Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 34.31
Liaison Julia Angstmann
Submission Date Oct. 10, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Butler University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.80 / 4.00 Julia Angstmann
Director
Center for Urban Ecology at Butler University
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Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Air & Climate?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Air & Climate:
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Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Buildings?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Buildings:

Bird Window Strike Research Project (for-credit internship through Center for Urban Ecology): Student researched building interventions to reduce bird window strikes. Student met with architects to design building to prevent bird window strikes. Could influence the way Butler chooses to build a new building on campus.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Energy?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Energy:
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Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Food & Dining?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Food & Dining:

ENV200 (course): The 5-week module guides students through the importance of (transforming) policies, practices, and perceptions of food production and consumption for the establishment of viable and sustainable local food economies. Students are reading the Omnivore’s Dilemma, watch FRESH the Film, and spend time either volunteering at (or otherwise participating with and observing the operations of) the campus farm. Students record field notes during their time on site. Additionally, each group will be expected to engage in a semi-structured open-ended interview with a representative of the operation. This interview will focus on the subjects’ perspectives on the importance of policies, practices, and perceptions of food production and consumption for establishing viable and sustainable local food economies.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Grounds?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Grounds:

Tree Campus USA Project (paid student internship): Student is conducting a tree inventory using the iTree database and collecting supplemental data such as tree size, understory, tree density, etc. They will also be sharing their results at the Indiana Academy of Science meeting in March 2018. The data will then be used in classes (in the future) to assess ecological benefits of the campus forest such as cooling and carbon sequestration. The data will also likely be used in the GIS course in the future.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Purchasing?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Purchasing:
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Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Transportation?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Transportation:
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Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Waste?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Waste:

BI407, Sustainability Practicum: this is a topics course that has focused on the issues of the food system and food waste as it pertains to sustainability in the past. Students in the food system section of the class will design a project and implement it. Project topics may include food recovery, composting, trash auditing, and more.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Water?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Water:

ENV335 (course): The broad goal of this course is to provide students with basic knowledge of the hydrologic cycle, how humans have impacted that cycle throughout history to the present, and the role water resource management plays in addressing challenges to water quality and availability in the face of global change. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the course examines the ways in which science, policy, decision-making, ethics, and corporate approaches play out in the management of water in the urban context. Topics to be covered include the hydrologic cycle, water pollution, supply and demand, flooding, water scarcity and conflict, water challenges with global change, water technologies, solutions for water balance in a changing climate, and individual action. The course utilizes the waterways that border the campus for the research elements of the course.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Coordination & Planning:

AASHE STARS Project (for-credit internship): Student will aid the Sustainability Coordinator with updating and completing an assessment of campus sustainability. Data will be gathered using the AASHE STARS toolkit and Butler faculty and staff and the findings of the assessment will be compiled into a final presentation and report that will be given to the university with recommendations for improvements.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
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Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Investment & Finance?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Investment & Finance:
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Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Public Engagement?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Public Engagement:
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Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Wellbeing & Work:

PWB115-BI (course): This hands-on gardening course takes place on the campus farm. It will empower students to make healthy food choices while learning how gardening can improve well being. Students will be challenged to think about where food comes from, how to grow healthy foods at home, and the role gardening can play in a lifetime of well being


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to other areas (e.g. arts & culture or technology)?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to other areas:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.