| Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 39.55 |
| Liaison | Gabrielle Lommel |
| Submission Date | June 28, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Concordia College - Moorhead
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.75 / 2.00 |
Samantha
Westrate Sustainability Coordinator Academic Affairs |
Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:
The Student Environmental Alliance (SEA) is a group that strives to learn more about sustainability issues on campus and throughout the entire world, while also aiming to tackle some of these issues through campus-wide events and projects. Students are able to connect with others who share similar interests and passions about the environment. The group meets once every week in the evening.
The Student Government Association (SGA), Campus Service Commission (CSC), Student Peace Alliance, and others also frequently work with sustainability issues, such as SGA's funding of water bottle filling stations, the CSC hosting Civic Engagement Week with a day devoted to sustainability, and the Peace Alliance has partnered around the 100-mile Thanksgiving Farmers' Market and other events.
The Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) is a student organization that focuses on collaborative change through policy and advocacy on campus and in the community. The group meets weekly and hold regular community and campus events in policy advocacy regarding sustainability.
The website URL where information about the student groups is available (optional):
Does the institution have gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects 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:
Cornucopia, the campus organic garden, opened in 2012 and sprang from student efforts, the Student Environmental Alliance, the Sustainability Task Force, and faculty member Dr. Gretchen Harvey, who managed the garden and its student interns for the first three years of the garden.
In fall of 2015, Concordia expanded the campus garden to include a high tunnel to extend the length of the growing season, allowing more courses and students to be involved. Produce from the campus garden is donated to various nonprofits in the area.
The website URL where information about the gardens, farms or agriculture projects is available (optional):
Does the institution have student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes (e.g. cafés through which students gain sustainable business skills)?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
The BREW (Becoming Responsibly Engaged in the World) Cafe, opened in 2013 as a student-run venture and opportunity to learn business skills, as well as to become responsibly engaged in the world through commerce.
The BREW Cafe offers a discount for using a reusable mug, uses products made from recycled content, and is currently saving to purchase a soda fountain, so that they may forgo selling beverages in plastic bottles. The BREW sells products like coffee and sandwiches and how students determine what they sell, how employees will be treated, how we engage customers in dialog about fair trade and local sourcing is a perfect opportunity to BREW. The program challenged student managers and workers to apply this lens to business decisions.
The website URL where information about the student-run enterprises is available (optional):
Does the institution have sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives 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 website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
Does the institution have conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:
Concordia College holds annual events regarding the topic of sustainability, especially during Earth Week every April. During this past Earth Week 2017, Concordia held an event called Green Talks which included presentations given by Concordia students and faculty, as well as other community members. This all-day event was very well attended, and included thirty 15-minute talks on a wide range of subjects, in which participants were encouraged to come and go as they were able.
Along with the leadership of the Student Environmental Alliance, other Earth Week events included a sustainability pop up free thrift store, and documentary film screenings.
The Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) held events educating the public on pesticide use, sulfide-ore mining, climate change and politics, pipeline education, and activism in sustainability.
The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):
Does the institution have cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:
During Earth Week 2017, students hosted a poetry slam to engage sustainability within the liberal arts.
In the newly renovated science center this fall, the College will install a solar powered kinetic sculpture that will mimic the Red River through the Red River Valley. The sculpture was crafted by local artist, Jeffrey Zachmann.
The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):
Does the institution have wilderness or outdoors programs (e.g. that organize hiking, backpacking, kayaking, or other outings for students) that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors programs is available (optional):
Does the institution have sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences (e.g. choosing a sustainability-related book for common reading)?:
A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):
Does the institution have programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
The Office of Sustainability has several paid internship positions available for students in a variety of areas in regards to sustainability. These positions include: Communications and Social Media, Office Operations, Food Waste, COBBikes, and several garden interns. Also, Residence Life offers 6-10 paid Eco-representatives positions. Facilities Management offers three Recycling Specialists positions.
The website URL where information about the student employment opportunities is available:
Does the institution have graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
A brief description of the graduation pledges:
The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
Does the institution have other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives?:
A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
Created through student initiative, the EcoHouse provides a unique living and learning experience for four junior or senior students. Residents of the EcoHouse work together to reduce their environmental impact and to engage the campus and broader community on sustainability issues through personal choices, projects, and events.
The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):
Estimated percentage of students (full-time and part-time) that participate annually in sustainability-focused co-curricular education and outreach programs (0-100):
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.