Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 49.10
Liaison David Husemoller
Submission Date March 6, 2020

STARS v2.2

College of Lake County
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 David Husemoller
Sustainability Manager
Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Student groups 

Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Yes

Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
CLC offers a variety of clubs and activities. Two clubs stand out as especially focused on environmental sustainability, the Environmental Club and the Sustainability Club. They are involved in educational and public service events that promote sustainability awareness and action. The Social Action Club is active in raising awareness of social equity issues and promoting action to benefit disadvantaged communities. All student clubs are required to participate in at least one sustainability event each year and must have at least ten community service hours by the end of the academic year in order to receive funding. Last year, student clubs volunteered a total of 267 hours.

Gardens and farms 

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
CLC has a Campus Farm which employs students and coordinates with classes to grow food crops for the campus dining services and a farm market. The farm raises crops using organic methods in fields and in two hoop houses for season extension. The college also hosts about 40 community garden plots. Produce is donated to the SHARE Market, the campus based food market.

Student-run enterprises 

Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
Students and staff have worked together over the past year to develop an apiary. The apiary is producing honey that is being sold to consumers in the Lancerzone bookstore.

Sustainable investment and finance 

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
The Board of Directors has created a Green Fund to collect rebates from our energy improvement programs from the State of Illinois. Utility savings from infrastructure improvements are also collected via the Green Fund. The Green Fund can be used to support energy efficiency and other sustainability projects on campus.

Events 

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
Sustainable CLC hosts events throughout the year for students and also community members. Sustainable CLC hosts a number of speakers, including the Green Sheikh, who help to deliver their own messages related to campus sustainability during Climate Week. CLC hosts the One Earth Film Festival in March. Earth Week activities generate the largest student participation with speakers, movies, environmental work days, and demonstrations. Students also volunteer around the holidays to pack food items for donations to needy students and families.

Cultural arts 

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
Yes, as stated above CLC participates in the One Earth Film festival in March and hosts other sustainability related films throughout the year. The theater department also makes strides in reusing materials, reducing waste, and even growing props out of mushrooms to avoid styrofoam.

Wilderness and outdoors programs 

Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The environmental club often goes camping in a state park as part of their end of the year celebration. Biology classes take hikes out in the campus prairie, wetlands, and lake communities. There are also a couple of off-campus courses that include camping and hiking. Each of these activities teach students to "leave no trace behind," or to leave the space "cleaner than the way you found it."
https://www.clcillinois.edu/programs-and-classes/degrees-and-certificates/field-study-trips/travel-study/backcountry-biology

Sustainability-focused themes 

Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
CLC initiated a sustainability and STEM-themed semster with a big read of the book "Lab Girl." Several workshops and discussion groups involved themes of women's issues, biology, and conservation as part of the college's observation of its 50th anniversary.

CLC offers several environmental and social sustainability themed intersession courses off campus with student experiences, such as Back Country Biology, Plein Aire Watercolor in Door County, Education in Costa Rica, Sustainability in China. We are currently planning a study abroad experience to the United Arab Emirates with a focus on sustainability.

For CLC's 50th Anniversary, we hosted a "Big Read" of the book "Lab Girl" which highlighted opportunities in Environmental Science and Biology and planted 50 trees on campus.

Sustainable life skills 

Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
Yes

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
CLC hosts events throughout the year that encourage students to consider what they can do to make a difference in living more sustainably. Climate Week, America Recycles Day, and Earth Week all help students to explore sustainable life skills. Events are posted on the community calendar.

Student employment opportunities 

Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Student workers worked on the learning farming techniques in native plant gardens and retrofitting of the green roof. Students learned how to maintain organic vegetables, native plants, and green roof plantings. Every year the Sustainability Office hires from one to three sustainability interns from the available pool of student workers. These interns learn about sustainability programming and reporting at the college. Some help out with the completion of this report.

Graduation pledge

Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
No

A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
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Optional Fields

A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
FieldBiologyFlier.pdf

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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