| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 52.02 |
| Liaison | Christine Bruckner |
| Submission Date | Jan. 24, 2025 |
Illinois State University
AC-4: Applied Learning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 4.00 |
Christine
Bruckner Assistant Director Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
4.1 Applied learning for sustainability program
Yes
List or sample of currently active/available applied learning or living laboratory experiences for students that address sustainability challenges:
- The Sustainable and Renewable Energy program has a 2.4 kW solar PV system on top of Turner Hall that is used for labs and experiments to problem-solve and provide solutions to renewable energy challenges as it relates to solar energy.
- The Conservation Biology program and undergraduate ecology class utilizes a local stream area known as the Sugar Creek Savanna to learn about ecosystems and maintain the area by taking care of invasive species and cleaning up litter. The area is also used to discuss problems related to ecosystems in urban areas.
- The main quad of the university is an arboretum. Illinois State University’s Fell Arboretum was granted status in 1995 from the International Society of Arboriculture and consists of a 490 acre site established with thousands of trees representing over 225 species. The Fell Arboretum is a valued asset to Illinois State University in that it provides a functional outdoor tree and plant library for academics and enthusiasts.
- lllinois State's University Farm supports teaching, research, and outreach activities of the Department of Agriculture. University Farm is located about 18 miles northeast of campus. Current enterprises at the University Farm include corn, soybeans, alfalfa, swine, beef, and sheep. The farm has eight full-time employees and numerous student employees and is used by faculty and students to experiment and explore current and sustainable farming techniques.
- The Hydrology program utilizes what is known as the T3 Field Site. The T3 field site is reclaimed agricultural land that's being restored as prairie. The site lets students explore the use of a diversion tile network to help remove nutrients in groundwater and surface water. Research at T3 focuses on the transport and fate of nutrients in a saturated buffer zone and has more than 20 wells that provide groundwater monitoring capabilities. The T3 site is used to test water quality and provide information for local municipalities about the quality of their water.
Are three or more institutional departments or units currently supporting solutions-focused applied learning or living laboratory experiences for students?:
Yes
Are there processes or tools in place to assess the success of the applied learning projects?:
No
Description of the processes or tools used to assess the success of the applied learning projects:
---
Is there an online portal or equivalent vehicle that documents completed, current, and/or prospective applied learning projects?:
No
Description of and/or website URL for the online portal or equivalent vehicle that documents completed, current, and/or prospective applied learning projects:
---
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
2
Optional documentation
---
Additional documentation for this credit:
---
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.