Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 49.13
Liaison Michael Kensler
Submission Date Jan. 15, 2013
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

Auburn University
ER-4: Sustainability Outreach and Publications

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Michael Kensler
Director Sustainability Operations
Office of Sustainability
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Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
Yes

A brief description of the central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts:

The Office of Sustainability website provides an overview of sustainability at Auburn University. At this site visitors can learn about Auburn's commitment to sustainability, view a calendar of events, learn about projects, initiatives, and campus activities. Links are provided to Auburn's Academic Sustainability Program and information about the interdisciplinary sustainability minor. This website hosts Auburn's Climate Action Plan, the Spirit of Sustainability Awards program, and the Sustainable Offices Achieving Recognition (SOAR) program. At this site visitors are invited to contact the Office of Sustainability for formal and informal sustainability training and education programs.


The website URL for the central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts:
Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:

Auburn University's Office of Sustainability produces a monthly Sustainability News. This newsletter highlights Sustainability in Action each month, describing activities on campus that are enhancing Auburn's sustainability performance. The newsletter covers timely and topical information related to sustainability concepts, current events, and campus activities.


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Does the institution have a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
No

A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
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The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
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Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
Yes

A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :

The Miller Gorrie Center (houses the McWhorter School of Building Science) was the first LEED Gold certified building in Alabama. A series of internal signs highlight all of the sustainability features within the building.


The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
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Does the institution have food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:

Tiger Dining promotes sustainable practices and linkages to sustainable food systems in such areas as organic, locally grown foods, capturing used cooking oils for biofuel, distributing excess food to a local food bank, and other relevant information.


The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
Does the institution have signage on the grounds about sustainable grounds-keeping strategies employed?:
No

A brief description of signage on the grounds about sustainable grounds-keeping strategies employed:
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The website URL for signage on the grounds about sustainable grounds-keeping strategies employed:
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Does the institution have a sustainability walking map or tour?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:

In an effort to educate the public on best practices for handling stormwater in the landscape, the Auburn University arboretum has installed an 11-stop stormwater tour. The tour takes participants through the arboretum landscape while highlighting features that deal with stormwater management.

Some of the stops describe water capture, and some are about controlling the flow of water. The tour demonstrates non-traditional methods for dealing with stormwater, such as utilizing pervious surfaces.

The stormwater tour also highlights the arboretum's use of cisterns in the landscape, as the facility has a 1,700-gallon, above-ground tank and a 1,400-gallon, below-ground tank to capture stormwater. The tour educates the public on methods that will slow, trap and channel water in a landscape through the use of features such as swales, rain gardens and dry stream beds. Examples are also provided of how stormwater, when not properly managed, is destructive.


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Does the institution have a guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:

A "What Mode are You In" brochure describes the various options for getting around town and campus: Tiger Transit bus system, WeCar car-sharing program, ZimRide ride-sharing program, GOTCHA ride taxi service, and the soon-to-be-introduced War Eagle Wheels bike sharing program.


The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
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Does the institution have a guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
Yes

A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:

Incoming students receive packets about their residence hall assignments and living on campus, and the Office of Sustainability includes welcoming materials with an overview of sustainability initiatives on campus and a guide for what to bring and what not to bring to their residential experience that will contribute to a more sustainable campus community.


The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
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Does the institution have regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper (either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat)?:
No

A brief description of regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat:
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The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat:
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Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (1st material):
Yes

A brief description of this material:

Campus Conversations:

Each month the Office of Sustainability hosts a structured conversation on a specific sustainability-related topic. Topics may focus on campus-specific issues or they may be regional, national, or global in scale.

The format of Campus Conversations is to introduce a topic through prepared comments by someone with topical expertise, and then engage people in attendance to have small group and large group conversations around thoughtful questions related to that topic. The intent is to more fully involve everyone in attendance to explore important and timely questions, and to trigger thoughtful conversations that will continue and spread beyond the confines of each gathering.

Campus Conversations has covered such topics as electronic waste, sustainability and Auburn University values, the role of higher education in creating engaged citizens, stream restoration initiatives on campus, and world hunger.

Campus conversations are open to all.


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Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (2nd material):
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Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (5th material):
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Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (7th material):
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Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (8th material):
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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.