Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 52.75
Liaison Jennifer Daniels
Submission Date May 28, 2020

STARS v2.2

California State University, Stanislaus
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.40 / 4.00 Wendy Olmstead
Sustainability Coordinator
Capital Planning & Facilities Management
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Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:
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Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Public Engagement?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:
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Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Air & Climate?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:
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Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Buildings?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:
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Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Energy?:
No

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

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:

Chartwells' Teaching Kitchen provides hands-on learning in the Main Dining kitchen regarding nutrition and eating on a budget for students with food insecurities and the following athletics' teams: Men’s Basketball, Track and field, Volleyball, Softball, and Baseball.

Students enrolled in GEND 2500 (Women's Lives and Sustainable Happiness) analyze a specific connection to food and dining on campus as part of the exploration of "sustainable happiness."


Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:

Students enrolled in AGST 3900 (Integrated Pest Management) participate in activities in the Sustainable Garden on campus to study sustainable practices for agriculture, from tree fruits to vegetable production.
Students enrolled in AGST 3950 (Tree and Fruit Crop Production and Management) participate in activities in the Sustainable Garden on campus to study sustainable practices for agriculture, from tree fruits to vegetable production.
Students enrolled in AGST 4050 (Sustainable Vegetable Production) participate in activities in the Sustainable Garden on campus to study sustainable practices for agriculture, from tree fruits to vegetable production.
Students enrolled in BIOL 1150 (General Biology II) complete a field research project that involves monitoring the phenology (life-cycle timing) of trees across campus. This is a long-term project to understand how plants are responding to climate change. Students are recording the dates of leaf bud break, flower bud break, fruiting (if applicable), and leaf drop.
Students enrolled in BOTY 1010 (Plant Biology) are assigned a campus landscapes project. This allows them to reimagine a section of the campus in a climate change and sustainability framework.
Students enrolled in BOTY 3130 (Morphology Plants Algae Fungi) use the five separate ponds on campus to collect and analyze algae for a project.
Students enrolled in BOTY 3700 (Flowering Plants) use the Trans-California Pathway to identify species of flowering plants and community composition.
Students enrolled in BOTY 4600 (Plant Ecology) use campus grounds to practice some basic species identification and measurement techniques to quantify plant species abundance and community composition.


Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:
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Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:

Students enrolled in COMM 2110 (Group Discussion Processes) have the opportunity to use the campus for a project on transportation sustainability.
Student worked on a project from January 2016 to mid-2017 that focused on public transit. Student took their research and findings to the City of Turlock, and helped redesign the public transit routes and a five-year transit plan. Student helped prioritize CSU Stanislaus in the transit route, and the campus became an important part of the city's transit network. Student also worked to develop a funding partnership between CSU Stanislaus ASI and City of Turlock to fund transit passes for students.


Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Waste?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:
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Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:

Students enrolled in GEOG 2350 (Water and Power) participate in a water quality testing exercise, where they test drinking water in their own homes, or test the pond water on campus. The results are discussed in class, and the activity gets students thinking about how to better conserve resources and steward the resources we regularly use-specifically water.


Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:
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Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:

Students enrolled in ETHS 4950 (Afro-Mexican Indigenous Cultural Practice) learn Son Jarocho for well-being, expression, and culture grounded in the protection of Mother Earth and human rights.


Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance:
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Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:

Students enrolled in ETHS 4950 (Afro-Mexican Indigenous Cultural Practice) learn Son Jarocho for well-being, expression, and culture grounded in the protection of Mother Earth and human rights.


Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program 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.