| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58.96 |
| Liaison | Stephanie Corbett |
| Submission Date | March 2, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Case Western Reserve University
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Student Groups
Yes
A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:
Student Sustainability Council (SSC) is a student led organization that works directly to educate and promote economic, social, and environmental sustainability and equity to allow for a greater understanding and respect for our environment. SSC collaborates with other Northeast Ohio higher ed and community environmental organizations to promote sustainabillity for our campus and the greater Cleveland area. The Graduate Student Senate created a sub-committee focused on sustainability issues which has now become an independent group called the Graduate Student Sustainability Council (GSSC). The GSSC operates similarly to the SSC, focused on issues of importance to the Grad Student population. CWRU also has several student organizations working on food issues: Slow Food and the Food Recovery Network, that is working with our on-campus food service provider to donate unused food to hunger organizations, which helps to reduce the impact on landfills. There is a chapter of Net Impact active within the Weatherhead business school that engages students to work on sustainability issues with business.
The website URL where information about the student groups is available (optional):
Gardens and Farms
Yes
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
The Garden@Case, established in 2011, employs organic gardening techniques and is open to students, faculty, staff, as well as community members. Volunteers help with weeding, watering, and the upkeep of the garden, recording activities in a garden log. Produce is donated to a community partner, the Cory Hunger Center in Cleveland, OH. https://sites.google.com/a/case.edu/about-garden-case/
CWRU also has a 400-acre farm with 3 acres currently under food production. Food produced at the CWRU Squire Valleevue Farm are sold to the on-campus food service provider and other local restaurants. Students are welcome as both volunteers and paid employees to help with the food production and sales. (https://students.case.edu/farm/)
The website URL where information about the gardens, farms or agriculture projects is available (optional):
Student-Run Enterprises
No
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
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The website URL where information about the student-run enterprises is available (optional):
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Sustainable Investment and Finance
Yes
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
Beginning in the Fall 2017 semester, CWRU opened an undergraduate upperclassmen Sustainability House as a housing option. Among other things, the students residing in the house are able to utilize a small capital fund to help evaluate, recommend and select renovation projects to make it a more sustainable place to live.
The website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
Events
Yes
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:
Several university Centers host speakers or have symposia related to sustainability: the Sustainability Alliance, Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit (Global Forum for Business as an Agent of World Benefit), Great Lakes Energy Institute (Energy Alliance Speaker Series), and the Inamori Center for Ethics and Excellence (International Ethics Prize and Symposium). The Office for Sustainability hosts both a "Big Green Event" in the fall to allow a forum for on-campus researchers and staff working on sustainability-related projects to report to the campus community, and a monthly Green Bag Lunch series that brings community experts in varying areas of sustainability to campus for lunchtime presentations.
The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):
Cultural Arts
No
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:
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The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):
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Wilderness and Outdoors Programs
Yes
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
Pre-Orientation Trek -- new undergraduate students have the opportunity to trek in Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County, PA. Students follow the Leave No Trace principles during their trek, which includes hiking, swimming, exploring the park, camping,
cooking their own meals throughout the trip and whitewater rafting.
The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors programs is available (optional):
Sustainability-Related Themes
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
In FY13 the common first-year reading assignment was sustainability focused: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. In FY14 several new first-year experience programs were sustainability themed included the CWRU Connects day of service. Additionally, starting in 2012, Magnolia, one of the four available residential college themes for first year students, is devoted to engagement through the lens of sustainability.
The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):
Sustainable Life Skills
Yes
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
CWRU organizes first year's residential experiences into residential colleges which help students transition to campus life, connecting them with the university through academic support, campus activities, residence hall programs and other events. One of the four residential colleges, Magnolia, achieves this through engagement through sustainability, connecting students to sustainability across campus and in their own lives. The Student Sustainability Council (SSC) also sponsors programming that educate individuals on living sustainably. Finally, the Sustainability House, a residential living opportunity that began in the 17-18 school year, allows a small cohort of students to learn together and practice sustainable life skills, as well as green building and renovation information.
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
Student Employment Opportunities
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Sustainability-focused employment opportunities are available for students as Sustainability Ambassadors, who are trained by the Office for Sustainability on a range of issues effecting our climate footprint, and assigned different topic areas to work on sustainability-related projects. The Office for Sustainability also hires a number of interns in any given year to assist with a variety of projects. The Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit is centered in the Weatherhead School of Management and hires students to work on sustainable business case stories, as well as a cohort of Fowler Fellows who assist any number of projects focused on sustainability in business. https://weatherhead.case.edu/centers/fowler/
Students can also apply for a position during the summer in the Summer Undergraduate Research in Energy & Sustainability program. Students work full time during the summer on sustainability or energy-related research projects across campus and within different disciplines, and meet weekly for enrichment seminars.
The website URL where information about the student employment opportunities is available:
Graduation Pledge
No
A brief description of the graduation pledges:
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
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Other Programs and Initiatives
Yes
A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
In FY14, an orientation event was introduced that focuses on sustainability. All new in-coming students and orientation leaders are offered the opportunity to spend a day at the University Farm where they interact with faculty, have a local food based meal and participate in sustainability-oriented recreation. In 2016, they also went home with either a Klean Kanteen reusable water bottle or a solar-powered phone charger.
SPARC, a student-run organization focused on sparking conversations has featured sustainability in their pgoram. A second annual Food Week is currently being planned by a number of sustainability-related organizations that will feature speakers and other engagements centered on sustainability.
The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):
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Optional Fields
25
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.