Bucknell University
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
The Bucknell Students Government Sustainability Committee is a campus-wide elected body that works to educate the University and local community on environmental issues. The committee works as a team to create positive and sustainable changes in community culture. Bucknell Farm provides experience in local community development through small businesses, charitable organizations, and food security opportunities.
https://bsg.blogs.bucknell.edu/internal-committees/
https://www.bucknell.edu/life-bucknell/sustainability/bucknell-farm
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:
At the Bucknell University Environmental Center, there is an organic garden consisting of 15 raised beds that contain seasonal vegetables, strawberries, and herbs. The garden also has an apple orchard and established grape vines. The garden is used as a laboratory for the course "Food and the Environment" and also serves as a communal garden for Bucknell staff who wish to grow their own food. The University is partnered with the Borough of Lewisburg in the continuation of the Lewisburg Community Garden, which has volunteer hours for students. The garden works to grow organic produce for local food access programs and to provide educational opportunities to the surrounding community about home gardening benefits and techniques. The University is in the process of constructing a farm on campus, which will be a public space for students, where they can learn about the most sustainable and effective farming techniques. Food from the farm will be used in our dining facilities on campus. Dreamcatcher Farms: a diverse 11-acre farm dedicated to deep organic and sustainable food production. In partnership with Geisinger Hospital, all of the crops are donated to a local food bank to promote community wellness programs. Wild Goose Farm: Partnership dedicated to teaching and learning about healthful and sustainable living practices.
https://www.bucknell.edu/life-bucknell/sustainability/bucknell-farm
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 Bucknell University Green Fund provides start-up money for sustainability-focused projects that are proposed and implemented by students, staff, and faculty. Through the implementation of this revolving loan, we hope to continue to encourage Bucknellians to build a sustainable community. Additionally, Bucknell has a Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF). This group manages a portion of the endowment currently valued at approximately $2M. This group has discussed divestment and has implemented ESGs.
https://www.bucknell.edu/life-bucknell/sustainability/green-fund
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 University hosts an annual Sustainability Symposium, which includes faculty-led panels, keynote speakers, poster sessions featuring student work, creative displays, and student activities. Also annually host a Susquehanna River Symposium, which brings scientists and engineers together to discuss and host lectures on the challenges facing our watershed. We also recently hosted a renewable energy workshop.
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 University has many creative events related to social and economic factors of sustainability. Since 2016, we have hosted the artist Fredman Barahona to give a talk and work with LGBTQ students to recreate a performance piece, Trans-Totem. We had a display by visual artist Ricardo Dominguez titled “Fearless Art in the Age of Fear: Electronic Disturbance Theater's Parrhesian Gestures”. There was a screening of African Italian documentary filmmaker Fred Kuwornu's film "Blaxploitalian". Filmmaker Nick Jones's film "Out of the Mouths of Slaves: Africanized Iberian Languages in Imperial Iberia" was screened. A concert titled "The Struggle to be Heard– Women Composers and the Symphony" was held, as well as "The Struggle to be Heard- Music of Social Justice".
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:
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:
The first year common reading book always revolves around sustainability-related themes. Examples of books read by the previous 4 classes are: The Good Food Revolution, Loving Day, Just Mercy, and Antigonick. All revolve around ideas of inequality, while some include environmental issues and injustices. Upon arrival at campus, students discuss these books with their peers and faculty members.
https://www.bucknell.edu/life-bucknell/first-year-experience/first-year-common-reading
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:
Bucknell offers first years the option to join residential colleges, where students choose a themed course that interests them, and live and learn with students who share this interest. Some of the resedential colleges incorporate sustainability themes, such as the Environmental College, which works to encourage students to consider the scientific, cultural, political, and ethical dimensions of environmental issues. The Food College partners students with local organic farms to engage them in these practices. The Global College examines human rights, sustainability, migration, and identity. The Social Justice college looks at marginalized groups and their challenges.
https://www.bucknell.edu/life-bucknell/first-year-experience/residential-colleges/social-justice-residential-college
https://www.bucknell.edu/life-bucknell/first-year-experience/residential-colleges/food-residential-college
https://www.bucknell.edu/life-bucknell/first-year-experience/residential-colleges/global-residential-college
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Students can be hired as interns at the Office of Campus Sustainability, in Facilities (energy management), in the Office of Civic Engagement or Dining Services (sustainable food production), or by one of many offices promoting social sustainability/diversity. Students can also participate in paid research through the Bucknell Center for Sustainability and the Environment.
https://www.bucknell.edu/azdirectory/human-resources/student-employment
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:
The Sustainable Design Program works to integrate sustainability throughout the school's curriculum and provide learning opportunities that are focused on the human connection to the natural world. The program also supports student research and analysis that contributes to increasing ecological, economic, and social sustainability practiced by the University. Additionally, the program provides direction and leadership to collaborative campus sustainability projects by creating linkages between curricular, administrative, and operational units across campus. The University has integrated research, teaching, and outreach focused on the Susquehanna River. The Place Studies Program provides opportunities to understand, represent, and engage natural and human communities by advancing understandings and applications of sustainability for rural communities, as well as exploring how to characterize and represent places in the digital age, and encouraging creative expressions and articulations of human-nature relationships.
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.