| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.94 |
| Liaison | Bert Jacobson |
| Submission Date | Feb. 3, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Kankakee Community College
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Bert
Jacobson Dean, Environmental and Institutional Sustainability Environmental and Institutional Sustainability |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
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Does the institution have one or more co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that fall into the following categories?:
| Yes or No | |
| Active student groups focused on sustainability | Yes |
| Gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems | Yes |
| Student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes | Yes |
| Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills | Yes |
| Conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles | Yes |
| Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences | --- |
| Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills | Yes |
| Sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution | Yes |
| Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions | --- |
| Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives | --- |
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The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
Students for Eco-Quality members work to increase interest in sustainability initiatives at KCC and provide opportunities to enjoy and learn about sustainability by organizing trips to gardens, parks and sustainability summits and conferences. This is a student-governed club with faculty advisors..
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The website URL where information about student groups is available:
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A brief description of gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems:
The Horticulture program and the Horticulture Club provide students with experience of organic agriculture, sustainable food systems, permaculture, hydroponics and aquaponics. The purpose of the student led club is: to increase interest in the horticulture industry including landscaping, ornamental horticulture, turf grass management, fruit, vegetables and floriculture production; to provide opportunities to enjoy and learn about horticulture by organizing trips to gardens, parks and horticulture conventions; to promote cordial relationships among students, educators, and growers; and to foster good fellowship among members
Membership is open to any interested student enrolled in any KCC coursework and may continue to be active in the club after their course is completed as an alumni.
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The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
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A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
The Student Horticulture Club runs a farmers market with crops grown by them. The crops are sold to students, faculty, and staff, and the funds are used for club activities and the purchase of seeds. The enterprise is one of the entrepreneurial aspects of the Horticulture program.
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The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
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A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
The college has a Green Fund, part of the Employee Giving Campaign. The funds are used by students, faculty, and staff to invest in sustainability initiatives. The first use of the fund was to meet student demands to have water bottle filling stations installed around the campus. The Foundation governs the fund, but students have access to it for sustainability projects.
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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
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A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
Two good examples of this are the Student Sustainability Summit and the Sustainability Week activities. The Student Sustainability Summit is a by students, for students, with students event hosted by the South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium's (SMHEC) Sustainability Task Force. Students from each of the 12 member colleges gather annually to discuss the agenda, desired presentations, and speakers. The Sustainability Task Forces role is to pick an appropriate venue, order food, and handle the invitations, registration, and evaluation. Usual attendance is around 200.
During Sustainability Week, the week of Earth Day, we hold a series of films, lectures, workshops, and discussion groups. Some of the activities are student governed. In 2013 the students presented on their Water Straw Project and on the Emerald Ash Borer..
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The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
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A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
During Sustainability Week, one of the activities is a recycled art exhibit. With the help of a local educator, we invited area-wide 4th-7th graders to submit art made with recycled materials. Participating schools also brought buses of school children to our Sustainability Week activities.ya
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The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
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A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
While the seven principles of Leave No Trace were not specifically taught, the many field trips, River Clean Up, and other conservation and preservation activities were led by our faculty members who are very aware of those principles and who instilled them on those trips.
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The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
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The website URL where information about the theme is available:
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A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The professor for our renewable energy programs is one of our faculty members who does an outstanding and award winning job of contextualizing his courses in sustainable life skills. Students learn how to start a fire, create a shelter, and find food. Our psychology, English, and Environmental Biology professors also provide opportunities to learn sustainable life skills.
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The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
The Dean of Environmental and Institutional Sustainability has a student-worker who is involved in the day-to-day maintenance of the college's sustainability initiatives. It is anew position and we are still learning how to flex the student's abilities and to create new opportunities.
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The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
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A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
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A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
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The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.