Professional Education

Ever feel frustrated that policymakers aren't listening? Disillusioned that someone your organization worked to elect no longer heeds your counsel? Unable to cut through the clutter of all the voices vying for policymakers' attention? We have the course for you.

This workshop covers all aspects of advocacy in four intensive sessions. Drawing on readings, case studies, and the instructor's extensive experience as a community activist, interest group leader, and elected official, the course is a practical blueprint for anyone seeking to influence a policymaker in the executive or legislative branch. It culminates in the production of a full-length strategic advocacy plan centered on a topical issue of each student's choice.

Course Number: MPLC0124
Instructor: Jeff Smith

Wednesday, July 10-31
6:30 pm. - 9 p.m.
$400
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In recent decades, the growth and global reach of the private sector has helped to lift millions of people out of poverty. At the same time, businesses have contributed to social unrest and environmental destruction, maintained exploitative working conditions, and aided repressive governments in citizen surveillance and online censorship. This short course, designed for media professionals, explores the relevance of a human rights perspective to coverage of such corporate social responsibility issues. The course covers the historical development of human rights principles and standards relevant to corporations; an overview of current human rights law and regulatory policies; case studies that illuminate key human rights issues, including labor, the environment, and civil liberties; and corporate best practices for managing and reporting on human rights impacts. Case studies will cover a wide variety of industries, including finance, energy, mining, technology, and retail. Discussion will center on how students might approach these cases as reporters. At the close of the course, students will have a firm background in business and human rights standards and practice, and a toolkit for incorporating this knowledge into their work, both in investigative reporting and mainstream business news.

Course Number: NMPE0002
Instructors: Joanne Bauer, Maha Atal

Thursday and Friday
July 18-19
9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
$750
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LEED Green Associate is the first step to becoming a LEED AP (Accredited Professional). The GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) created the Green Associate to provide further knowledge on the underlying environmental issues to each credit and category in each LEED rating system.

By taking this course each student will become eligible to take the LEED Green Associate exam. They will have the tools to prepare them to earn this credential, which could then help place them in a position geared toward sustainability, a sector more firms are highly considering for their business practices. LEED has become the leading green building rating system and even though it was created to focus on design and construction, there are vast fields of practices that are affected by the lessons learned from LEED.

This course thoroughly reviews the objectives of the LEED green building rating system and the environmental benefits that coincide with it.

The course will review the main categories within LEED and the foundations of all LEED rating systems, including:

• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Materials and Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Innovation in Design
• Regional Priority

Course Number: NMGT0333
Instructor: Lee Beckman

Saturday, July 13
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
$200
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This one-day workshop is designed for people who want to learn the basics of marketing and communicating sustainability services, products and ideas, as well as techniques for fostering new behaviors and attitudes towards 'sustainability.' Whether you are a communications professional working within an organization, an independent consultant representing clients, or an entrepreneur seeking to promote your own business, this workshop will help you gain skills to develop successful marketing strategies that can help your initiative boost visibility.

The workshop begins with an overview of social marketing theory, followed by best-practice case studies from the sustainable apparel industry. In the second portion of the workshop, students will work with real clients to apply theory to actual practice.The final segment of the workshop is dedicated to presentations from the student groups describing their recommendations for their clients.

Course Number: NMPE0003
Instructors: Bonnie McEwan, Rita Luppino

Saturday, July 20
9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
$250
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In this two-day workshop, students explore urban agriculture in New York City, including its history, benefits, challenges, and contemporary landscape. The course examines stakeholders that influence and benefit from urban farms and gardens, as well as current practices, including community gardens and school gardens, community and rooftop farms, aquaponics, beekeeping, and more. The second portion of the workshop explores how urban agriculture programs in New York City are working to advance racial, gender, and economic justice through farming and gardening. These concepts are contextualized through site visits to urban agriculture projects focused on advancing social justice. Tours include Hattie Carthan Community Garden (Brooklyn) and The Garden of Happiness (Bronx). Recent debates about the role of urban agriculture and its intersection with food justice are covered. The workshop is open to any student interested in gaining in-depth knowledge about urban agriculture, and may be of particular interest to educators, researchers, urban agriculture supporters, and visitors from beyond New York City.

Course Number: NMPE0001
Instructor: Kristin Reynolds

Thursday and Friday, August 8-9
9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
$400
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When it comes to sustained success, vision matters more than strategy. Scores of studies have proven this statement, and millions of organizational leaders believe it. Yet few executives understand what vision is. They embrace the idea, but ignore the implementation—a disconnect that threatens organizations striving for growth in a volatile marketplace. This "believing-doing" gap exists because today's fast-paced world demands short-term fixes-pressuring executives to make tactical decisions that ultimately create larger strategic problems down the road.

But vision is an essential factor in building scalable organizations that last for the long haul. Based on extensive research and real-world consulting with hundreds of organizations implementing the vision process, organizational expert and Professor of Management Mark Lipton will take you—or your entire leadership team—through a step-by-step process for establishing an actionable vision. Go far beyond the simplistic, Dilbert-sounding mission statement that only promotes cynicism.

On the first day: Learn how visions actually "work," and what the research tells us about content themes your vision must address. Get started on the visioning process in the Lab and learn tools to keep you motivated for creating a "vision story" draft.

On the second day (two weeks later): Bring in your draft, roll up your sleeves, and work in teams to fine-tune your vision for high impact. Learn how to beta-test your vision and begin the roll-out.

Course Number: NMPE0004
Instructor: Mark Lipton

Two Sessions: Tuesday, July 16 and Tuesday, July 30
9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
$1400
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Group rates available. Please email NSPEinfo@newschool.edu.