Overall Rating	Bronze
Overall Score	34.48
Liaison	Rebecca Jones
Submission Date	Feb. 9, 2022

STARS v2.2

Austin College
EN-3: Student Life

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	1.50 / 2.00	Rebecca Jones Coordinator Center for Environmental Studies

"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Student groups

Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:

Yes

Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:

The Thinking Green Campus Awareness organization is a group of students who are focused on campus sustainability. They lead, coordinate, and promote two sustainability-focused events every year: AC Unplugged, which is an energy-saving competition among the residence halls that takes place every October, and GreenServe, a green service event that takes place around Earth Day. In addition, they work on numerous smaller projects throughout the year that focus on campus sustainability.

https://www.austincollege.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/center-for-environmental-studies/thinking-green/

Gardens and farms

Does the institution have a garden, farm, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or an urban agriculture project where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:

Yes

A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:

The local Sherman Community Garden is affiliated with the college, and a number of students volunteer there every year. The students learn about organic agriculture as part of their experience.

Student-run enterprises

Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:

Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:

The Student Sustainability Fund: Austin College students voted to enact a $5 fee that they pay each school year. This totals to over $6,000 dollars annually that can be used towards a sustainability initiative or project. This group is student governed.

Sustainable investment and finance

Does the institution have a sustainable investment fund, green revolving fund, or sustainable microfinance initiative through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills?:

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:

---

Events

Has the institution hosted a conference, speaker series, symposium, or similar event focused on sustainability during the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:

Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:

Each semester the Center for Environmental Studies hosts 5-6 presentations during the students' lunch period. Students are invited to bring their lunch to the (1 hour) presentation, and those who do not have a meal plan will have their lunch paid for. Seminars are presented by faculty/staff, alumni, guest speakers, and students.

Cultural arts

Has the institution hosted a cultural arts event, installation, or performance focused on sustainability with the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:

---

Wilderness and outdoors programs

Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:

Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:

B.I.G., the Biology Interest Group, regularly goes on hikes organized by faculty. The hikes follow Leave No Trace principles.

Sustainability-focused themes

Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:

A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:

---

Sustainable life skills

Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:

---

Student employment opportunities

Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:

Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:

Students are able to hold Work Study positions in the Center for Environmental Studies as well as the Austin College Physical Plant. Students are also recruited to work as field trip guides at the local prairie restoration site, where they are able to teach children the importance and methodology of ecosystem conservation.

Graduation pledge

Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:

A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):

---

Optional Fields

A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:

The student group ECOS is dedicated to the study and preservation of the environment. ECOS organizes environmentally-oriented service projects and activities. ECOS is separate from the Thinking Green Student Committee in that its mission is broader (it's focused on the environment at large rather than campus sustainability).

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.