pm, by Jennifer Walling. This course will meet the requirement for Core 4 – Human Dimensions of the Environment, Stewardship and Management.
Here is what the instructor has to say about this course, “In this course, students will study environmental policy in real time, providing feedback and research on statutes, policies, and other regulatory proceedings that happen during the course. While we will study some theory of environmental policy, this course will also cover more “real life” practical policy scenarios. During the course, students will study bills and issues that are currently under consideration in the governmental body of their choice, but with a heavy focus on learning the dynamics of the Illinois state legislature. Students will not only analyze what elements are needed to pass policy sufficiently protective of the environment, but will also learn skills such as organizing, negotiation, and power analysis to understand the possibility of enacting the best environmental policies into law. After all, the most academically researched, ideal environmental policy has no impact if it will not be enacted by decision makers. This will be an excellent course for students in environmental science to learn more about how to discuss the results of their research in a way that is easy for the public to understand, without losing academic integrity and understand the role that scientists can have as experts testifying on environmental policy.”
For further information, please contact Renee Gracon at gracon1@illinois.edu.