| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 75.28 |
| Liaison | Yumiko Jakobcic |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2023 |
Grand Valley State University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Yumiko
Jakobcic Campus Sustainability Coordinator Office of Sustainability Practices |
Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
The GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project is a four-acre, student operated farm site situated on the south edge of the Allendale campus. It is housed in the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies and managed by the Office of Sustainability Practices. The mission of the SAP is to seed sustainable agriculture best practices, cultivate leadership and learning, nurture a sense of place, and help build and grow community. The SAP prioritizes opportunities for students to experience high-impact learning in all disciplines, through the lens of sustainable agriculture.
The SAP includes space for faculty research plots, an outdoor laboratory for capstone projects, class plots for Biology and Environmental and Sustainability Studies, land for the Farm Club, an apiary for the Beekeepers Club, and student-run community gardens. The SAP has also worked to connect underserved high school students to a pathway to postsecondary education through a new community partnership with the Grand Rapids non-profit organization New City Neighbors.
The Sustainable Agriculture Project has seen overwhelming growth in student interest, class visits, research, internships, and community partnerships over the past ten years. From its humble beginning as an undergraduate class project in 2008, the SAP has blossomed into a valued resource for applied research across the disciplines. The SAP was recognized by the AASCU in 2018, winning the Innovative Project Award in Sustainability.
Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Campus Engagement
Food & Dining
Website URL where more information about the accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Name of a second highlighted sustainability program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
The Solar Garden at Grand Valley State University is a partnership between the university and Consumers Energy. It consists of approximately 11,250 solar panels and over 100 inverters which have been installed on 17 acres of land. The solar panels generate 3 megawatts of electricity, creating enough energy to power 600 typical homes. The Solar Garden is currently the largest venture in renewable energy GVSU has ever constructed. GVSU will receive a monthly credit to provide us with clean, renewable energy for the next 25 years. GVSU also received additional funds to construct two mini solar arrays and for the development of educational opportunities over six years.
Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Air & Climate
Energy
Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Name of a third highlighted program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
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.