| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 54.08 |
| Liaison | Margaret Lo |
| Submission Date | March 2, 2020 |
Ball State University
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.25 / 2.00 |
Jim
Hague Director of Student LIfe Office of Student Life |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
Air and Waste Management Association: The Ball State Air and Waste Management Association seeks to promote sustainability on campus and improve the community through immersive learning projects dealing with air quality.
American Fisheries Society: This is a student subunit of the American Fisheries Society. Our purpose is to foster beneficial interactions between fisheries professionals, faculty members, and students. Throughout the year there will be various talks given by professionals in regards to current research and conservation efforts taking place in the field of fisheries. AFS also does various community service projects to help benefit local aquatic ecosystems!
Geological Society: Ball State's Geological Society concentrates on topics regarding the world on which we live and other planetary bodies.
GROW: The Campus Garden: On a small empty lot behind the Student Center, we at GROW provide dirt. In this dirt, we plant vegetables and herbs for everyone's use, cultivate a relaxing and social space, and encourage community-led events and creative projects.
Natural Resources Club:This club is focused on providing students with educational, vocational, and recreational access to information about our natural resources. Events include volunteering, partnering with other clubs, hiking, and camping.
Partnership for Student Sustainable Advancement: The Partnership for Student Sustainable Advancement (PSSA) is a student-run sustainability group dedicated to cutting Ball State's carbon footprint by reducing on-campus energy use.
Emerging Green Builders: Emerging Green Builders (Affectionately known as EGB) is the official Ball State student chapter of the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council). Our chapter promotes green design principles throughout the College of Architecture and Planning, Ball State University, Muncie community, and the state of Indiana.
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?:
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
The student farm is a six acre field dedicated to high tunnel and outdoor bed production of over 179 varieties of produce (we do not qualify for organic labeling because it takes three years to work towards the label, but we do grow everything under organic standards in the hopes to one day obtain the label). That produce is grown and sold by students directly to consumers. Some years instead of selling directly to consumers we will grow starter plants and sell them through the on-campus plant sale which is orchestrated through the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse. We also work with 48 acres of tillable land on the property that is rented to a local farmer for soybean and corn production. During the off-season we grow cover crops to provide local farmers information on soil conservation. These activities, alongside various agriculturally inclined courses, allow students the opportunities to learn about the local food movement, sustainability initiatives, community gardening, conventional and sustainable farming, and how to make a difference.
Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
Allègre students of the Hospitality and Food Management Program (Department of Management) serve meals to the public each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for dinner in the Allègre Restaurant. Seating for dinner is from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Allègre is a student ran restaurant that provides students with a unique experience of managing a restaurant. Each meal is a different theme which the students create.
Indiana Outdoors: “Indiana Outdoors” is a half-hour public television nature show that highlights Indiana natural resources, historic sites, and recreational opportunities around the state through stories shot independently by students. http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/collegesanddepartments/telecommunications/activities-opportunities/studentorganizations
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:
N/A
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?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
The Ball State University Bracken Environmental Fund has been used to sponsor three major lectures for students, faculty, administrators, staff, and surrounding residents of the Muncie Community. They have included Thomas Friedman, J. Carl Ganter, Paul Hawken, Robert Kennedy Jr., Gus Speth, Sylvia Earle and Alexandra Cousteau. In 2018, Jeff Corwin served as a lecturer and focused on awareness and education, Jeff drew on his world travels to enlighten with insights on the current state of environmental conservation efforts, emphasizing that the key to our own survival is the survival of the world’s creatures and ecosystems.
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:
Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
1. Outdoor Pursuits
The Outdoor Pursuits Program includes a climbing wall, outdoor equipment rental and retail center, classroom, as well as trips programs and outdoor skills clinics and workshops, and an outdoor resource center.
Outdoor Pursuits Rental Center
Going outside and having fun sometimes requires a lot of expensive, specialized gear. Through the BSU Outdoor Rental Center BSU students have access to the equipment required for outings like backpacking, camping, canoeing, biking, and fly fishing.
2. Indiana Outdoors is a weekly half-hour program featuring Indiana’s natural resources and recreational opportunities. Ball State students, faculty and staff produce the magazine-style show with help from Indiana Department of Natural Resources and WIPB, Ball State’s public television station.
Focusing on historic sites, state parks and natural history of Indiana, “Indiana Outdoors” takes viewers to locations from Lake Michigan to the Ohio River and all points in between.
3. The university has received 61 regional Emmy nominations and won 18 since 2000, contributing to Ball State being named Indiana's Broadcasting School of the Year for three consecutive years.
"The documentary is a strong example of how Ball State has become a national model for immersive education in news, film and entertainment,". "Our projects are student-centered and allow undergraduates and graduates to work side-by-side with some of the best professionals in the field."
As an out-growth of this effort, Alexander Mejia, an Indianapolis resident who graduated in the spring, and Tony Prizevoits, a junior, received their nomination for a flood awareness video produced for the Red Cross. The project was submitted by their independent firm, TAV Productions.
Indiana Outdoors and Connections Live, a televised magazine show, was nominated in the 'professional category' for magazine programs. NewsWatch, the university's student-run nightly news television program was nominated in the 'student program' category.
Outdoor pursuits also offers a bike shop for students to fix personal bikes and a bike mechanic to make minor repars and adjustments to student's bikes.
The wilderness/outdoor program follows Leave No Trace Principles.
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:
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:
n/a
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
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):
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
Immersive learning brings together interdisciplinary, student-driven teams guided by faculty mentors to create high-impact learning experiences. Through immersive learning, students earn credit for working collaboratively with businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies to address community challenges.
Immersive Learning Project: Digging in to Muncie’s Local Food System
Immersive Learning Project: Eco REHAB Design Project
Immersive Learning Project: Habitat for Humanity
Immersive Learning Project: LEED Lab
Immersive Learning Project: Maring-Hunt Community Garden Market Pavilion and Outdoor Kitchen
Immersive Learning Project: Measurement and Reporting for 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.