Florida Institute of Technology
EN-3: Student Life

SOSA - Student Organization for Sustainable Action works to bring best practices in sustainability to the Florida Tech campus and community. The organization has several teams working projects and events on- and off-campus, many tied to projects within the academic sustainability program. Florida Tech Environmental Club -The Florida Tech Environmental Club works on sustainability with an environmental focus. In the past they've organized campus clean-ups in addition to other events to make the campus a more environmentally friendly institution. Squamish - A co-ed environmentally-minded group, with interests in activism, awareness, and social networking. Squamish regularly participates in jungle and beach clean-ups within the surrounding Melbourne community. Sero Society - The Sero Society’s primary mission is to raise awareness and appreciation of plants and their diverse applications. They host speakers that range from farmers, landscapers, gardeners, conversationalists, and researchers. Additionally, they aim to enhance our local habitats by aiding existing conservation efforts in Brevard county with existing organizations as well as initiating our own projects throughout our campus and community. Alpha Phi Omega - A co-ed service organization that initiated recycling on campus, before our Facilities Operations Dept. enacted institution-wide recycling. The organization also participates in other activities from campus clean-ups to fundraising for rainwater collection barrels. Florida Tech Student Government Association (SGA) - SGA acts as a liaison between the student body and the faculty, staff and administration by presenting programs and activities that reflect the tenor of the student body's opinion. Residence Life Sustainability Committee - Student group focused on creating a more sustainable Residence Life experience for students. This group was also instrumental in obtaining the university's Ethos Community Garden.

The university opened the Ethos Community Garden, Florida Tech's first on-campus community garden. Strategically located within the campus’s Residential Quad, the Ethos Community Garden aims to promote nutritional education, sustainable gardening, and relationship building within the campus and surrounding neighborhood. As a student run community garden, on-campus students, faculty, and staff all share in the benefit as the garden becomes a hub for cross collaborative learning while encouraging environmental sensitivities and sustainable behavioral change.

In order to ensure the success and sustained existence of the community garden, there is a Community Garden Committee (CGC) that oversees the management of the garden. The CGC is comprised of and run by students of the university, and reports to the larger Residence Life Sustainability Committee (RLSC). The CGC is responsible for meeting the needs of the garden and ensuring that it stays clean and healthy, which includes garden upkeep, budget management and addressing the potential problems (e.g. vandalism, weeds, angry neighbors, etc.). The members of the CGC also are responsible for community outreach, which includes running events and fundraisers for the garden, and organizing the involvement of those who are interested. The CGC is the public face of the Ethos Community Garden and the behind the scenes management group that ensures the garden is operating efficiently and smoothly.

Florida Tech has partnered with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology from Germany and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics from Hungary to showcase a sustainability symposium every two years to focus on practical solutions to emerging sustainability issues from business, science, and socio-political viewpoints. The university also hosted the FRAS (Florida Resident Assistant Seminar) during the spring semester 2016. This event showcased a seminar course on campus sustainability, taught by Florida Tech's University Sustainability Officer, to over 40 RA's from across the state of Florida.

Botanical Fest: The annual event showcases some of Florida’s finest plant and garden vendors, offering palms, exotics, native plants, ornamental shrubs, bamboo and flowering plants. Free guided tours of the Botanical Garden take place throughout the day, and master gardeners are on hand to answer gardening questions. The university also hosts an International Fest. The International Fest is an annual celebration of cultural diversity and international community held at the Florida Tech campus in Melbourne, Florida. International student groups and local cultural organizations host country and diversity-themed display booths showcasing a variety of traditional clothing, informational literature, maps, flags and artifacts. Dance and vocal groups, bands and other performers (including martial artists) fill the afternoon with live entertainment on Florida Tech's outdoor stage, the Panthereum, while local eateries sell a variety of delicious ethnic foods in the Panther Plaza courtyard.

Each year, the Student Government Association chooses a semester theme and this past fall semesters theme was Campus Sustainability where they organized events and hosted a fall Earth Week. They also take an active role in planning the Spring Earth Week on campus as well. Each residential housing area also hosts once per academic year a sustainability themed "Area Wide" to raise sustainable awareness within the complex. This encourages residents to explore new topics and participate in activities that engage with local community organizations such as the Space Coast EV Drivers.

The Sustainability Office offers one or two Federal Work Study student employment positions each academic year to help assist on campus sustainability initiatives, reporting, and data collection. Each student works on independent projects assigned by the Sustainability Office such as the "Leave Green" move-out initiative, and campus EUI (energy use intensity) reporting.

All data sourced from the Campus Sustainability Office, the Office of Residence Life, the Office of Student Activities and the Office of Student Affairs.