| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 57.66 |
| Liaison | Michael Kensler |
| Submission Date | Jan. 23, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Auburn University
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Jennifer
Morse Administrator: Outreach and Communications Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
A brief description of the central sustainability website (optional):
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 campus events, and learn about projects, initiatives, and campus activities. The LEARN tab has resources for working and living at AU, general sustainability, local resources, and resources related to academics. In addition, our Sustainability Guides have practical advice on sustainable event planning, transportation, student packing and engagement, and resources for employees. The ENGAGE tab has a summary of offices around campus where one can get involved, including student groups, and other opportunities for engagement like volunteering on campus or in the community, internships, and joining the bike share program. The PRACTICES tab connects visitor to the university's sustainability policies, plans, and operations. Visitors are invited to contact the Office of Sustainability for formal and informal sustainability training and education programs, and to subscribe to our newsletter.
The website URL for the central sustainability website:
Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
Auburn University's Office of Sustainability produces a monthly newsletter/ digest, Auburn Sustainability News. The newsletter highlights upcoming events, the latest news in operations, engagement, and academics at Auburn University, and blog posts related to a monthly sustainability topic.
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
Does the institution have social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, interactive blogs) that focus specifically on campus sustainability?:
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus on sustainability:
We share Auburn University news, events, and some broader topical links with our followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Posts are from a wide variety of offices with sustainability messaging include: the Office of Sustainability, Waste Reduction and Recycling Department, AU Health and Wellness, and Healthy Tigers, in addition to numerous student organizations.
The website URL of the primary social media platform focused on sustainability:
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?:
A brief description of the regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
The Office of Sustainability has met monthly with a student reporter with The Plainsman student newspaper who is assigned to the sustainability beat. The Plainsman has added 'sustainability' as a tag word so visitors can search their online database for sustainability stories.
The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
Does the institution produce a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
The yearly Alabama Water Resources Conference has a major focus on students, encouraging them to compete in both oral and poster sessions that focus on their research or outreach experiences with water. In addition, the AU Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship through the Office of Undergraduate Studies showcases the top research and scholarly accomplishments of Auburn University undergraduate students. While it publishes original research from students in any academic discipline, many of the research projects are related to sustainability.
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
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 the sustainability features within the building.
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
Does the institution have signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of the 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. Tiger Dining has a series of 'Meet the Farmer' displays in the Plains 2 Plate dining venue. In 2017 Tiger Dining launched a new campaign, Auburn Foods, which identifies and promotes locally sources food in campus dining venues.
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 groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed?:
A brief description of the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
The university has a self-guided signage-based Water Tour in the Arboretum to educate the public on best practices for managing stormwater in the landscape, and demonstrate practices used in Auburn's landscaping efforts. In addition, in the Research Park area there are interpretive signs identifying and explaining native grass landscaping.
The website URL for the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
Does the institution produce a sustainability walking map or tour?:
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, such as using pervious surfaces. Some of the stops describe water capture, and some are about controlling the flow of water. 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 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.
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
Does the institution produce a guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation?:
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
There is an Auburn Sustainable Transportation Guide on the Office of Sustainability website that has information on how to get to Auburn from major cities in the region, and how to get around Auburn, using alternative modes of transportation. There is additional information on the Living @AU and Working@AU webpages. Parking services also has links to the different forms of alternative transportation available at Auburn.
The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
Does the institution produce navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians (e.g. covering routes, inter-modal connections, policies, services, and safety)? :
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
Auburn University Parking Services provides resources to educate students, faculty, and staff on biking rules of the road, how to register a bike, maps of approved biking sidewalks on campus, bicycle repair station locations, how to put a bike on the Tiger Transit buses, and resources for on and off campus bicycle help. In addition, signage indicates where biking is allowed along the approved sidewalks on campus. Parking Services contracts with the GotchaBike Company to provide students, faculty, and staff with the War Eagle Bike Share Program for use around campus and in the City of Auburn. The Bike Share Program has centralized hubs across campus and in the downtown Auburn area to provide convenient access to bicycles.
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
The Office of Sustainability has a Sustainable Student Packing Guide and a Living @AU webpage, both linked to the Campus Housing website. In addition, a resource page specifically targeted toward Residence Assistants is available to help them guide residents in more sustainable living practices. The Office of Sustainability and Waste Reduction and Recycling Departments do outreach in the residence halls as well as distribute educational materials during summer orientation sessions. At tabling sessions during orientation students can obtain the packing guide, the action guide, the transportation guide, and other resources.
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
Does the institution produce other sustainability outreach materials or publications not covered above?:
A brief description of these materials or publications:
The online Green Event Guide was completed in 2017 and provides tips and resources for more sustainable meetings, events, parties, and conferences.
The website URL for these materials or publications:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.