| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.04 |
| Liaison | Natalie Hayes |
| Submission Date | Oct. 19, 2023 |
Bentley University
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.75 / 2.00 |
Natalie
Hayes Associate Director of Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
Students for Sustainable Business represent the three approaches to Sustainability (People, Planet and Profit). There is a chair for each aspect of the triple bottom line who plans events and educational experiences for both their members and the Bentley student community. Students for Sustainable Business (SSB) host different educational activities throughout the year on campus as well as provide opportunities for members to gain immersive experience outside of Bentley's campus. These have included doing beach clean ups and touring local sustainable facilities.
Bentley Sustainable Investing Group will be following Sustainable, Responsible, and Impact investing (SRI) strategies. SRI is an investment discipline that considers environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) criteria to generate long-term competitive financial returns and positive societal impact. Bentley Sustainable Investment Group offers students real-time experiential learning opportunities in security analysis and portfolio management. Our organization provides students with the experience of making group decisions on investments that make a material environmental and social impact as well as maintain financial returns.
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:
Bentley University has 2 pollinator gardens with signage on the purpose and importance of supporting ecosystem services to foster a sustainable food system.
Signage is also place along many pathways about sustainable grounds maintenance such as organic fertilizers and native plant life in landscaping.
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:
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:
The Bentley Green Revolving Fund (GRF), established in 2018 through alumni donations, supports energy efficiency projects on campus with annual savings from energy efficiencies and rebates going back to the fund to support larger projects. The fund's current balance is approximately $500,000. The GRF charter requires that two students have to be part of the committee as active members and decision-makers.
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:
Bentley University's Career Service held a Sustainability Panel with Bentley Alums who are working within sustainability. The panel is intended for undergraduates who are looking at potential career paths.
Fall of 21, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion held the 23rd annual rainbow luncheon. The luncheons are open to students, staff, and faculty. The keynote speaker at this event was Pinar Sinopoulos-Llyod. They are an award-winning Indigenous multi-species futurist and trans eco-philosopher. They co-founded queer nature and founder of diversify outdoors coalition.
The Office of Sustainability brought in Majora Carter to speak on Sustainability and Urban Revitalization. She talked about reclaiming green spaces and making them areas to bring together the local community.
Students for Sustainable Business hosts EarthFest every year, around Earth Day. This event brings together multiple different student groups on campus, who volunteer to host a table. At some of the tables, the students are given an activity to engage students and teach them about sustainability. Other tables are local vendors that are fair trade certified or obtain their products locally. Through collaborating with other organizations and having them accountable for teaching others about sustainability, they are being empowered with knowledge. Once students have interacted with at least three tables, they become eligible to get Ben and Jerry's, who present a business case for sustainability.
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:
The Student Sustainability Leaders periodically puts up "The Cube", a 12 foot cube made out of PVC pipes, representing the volume of 1/8 of a metric ton of carbon emissions. This is an effort to make Bentley's carbon emissions more tangible to the average student and employee. This installation is set up roughly 2-3 times a semester at week-long exhibits.
In Spring 2023 the RSM Art Gallery in Bentley Universities Library showcased paintings from Bradford Johnson called "A River Twice". The art installation aimed to highlight the anxiety that many of us feel living in the Anthropocene. He revisits landscapes that have been continuously altered by humans over decades. Unearthing multiple layers of human engagement with a place from consumption and trade.
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:
Bentley has an outdoor club called BEAR. The purpose of the BEAR Outdoors Club is to provide Bentley students the opportunity to integrate outdoor activities with their academic agenda. This club provides an outlet for the students and enables them to meet other recreationally involved students on campus. Trips include rock climbing; hiking, camping, kayaking, water holes, capture the flag, sledding, mountain biking and fishing.
Explicit Leave No Trace principles are not written into club policy but many members, through interactions and membership with sustainability groups and the Office of Sustainability, actively follow 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:
In Fall 2022, the Office of Sustainability's theme was Climate Change, the Business Case for Sustainability, and Energy. A Climate Week was held with education on climate change, information for careers in sustainability, and a celebration of Bentley's progress toward 2020 climate goals.
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:
Wellness housing communities are available for both first-year and upper-class students and foster an environment for a healthy and balanced mind, body and spirit, to achieve personal and academic success.
As a wellness housing resident, students are able to share with your floor mates common interests such as: nutrition, fitness, meditation, relaxation, yoga, sports, and ongoing health and wellness education programs
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
The Office of Sustainability offers six paid internships to interested students during the academic year. This program is called the Sustainability Student Leadership program. The students are responsible for running various parts of the Office of sustainability including PR and social media, event coordination, education & outreach, assistant manager, and social justice positions.
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:
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.