Ball State University
ER-3: Sustainability in New Student Orientation

The Green Move-In For many years, the Housing and Residence Life staff have been providing “Make Your Move-In Green at Ball State” flyers to parents and in-coming freshman. In addition, the university includes sustainability materials in orientation in other ways, an informational sheet regarding the Energy Star Rating requirements for residence hall appliances and computing equipment, and information about on-campus student groups such as the Students for a Sustainable Campus (SSC), The Ball State Environmental Action Team (BEAT), the Emerging Green Buildings (EGB now USGBC Students), and Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NR) Club, among others. In addition, information is provided on the new WISER Program which specifically cites environmental and sustainability criteria as course identifiers in the University Core Curriculum (UCC). UCC-21: WISER Guidelines University Core Curriculum (UCC-21)Tier 2 courses must carry at least one WISER designation. Any other university courses, with the exception of those in the foundation, may be approved as WISER courses. All WISER courses must have category-specific learning objectives and associated assessments. For a course to be given a ‘W’ designation, course descriptions must: _____1. Clearly show the way in which the proposed course is writing intensive. The goal of the writing requirement in WISER is that students develop sophistication in disciplinary-based writing. _____2. A ‘W’ course is expected to have regular writing assignments that provide feedback enabling students to improve their writing skills. For a course to be given an ‘I’ designation, course descriptions must: _____1. Clearly show the way in which the proposed course enhances student understanding of international issues and contexts and the implications they have for people worldwide. The goal of the International Awareness requirement in WISER is that students develop sophistication in international issues and their pragmatic consequences. _____2. An ‘I’ course is expected to have a major unit or continuous thread on international issues and awareness. For a course to be given an ‘S’ designation, course descriptions must: _____1. State whether the course will focus on service learning or on civic engagement, or both. _____2. State the activities proposed for either service learning or civic engagement. _____3. An ‘S’ course is expected to have a major unit or a continuous thread of service learning or civic engagement. For a course to be given an ‘E’ designation, course descriptions must: _____1. Clearly show how environmental awareness or environmental sustainability will be a substantial unit or a continuous thread of the course. _____2. Clearly state how environmental awareness or environmental sustainability achieves some of the learning objectives of the course. For a course to be given an ‘R’ designation, course descriptions must: _____1. Clearly show the way in which diversity will be a substantial unit or a continuous thread of the course. _____2. Clearly state how considerations of diversity among peoples and cultures achieve some of the learning objectives of the course. Examples of Possible Learning Objectives for Environmental Awareness and Environmental Sustainability would include any of the topics below as a substantial part of an ‘E’ course. Students can: _____1. Explain fundamental environmental concepts using appropriate vocabulary. _____2. Articulate and apply the scientific method and its role in scientific inquiry concerning the environment. _____3. Explain the co-evolution of humans with their environment and the limitations of human interactions with it. _____4. Analyze environmental problems in a structured way and develop strategies for solutions that indicate how scientific principles interact with ethical, political and/or economic principles. _____5. Describe the state of the environment in relation to the social structure and human health. _____6. Analyze the complexities of phenomena that link economics, politics, culture, history, biology, geology, and physical processes. _____7. Engage in dynamic, vigorous exchange across the traditional disciplinary boundaries within and between natural and social/human sciences. _____8. Work with specific communities to facilitate self-conscious, reflective engagement with linked socio-environmental processes.

Housing and Residence Life and Ball State Dining address the importance of sustainability inititatives by both areas in their joint presentation to families and students who attend Orientation. Housing and Residence Life in conjunction with the Ball State Energy Action Team "green" the showrooms used for tours during Orientation. The student group works with Housing to highlight ways in which students can reduce their energy consumption in the residence halls. They highlight the use of energy star equipment, recycling, use of drying racks, and reusable mugs, as ways to encourage students to think about energy reduction before they purchase any items for school.