Overall Rating | Gold |
---|---|
Overall Score | 66.01 |
Liaison | Lissette Hernandez |
Submission Date | July 1, 2024 |
Florida International University
EN-3: Student Life
Status | Score | Responsible Party |
---|---|---|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Lissette
Hernandez Director Parking and Transportation |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
Garden Club - Provides a space for the FIU community to gain knowledge about the importance of local and sustainably grown food. Hosts workshops on a variety of topics including grafting, propagation, and zero waste. Organizes trips for members to go to locations such as The Everglades, The Pleasant Garden, and The Kampong Historic Estate and Garden.
Green Campus Initiative - The Green Campus Initiative (GCI) is dedicated to fostering a vibrant culture of sustainability on and beyond FIU. As a member of GCI, students join a community of passionate individuals committed to taking meaningful actions that contribute to a greener, more environmentally conscious world.
Sustainable Panther Network - Sustainable Panther Network (SPN) fosters a sense of optimism and urgency to accelerate the culture of environmental stewardship at FIU by connecting students with Student Government Association, eco-conscious student organizations, and mentors from academia, administration, and alumni networks with an aim to significantly reduce FIU’s negative impacts on the natural environment.
Soustainability - Soustainability gives students the tools to make sustainable choices inside and outside of the home via cooking lessons, engaging with local hospitality communities that share the same passion, and more regarding sustainability and hospitality/tourism.
Society of Sustainable Souls - Society of Sustainable Souls discusses topics such as zero-waste, fast fashion, composting, plant-based eating, and other sustainable tips and tricks, in addition to civic engagement in our local community.
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?:
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
The FIU Organic Garden is a hands-on teaching facility where agroecology students gain experiential learning about food production and its relationship to the ecosystem through gardening and plotted experiments. Adjacent to the FIU Nature preserve, the Organic Garden provides excellent opportunities to understand the various interactions between growing food and ecosystem needs. It contains 9 distinct areas for research and education: shade house, class plots, community plots, herb garden, fruit grove, meditation gardening, composting, biofuels and aquaponics.
https://case.fiu.edu/earth-environment/agroecology/agroecology-research/
Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
The Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator fellowship is a program that aims to foster entrepreneurship among creatives at FIU by aiding fellows in transforming their projects into viable, socially conscious products and businesses. Sustainability and environmental impact are taken into consideration during the process of creating socially conscious products.
https://carta.fiu.edu/ratcliffe/#fellows
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?:
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
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?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
The FIU Environment Forum is an annual event open to FIU students which hosts panel discussions with industry leaders centered around different topics such as Climate Tech and Coastal Resilience, Science and Public Choice, and Financial Innovation in Climate Policy.
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?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum is located on FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus (MMC) making it very accessible for students to visit and attend events. Admission to the Frost Art Museum is always free and open to the public.
Different art installations focused on sustainability that have been displayed in the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum at FIU include:
Tratos, The Golden Lining, 2022- Ongoing
In this site-specific mural, created for the Frost Art Museum, the artists address environmental changes that have affected Florida’s natural environment and honor one of Florida’s most endangered species, the panther.
https://frost.fiu.edu/exhibitions-events/events/2022/09/the-golden-lining.html
Master's of Art Education Reception, 2020-2021
The artists Grace Cox and Julie Orsini Shakher works are informed by climate crises, global ecology, personal experience, and the investigation of gender norms.
https://frost.fiu.edu/exhibitions-events/events/2020/12/masters-of-art-education.html
Master of Fine Arts Exhibition, 2022
Brandi Long
Through the meticulous use of fiber products, Brandi Long’s sculptures inspire a heightened awareness of and concern for the frailty of our natural environment.
https://frost.fiu.edu/exhibitions-events/events/2022/04/master-of-fine-arts-exhibition-2022.html
Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The volunteer days offered by FIU Office of University Sustainability at the FIU Nature Preserve follow the Leave no Trace principles. The mission of the Office of University Sustainability is to create a culture of environmental stewardship at FIU. With all outdoor opportunities on and off campus the Office of University Sustainability encourages responsible enjoyment and adherence to the seven principles and practices of The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, with minor modifications to be relatable to campus rather than camping activities.
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces ~ Activity staging is considerate of land use and preservation
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts ~ Fires are not allowed without permit
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
https://www.givepulse.com/group/772428-Office-of-University-Sustainability
Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
All FIU students living in campus housing are encouraged to adopt a sustainable lifestyle including reducing energy use, taking advantage of on-campus recycling, using non-toxic cleaning materials and more. FIU Housing and Residential Experience offers online resources that provide FIU students with information on sustainable living and examples of actions they can take to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.
https://housing.fiu.edu/living-on-campus/sustainable-living/
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
The College of Arts, Sciences, and Education offers sustainability-focused student jobs including environmental programs assistant for the School of Environment, Arts and Society as well as student communication assistant for the Institute of Environment.
https://case.fiu.edu/opportunities/internships-jobs/
Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
In 2022, a team of FIU Business students took first place in all three presentation categories at the virtual International Business Ethics & Sustainability Case Competition. The team worked on a case study about the popular fast casual restaurant chain Shake Shack and how it might adapt its menu to accommodate market demands for plant-based options and incorporate eco-friendly business practices. The rules required students to frame their solutions to the case dilemma in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Team FIU sweeps awards at IB Ethics & Sustainability Case Competition. | FIU College of Business
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.