Indiana University Indianapolis
ER-2: Student Sustainability Outreach Campaign

“Year of the Bike Theme” – SSC has hosted a series of (4) Bike Safety Seminars on campus with Indycog an Indianapolis Bicycle Advocacy group, on the topics of Biking Basics/Biking Safety/Sustainability of Biking/Bike Culture. In support of this theme, the SSC also submitted a proposal for the 2013 Greening IUPUI Grant and was selected for award for the purchase and installation of (3) Dero Fixit Bike Maintenance Stations on the IUPUI campus. This has been a great example of this student group selecting a theme for campaign, identifying interest and events to promote around this theme throughout the campaign year. They have also submitted a 2013 AASHE Abstract Proposal supporting this theme and how this has been a successful campaign.

Source: SSC 2013 AASHE Abstract Proposal The Student Sustainability Council (SSC) executed the “Year of the Bike” as the theme for the 2012-2013 academic school year at IUPUI. The theme was originally chosen by the President of SSC as an ideological representation and implementation of our organization’s passion for more sustainable transportation for the people travelling our urban, commuter campus. This technique of developing a yearly theme with events pertaining to the theme has proven to be enormously beneficial on many fronts. Our “Year of the Bike” campaign has enhanced student awareness and recognition of the Council’s continual dedication to the cause, also thereby enhancing the reputation of the Council as an established student organization. The theme is also advantageous in regards to providing a distinct direction for event planning across an entire year, as opposed to a more sporadic approach to evaluating event ideas on a short-term basis. A year has been an appropriate time table in which to execute a theme, since new students have an opportunity to be engaged and excited about what direction the Council is taking. What is noteworthy about the IUPUI campus is the majority of our students live off-campus, and the same goes for staff and faculty. There are currently 20,000 parking spots on campus, and we have over 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students- not counting staff and faculty. There is currently a push for an additional 6,000 parking spaces to help accommodate the needs of our commuters; however, each parking garage is estimated to cost the university between $14 and $18 million. An initiative the university undertook was to renovate The University Hotel into the Tower, which will feature accommodations for up to 500 student housing units, a food court, and additional classrooms. The logistical problem the university faces with this project is how to accommodate for those additional 500 residents’ transportation needs. To help reduce the amount of parking spaces the university would need, there was a proposal sent to the Green IUPUI Grant for an indoor bike hub that would accommodate 91 bikes and would only cost the university $49,407, as estimated by the university’s architect office. This proposal was accepted and will be implemented sometime next school year. The Student Sustainability Council’s first event where the “Year of the Bike” was introduced was during fall semester on Campus Sustainability Day. At this event the SSC worked with IndyCog, Indianapolis’ sole educational and advocacy group for cycling. The various benefits to be gained from cycling were addressed through IndyCog’s presentation in Campus Center as well as at an informational outdoor booth in Taylor Courtyard. In an addition to IndyCog, the SSC invited LA Fitness to campus to inspire and promote the benefits of biking by presenting a virtual bike experience. Many students and staff engaged in learning more about how to be more sustainable with their choice in transportation, as well as the Mass Transit Bill that is being considered in Indianapolis. In the spring semester the SSC hosted a series of seminars dedicated to educating student, staff, and faculty on campus about the myriad of benefits to be gained by utilizing sustainable transportation- primarily biking. Throughout the semester there were four events with topics including biking basics, traffic safety and savvy cycling techniques, bike culture, and lastly, the sustainability of biking. An initiative being discussed by the University and in association with the Indianpolis Cultural Trail, to possibly launch in 2014, is hosting a bike exchange program here on campus! This is a program in which the individual is able to rent a bike on campus and return it when you are done. The user would swipe their JagTag and be charged to their university account. They would have the opportunity to use the bike for a few hours on campus then return it back to one of the bike rental stations, which is a great alternative for students and faculty that have to travel far or frequently across campus. As a result of the increased demand and popularity of biking on campus, students saw the need for several bike maintenance stations at IUPUI. A member of the Student Sustainability Council applied for an IUPUI Greening Grant in order to fulfill this initiative and it was also accepted. There will now be three maintenance stations: by the Fountain, Campus Center, and by the Towers/Hine Hall classroom space. The Student Sustainability Council’s dedication to the “Year of the Bike” for the entire school year created cohesiveness with not only the Council but with other interest groups on campus that are passionate about being good stewards of the earth. The Council highly recommends implementing this strategy for the numerous benefits it can provide for groups and organizations in the upcoming school year.