| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.74 |
| Liaison | Stephen Ellis |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Boston University
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Dennis
Carlberg Associate Vice President for Sustainability BU Sustainability |
Does the institution have one or more co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that fall into the following categories?:
| Yes or No | |
| Active student groups focused on sustainability | Yes |
| Gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems | Yes |
| Student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes | Yes |
| Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills | No |
| Conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles | Yes |
| Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences | Yes |
| Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills | Yes |
| Sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution | Yes |
| Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions | No |
| Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives | --- |
The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
Boston University currently has 26 campus community groups, all student-governed, related to sustainability of which three are directly focused on sustainability.
The Environmental Student Organization strives to raise environmental awareness and create beneficial environmental change on campus as well as in the surrounding Boston community through outreach campaigns and community service.
http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/what-you-can-do/join-a-club/eso/
The BU Energy Club is a broad-based group consisting of graduates, undergrads, alumni and professors that serves as a link between scientists and engineers, entrepreneurs and business-persons, and aspiring policy-makers & government officials at Boston University and other schools in the Greater Boston Area. They aim to synthesize energy-related ideas from a multi-disciplinary stream of educational and professional sources to advance understanding of energy and it’s role within society, industry, technology and policy through empirical, objective energy related education and outreach.
http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/what-you-can-do/join-a-club/bu-energy-club/
The US Green Building Council Student Group (USGBC Students)recruits, connects and equips the next generation of green building leaders by empowering them to transform their campuses, communities and careers. USGBC Students at Boston University allows both graduate and undergraduate students to contribute to BU’s mission to encourage sustainable construction and renovation building projects. Members also get great benefits such as reduced student rates for LEED AP certification, networking and career support, seminars, and campaign resources.
http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/what-you-can-do/join-a-club/usgb-students/
The website URL where information about student groups is available:
A brief description of gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems:
The Boston University Greenhouse sits atop the Stone Science Center at the College of Arts and Sciences where it has been utilized and enjoyed in various capacities since the building's construction in 1930. The space is currently shared between the Environmental Student Organization (ESO), and a few faculty members of the Earth and Environment Department who incorporate hands-on greenhouse research into their coursework.
Plants are grown in a wide variety of containers, including a 4'x12' raised bed. Plants such as tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, corn, sunflowers, carrots, radishes, peppers, and various kinds of lettuce and herbs are grown and managed collectively by students during periodic workdays, with a schedule for regular weeding and watering. Several worm compost bins provide a nutritious and renewable soil amendment to supplement purchased organic potting soils and fertilizers. The Greenhouse also houses a small library and serves as a meeting place for other green groups on campus.
The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
sustainability@BU interns manage the Sustainability Help Desk, which promotes sustainability on campus while partnering with a local business. Two times a week, the Sustainability Help Desk gives students an opportunity to learn about recycling, with an emphasis on electronic waste management. It operates at high-traffic student areas in the George Sherman Union.
The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
Throughout the year BU hosts many sustainable events on campus; these include guest speakers discussing issues ranging from plastics in the environment and renewable energy to global climate change . The annual sustainability@BU Festival and Earth Day celebrations showcase sustainability related student organizations as well as local groups not affilitated with BU that are actively promoting a broad range of sustainable activities. The following is a list of some of the events held on campus that engage the Boston University community:
Earth Week
Earth Day
Carbon Day
Recyclemania
sustainability@BU Festival (Charles River Campus & Medical Campus)
EcoRep Symposium
The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
In 2013, from January through April, BU hosted Alternative Visions/Sustainable Future, a cross-disciplinary and collaborative project that responds to current environmental issues and the potential to affect change through critical dialogue and innovative practices. Encompassing a large-scale exhibition in Boston University’s 808 Gallery that served as the project’s hub to convene events, lectures, student-driven educational forums, and community outreach, BU students were able to learn from artists that support and promote sustainability in their work such as Chris Jordan, Andrea Zittel and Amy Franceschini. In 2014, Boston University is hosting exhibitions by Cullen Washington Jr., as well as Shannon Cochrane & Márcio Carvalho, who all use recycling as their primary source of material, addressing the topic of material production and accumulation. Additionally, sustainability@BU and BU Arts Initiative during the Spring2014 semester to host a Sustainable Art Contest as part of the Earth Day Festival.
http://www.bu.edu/arts/2015-sustainable-art-contest/
http://www.bu.edu/esprit/2013/04/05/the-new-green-art-machine/
http://www.bu.edu/cfa/events/?eid=148159
http://www.bu.edu/cfa/events/?eid=148152&oid=40
The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The BU Outing Club (BUOC) is a student-led organization that plans dozens of outdoor events throughout the year including hiking, biking, backpacking, cross-country skiing, canoeing and more. Their mission is to promote an appreciation for the natural environment through outdoor recreational activities.
The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
The First-Year Student Outreach Project (FYSOP) offers incoming Boston University students a unique opportunity to get settled in their new community by performing a week of community service before classes begin. A focus on the environment is one of the service options available to applicants of the program. Students in the environment FYSOP group explore how environmental degradation impacts people and communities, and then use what they have learned to take positive actions through community service in the Boston community. The program aims to educate first-years and staff about the environment and to empower them to enact meaningful change.
The website URL where information about the theme is available:
A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The School of Education’s Pickering Library recently opened the Sustainability Resources Center, a collaboration between the library and sedGreen. The Center, which also serves as a Green Meeting space, features a conference table, curricula, books, films, DVDs with a player and monitor, Kill-o-Watt meters, and other materials that will help the University become more earth systems literate and effective when teaching how to build a healthier, sustainable planet.
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
sustainability@BU employs students from the university to develop, promote and implement sustainable practices throughout the university. The student interns work with the Sustainability Director and the Outreach Coordinator, and collaborate with different organizations on campus throughout the year. Ranging from graphic design and metrics managing to outreach and certification coordination, sustainability@BU offers its interns professional experience and responsibilities in sustainable development.
The First-Year Student Outreach Project, which offers a focus on the environment, also hires students as group coordinators.
Branch Out, a BU organization that connects students with opportunities to learn about and be stewards of Boston’s urban ecosystem, employs a student to be their program manager.
The Resident Assistant of the Earth House, a BU specialty community residence, is hired by the University to support its residents who share a passion for the environment and an interest in exploring areas such as climate change, biodiversity, renewable energy, and environmental policy, as well as to promote sustainability and sustainable actions on campus.
The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
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.