| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 54.23 |
| Liaison | Jeff Jeremiason |
| Submission Date | Nov. 30, 2021 |
Gustavus Adolphus College
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.50 / 2.00 |
Kari
Wallin Sustainability Manager Facilities/Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
The Environmental Action Coalition (EAC) is an on-campus organization promoting climate justice, zero-waste, and campus sustainability through awareness, stewardship, and mobilization. This student-led group has organized various events such as pop-up thrift shops, campus phone banks, and educational workshops within the Saint Peter School District. As a group, the EAC strives to educate the campus community and inspire meaningful action.
Thrifty Gold is a student organization that’s mission is to create a fun environment for people to learn how to reduce clothing related waste by means of donating and reusing old or unused clothing.
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:
Big Hill Farm is a student-managed farm that values local food production and sustainable agricultural practices. Each summer, student leaders hire new student interns to plant, grow, and harvest food, experiment with new techniques and oversee the management of the farm. Upon harvest, students bring food from Big Hill Farm to the cafeteria for use in the salad bar. Ultimately, Big Hill Farm serves as one step to integrate the student body into the process of sustainable food production.
https://gustavus.edu/about/sustainability/resources/bighill.php
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:
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:
Gustavus’ yearly Nobel Conference in 2019 (Nobel Conference 55) focused on climate change in all aspects. Nobel Conference 55 asked, “What tools are available, what research efforts do we require, and what kind of people do we need to be to conceptualize and address global climate challenges?” Nobel Conference 55 brought together seven leading thinkers to address climate change from perspectives including paleoclimate studies, climate justice, climate modeling, and climate adaptation. Attendees were encouraged to grapple with the causes and consequences of climate change and with our responses to the challenges it presents us, as individuals and as a society.
https://gustavus.edu/events/nobelconference/2019/
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:
As a part of Nobel Conference 55 titled “Climate Changed”, Poets and musicians from the Gustavus community hosted a concert (Recitations and Meditations on the Earth) focused on the impacts of climate change. This event was acting as a conversation through the arts of music and poetry that contemplates the issue of climate change through creative expression. Poets and musicians recited and performed their own creations, in the spirit of allowing a space to meditate and reflect upon our emotional response to climate change
https://gustavus.edu/events/concertFiles/media/Nobel/Nobel_2019_Concert_Program.pdf
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:
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:
In tandem with the yearly Nobel Conference Gustavus has a reading in common book that based upon the conference’s theme. Nobel Conference 55 titled “Climate Changed” had students read the novel While Glaciers Slept: Being Human in a Time of Climate Change. This novel weaves together the parallel stories of what happens when the climates of family and planet change.
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:
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
The Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation Sustainability Internship program involves between 5-9 students hired on a part-time basis to drive campus sustainability initiatives as Sustainability Interns. Though the Sustainability Interns work as a team, each person focuses on a particular area such as energy, waste, data management, outreach, event planning, etc. The Sustainability Interns work with Residential Life on a series of outreach and educational events. The Sustainability Interns has also been involved in zero waste initiatives to increase educational signage on proper waste sorting. Other interns focus on energy, managing data, and transportation. The interns involved with the sustainability communications team keep up our website, social media platforms, and monthly blog posts.
The Co-Directors of The Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation as well the Compost, Waste, and Environmental Sustainability Manager oversee and lead this program each year. They assist with the development and the continuity of sustainability initiatives at Gustavus.
https://gustavus.edu/employment/job/1310
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:
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.