Sustainable Cities and the Public Good

What Is the Sustainable Cities and the Public Good community?

Sponsored by the UO’s School of Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM), this ARC gets students involved in creating more sustainable communities, an inherently multi-disciplinary, multi-sector, social-change oriented endeavor. Where and how our communities are designed and function are not fixed, and we will explore how the overlapping issues of climate change, structural inequality, household affordability, social cohesion, public health, and general happiness can be addressed through both the physical design of our communities and the policies and services that help influence and improve community. 

We will use evidence-based scholarship to understand issues and engage directly with the community around us to learn how to make actual progress on today’s issues. Throughout all of this, our focus is on the steps that cities can take. This is the century of the city and if we want to fix big things we need to get our cities done right.

This ARC will be highly immersive, relate to our current world, and will use the Eugene-Springfield community as a living laboratory of exploration, learning, and fun. While building a community of our own, we will also build community across our region as we explore locations, organizations, and modes of transport to understand how the form and function of a sustainable community could be created.

What are the benefits of living in this community?

• We focus on issues directly relevant to our everyday lives.
• We have an applied focus, meaning we don’t just dwell on the problems of the world, but explore what can be—and is being—done about them.
• We will learn by doing. Walking, biking, and transit trips around town will introduce us to local professionals, examples, and the larger area—while having fun.
• We provide direct access to PPPM faculty members and staff, as well as faculty members from many different areas of study.
• Have fun while learning: scavenger hunts, movie nights, and more are all used to have fun, build community, and learn.
• We have fun while learning: scavenger hunts, movie nights, and more are all used to build community, connect with each other, and learn more about ourselves.

What classes will we take?

• UGST 112: SCPG ARC Seminar (4 credits total. Fall: 2 credits, Winter: 2 credits)
• Two introductory courses from the School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management (offerings change each year)

Location

Residence Hall: Unthank Hall. Students living in this community will select roommates who are also in the community.

Please note that communities can be moved to different residence hall buildings if the size or need of the community changes.