Overall Rating Reporter - expired
Overall Score
Liaison Susan Lindemann
Submission Date Sept. 25, 2020

STARS v2.2

Kalamazoo College
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete Reporter
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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:
The Center for Civic Engagement has a program called the Just Food Collective. The Just Food Collective, originally “Farms to K”, was established in 2009 as a student organization and program of the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement that strives to provide education and awareness to our campus community about the importance of supporting a just, sustainable, and local food system. We seek to build relationships between the college and our greater community, to increase the amount of locally-grown food served on our campus, and to develop and support a local food system that fosters sustainable and humane agricultural practices, safe and fair working conditions, and food access for all. A requirement of being a member of the Just Food Collective is attending monthly educational reflections meant to strengthen the community, invigorate the educational experience, and promote a more just, equitable & sustainable world.

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:
The Center for Civic Engagement has a program called the Just Food Collective. The Just Food Collective, originally “Farms to K”, was established in 2009 as a student organization and program of the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement that strives to provide education and awareness to our campus community about the importance of supporting a just, sustainable, and local food system. We seek to build relationships between the college and our greater community, to increase the amount of locally-grown food served on our campus, and to develop and support a local food system that fosters sustainable and humane agricultural practices, safe and fair working conditions, and food access for all. A requirement of being a member of the Just Food Collective is attending monthly educational reflections meant to strengthen the community, invigorate the educational experience, and promote a more just, equitable & sustainable world.

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?:
No

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

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:
Facilities Management has two Sustainability Interns each year whose job is to ensure that campus operations are operating in a sustainable manner. This includes overseeing that all buildings are built and maintained sustainably. Sustainability Interns in the past have helped LEED-certify 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:
Facilities Management has two Sustainability Interns each year whose job is to ensure that campus operations are operating in a sustainable manner. This includes creating yearly energy and emissions reports and helping develop technologies to monitor the energy usage in the dorms on campus.

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?:
No

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

Grounds 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:
No

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

Purchasing 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:
No

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

Transportation 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:
No

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

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:
Composting at K is a community-based, student-directed and staff-supported program. Compost participants convert the food waste produced in the Cafeteria, as well as campus residential Living Learning Houses, The Book Club, off campus houses, and several campus offices into rich organic material in The Grove. It is in collaboration with our food waste and the nonhuman helpers that convert them into the nutrient-dense building blocks of our on-campus gardens that we begin to understand who we are becoming, and how we can strengthen our community. These lessons can be learned through the student-led physical education class titled "Worms, Waste, and Well-being".

Water 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:
No

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

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?:
No

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

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?:
No

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

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?:
No

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?:
No

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

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:
https://cce.kzoo.edu/

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.