| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 57.90 |
| Liaison | Jessica Bowen |
| Submission Date | Aug. 3, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Aquinas College
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.80 / 4.00 |
Jessica
Eimer Bowen Director of Sustainability Center for Sustainability |
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Is the institution utilizing the campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in the following areas?:
| Yes or No | |
| Air & Climate | Yes |
| Buildings | No |
| Dining Services/Food | Yes |
| Energy | Yes |
| Grounds | Yes |
| Purchasing | No |
| Transportation | No |
| Waste | Yes |
| Water | Yes |
| Coordination, Planning & Governance | Yes |
| Diversity & Affordability | No |
| Health, Wellbeing & Work | No |
| Investment | No |
| Public Engagement | No |
| Other | --- |
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Air & Climate and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Student interns in the sustainability office take a lead role in compiling ACUPCC reports (carbon footprint and progress reports), with supervision from the campus sustainability director.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Buildings and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Dining Services/Food and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Several student volunteers and sustainability office interns play an active role in the campus community garden. A couple students also serve on the Infrastructure Sustainability Committee, a group who is currently writing a sustainable food policy for Aquinas.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Energy and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Student interns in the sustainability office take a lead role in compiling ACUPCC reports (carbon footprint and progress reports), with supervision from the campus sustainability director.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Grounds and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
The Campus Land Cover Mapping Project is underway in the Geography Department headed Dr. James Rasmussen and Dr. Mary Clinthorne. This project is being conducted to establish a baseline for a campus land management plan. It has an economic valuation portion that will be conducted by Dr. Todd Yarbrough of our Economics Department and is part of the college’s Mohler-Thompson Undergraduate Research Program.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Purchasing and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Transportation and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Waste and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Student Sustainability Gurus- elected positions in the residential area councils- champion the zero waste initiative in their respective areas. Several classes also give credit for students to assist with the education effort in the zero waste initiative.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Water and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
The Senior Geography seminar is a venue for this type of research to occur. An example is a current Senior Thesis is a water salinity monitoring project that assesses salinity increases in the ponds/creeks on the Aquinas Campus in the aftermath of snow events and salt applications.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Coordination, Planning & Governance and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Each of the 3 sustainability committees (Infrastructure, Community, and Learning) have at least 2 student members. Also, a class in the Sustainable Business Program is specifically dedicated to developing and updating the college's external sustainability report.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Diversity & Affordability and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Health, Wellbeing & Work and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Investment and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Public Engagement and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory in Other areas and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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The website URL where information about the institution’s campus as a living laboratory program or projects is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.