Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

DCISE Annual Report 2017-2018 4 DCISE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES This special course, co-taught by DCISE Senior Fellow John Cronin and DCISE Director of Programming and Clinical Associate Professor Michelle D. Land, allows students to develop policy for non-profit and government clients while earning course credit. The Clinic was at the forefront of several major issues this year, with breakthrough successes in animal welfare and Hudson River watershed protection at the state and federal levels, respectively. This year's work introduced key partnerships to DCISE and advanced the Clinic's standing across a statewide audience as offering a program in undergraduate education and providing civic engagement opportunities unique to Pace University and Dyson College. This year's cases were as follows: The Elephant Protection Act (Pleasantville students) In June 2017, the New York State Legislature passed the Elephant Protection Act, prohibiting the use of live elephants in entertainment. Clinic students drafted the bill and lobbied for it in Albany. They then turned their attention to lobbying Governor Cuomo. On October 18, members of the Clinic team conducted a video meeting with the governor's counsel assigned to the bill. On October 19, Governor Cuomo signed the bill into law, which goes into effect in January 2019. Because of their work on this bill, the students in the Policy Clinic were awarded the Judith Manka Compassionate Citizen Award by the Animal Advocates of Western New York for "exceptional work leading to the passage of the Elephant Protection Act." Stopping the Importation of the Big Five (Pleasantville students) Students researched New York's role and impact on trophy hunting of five African species ("The Big Five"): the African Elephant, African Lion, White Rhino, Black Rhino and the African Leopard, which are all declining in population. Upon learning that 37% of all animal trophies are imported into the United States via the New York-New Jersey Port, the students were eager to eliminate the importation of Big African Five species trophies. Students drafted and lobbied for the introduction of the Big Five African Trophies Act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law, Article 11, Title 5, §11-0535, to ban the importation, transportation and possession of certain African wildlife species and products in New York. The bill (S01883-B / A04010B) was introduced in the NYS Senate by Senator Anthony Avella and in the Assembly by Assemblyman Luis Sepúlveda during the spring 2018 semester. Protecting the Hudson River (New York City students) The controversial United States Coast Guard plan to park oil barges on the Hudson River was the subject of a student trip to the U.S. House of Representatives on April 20 (pictured below). Accompanied by Prof. John Cronin and William Colona, Pace's director of government and community relations, students proposed that members of the Hudson River congressional delegation demand that prior to further action on the Coast Guard plan, the Commandant guarantee that the agency will abide by the internal procedural manual uncovered by the Clinic, produce an Environmental Impact Statement, and convene a Hudson River safety committee. On June 20, 2018, Congressman Sean Maloney and Congressman Eliot Engel wrote to Commandant Paul Zkunft with the Clinic request. The Coast Guard plan was subsequently put on hold. DCISE utilizes its unique spaces, resources, and programs to provide the University and the external community a wide range of opportunities to engage in the interdisciplinary study of the environment through hands-on scientific, policy, conservation, and advocacy activities. ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES Environmental Policy Clinic INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT From left: Christina Thomas '19, Rowan Lanning '18, Margaret Doyle '18, Lisa Moran '21, John Cronin, Rahaf Jambi '20, Sarah Pereira '22, Rawaf Alkharji, Alexandra Muino '18. Photo by William Colona.

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