Overall Rating Bronze
Overall Score 33.05
Liaison Lynda Koot
Submission Date Nov. 8, 2021

STARS v2.2

The King's University
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Lynda Koot
Building Services Manager
Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Yes

Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:

The King's Keeper's is a student club dedicated to enhancing sustainability and creation care at King's. The group promotes sustainability through numerous events and activities each year including an Environmental Stewardship Challenge.


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?:
Yes

A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:

The Kings University students, faculty and staff are currently maintaining a community garden on the Campus grounds. The 30' X 60' plot is subdivided into individual and group plots. Summer gatherings include dinner potlucks and vegetable exchanges. The project was initiated in hopes of increasing awareness of urban gardening and sustainable living. This garden began in 2011 and has continued through this growing season.


Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:

The Level Coffee House is a student run enterprise managed and operated by students. This venture has facilitated many sustainability-focused events. The Level is a Fair Trade coffee house meaning social and environmental sustainability is a primary focus of the endeavor. Products sold are certified fair trade coffee along with goods produced locally.


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?:
No

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
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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?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:

The King's University offers an Interdisciplinary Studies conference two times per year - once in the fall and once in the spring. Topics of the IS conference vary but all focus upon issues of social or environmental sustainability. For instance, IS conferences in the past years have featured the Alberta Oil Sands, homelessness, aboriginal injustices, and climate change. All students must attend the conferences and all students must write a paper for credit.


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?:
Yes

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:

The Environmental Studies department creates a photo show in a prominent hallway every year showcasing student internships. Additional photo shows are created when interns have special photos to share, e.g., in winter of 2019, a sustainable farming intern did a show with photos of agriculture combined with poetry.


Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:

The Outdoor Club provides an opportunity for students to congregate around a variety of outdoor activities and participate in off-campus exploration including hiking, backpacking, and mountaineering. The club lives by Leave No Trace principles. Currently the club has over 50 active members.


Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:

The Interdisciplinary Studies Conference is a two-day course each semester. I.S. is a practical way for students to begin to see where different academic disciplines intersect. Dynamic speakers have challenged the King's community to think critically about issues such as the Alberta oil sands, homelessness, and local and sustainable food production. Students attend workshops and breakout sessions then write a reflective essay on their experience. Sustainability themes within the past several years have included climate change and sustainability in food production. These themes are not only engaged during the conference but also in the classrooms of all disciplines.


Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
No

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
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Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:

Employment through the Level Ground Coffee house provides students with exposure to sustainable business practices through purchasing and serving fair trade products.


Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
No

A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
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A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.