Overall Rating	Gold - expired
Overall Score	68.43
Liaison	Jim Simon
Submission Date	Sept. 23, 2020

STARS v2.2

Gonzaga University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	4.00 / 4.00	Jim Simon Director of Sustainability Sustainability

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Campus Engagement

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:

Through coordination between student organizations and the Higher Education Waste Reduction Educator, Gonzaga University has conducted a number of waste audits to provide a means to engage with the campus in educating them in zero-waste efforts and ways in which they can have a more waste-conscious mindset.

Public Engagement

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Public Engagement?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:

Through coordination between student organizations and the Higher Education Waste Reduction Educator, Gonzaga University has conducted waste audits to provide a means to engage with the campus in educating them in zero-waste efforts and ways in which they can have a more waste-conscious mindset. This extended to the public in such audits that occurred during the Zero-Waste Basketball game, in which game attendees and volunteers helped participate in the waste audit and an educational halftime show.

Air & Climate

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Air & Climate?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:

Students have participated in the development of Gonzaga's Climate Action Plan as well as greenhouse gas emissions planning in the City of Spokane. The positive outcomes of this work include an approved Climate Action Plan for Gonzaga, and a strengthened relationship with the City of Spokane.

Additionally, the Office of Sustainability, with participation from students in the student club Gonzaga Sustainable Energy, has had solar panels installed to help measure and mitigate the cost and emissions of our purchased electricity. This project has encouraged the university to expand the installation of solar energy on other buildings on campus.

Buildings

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Buildings?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:

Energy

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Energy?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Energy:

Food & Dining

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Food & Dining?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:

The university, in coordination with our dining partner Sodexo, have established a campus greenhouse that has lead to education opportunities with our classes as well as assisted in provided homegrown vegetables for our dining services.

Grounds

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:

BIOL 105L, Phage Discovery Laboratory, takes soil samples from campus to look at phage diversity

BIOL 199, Biological Concepts, looked at fungi from leaves (on and off plants) on campus

BIO 206, Ecology, Uses Lake Arthur to study different depths of the Lake to determine how much algae growth and determine water quality.

BIOL 360, Plant Biology, studied trees and flowers on campus

BIOL 367, Entomology , went to the Campus Kitchen garden to observe insects and vegetables & consider their interactions.

BIOL 371L, Vertebrate Biology & Anatomy Lab, made observations of birds at feeders on campus

UNIV 104, University Pathways: Dr. Julie Beckstead's section went outdoors on campus to generate biological questions

BIOL 123L / ENVS 103L (Human Ecology Laboratory) class examines Lake Arthur's water quality.

Purchasing

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:

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Transportation

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:

An ongoing School of Engineering Senior Design Project assisted the City of Spokane with the plans to redo Sharp Avenue, just north of campus. This project, beginning with our 2017 STARS submission, has evolved into the City of Spokane building and implementing the design, as it particularly addresses stormwater management.

Waste

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Waste?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:

Through coordination between our student organizations and the Higher Education Waste Reduction Educator, Gonzaga University has conducted waste audits to provide a means to engage with the campus in educating them in zero-waste efforts and ways in which they can have a more waste-conscious mindset. This extended to the public in such audits that occurred during the Zero-Waste Basketball game, in which game attendees and volunteers helped participate in the waste audit and an educational halftime show on the topic occurred.

Water

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:

BIOL 123L / ENVS 103L (Human Ecology Laboratory) class examines Lake Arthur's water quality.

BIO 206, Ecology, Uses Lake Arthur to determine different algae blooms and water quality.

Coordination & Planning

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:

For the past two years, students have participated in a divestment campaign. This push led to the establishment of the ESG Task Force by the Board of Trustees, which utilized public forums and other means of student engagement to educate and discuss with students the university's investment strategies. This project eventually evolved into a change in the university's investment policies to start divesting in a comprehensive and more mission centered way.

Diversity & Affordability

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:

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Investment & Finance

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance:

Wellbeing & Work

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:

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Optional Fields

Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:

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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.