Lane Community College
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

LCC students created, run and manage the Rainy Day Food Pantry and the Clothing Stash, located in a central location of the main campus. Easy to find, welcoming and with a larger space for the food pantry and clothing stash. This initiatives have high student usage. Hence, increasing the access to LCC students to free food and reused clothing with no questions asked.

Finals Week Fuel Station, Fall, Winter, Spring terms (Lane SGA)

Every finals week Student Government aims to meet student wellness needs by offering healthy snacks and for those who want it, coffee or tea, during peak study periods during finals. These stations would be held near the entrance to campus outside building 4 with the hope of meeting students where they are. Fuel stations would also be held in the center building on the second floor as that is one of the highest traffic areas students occupy. It has been well utilized by students and an expected and welcomed part of finals week.

OSPIRG Students is the state's oldest student-funded and directed nonprofit, founded in 1971. LCC OSPIRG trains students to be activists while working to take action for change. LCC OSPIRG works on issues such as climate change, engaging young people in elections, and hunger and homelessness. Most recently we focused on helping LCC get certified as a bee-friendly campus and passed a ban on plastic foam cups and takeout containers in Eugene.

Lane Community College has a Campbell Scientific weather station on the roof of the Science building. This station reports real-time climate data to the science office. The data from the station is used for science student's projects about weather and climate patterns/trends as part of their coursework.

LCC's Construction Technology program combines classroom training with hands-on natural building construction techniques and sustainable building practices while using the campus infrastructure as a living lab.

Students from this program have built tiny houses for the campus to be used as displays of the possibilities for this lower footprint homes. Students also used the campus as a living laboratory by building sheds that met needs from other departments on campus.

Regarding our bond project, managers, faculty, and students have been members of the committee in charge to implement the project. They are informed of construction evolution regarding building and construction phases. This process is beneficial experience to several students as hands-on experience. The Lane Community College (LCC) Bond Oversight Committee is charged with reviewing progress on the projects detailed in LCC Bond Measure 20-30.

Our students in the energy management program use LCC's buildings to learn concepts about evaluating energy use, providing solutions to energy usage problems and helping energy users save valuable dollars. In large commercial facilities, that means looking at the energy consumed by motors, HVAC systems, lighting, and even how people engage with their work environment. Buildings and their systems require problem solvers who enjoy digging through metrics, investigating how mechanical systems work, and measuring energy and water use.

LCC students in the Hotel/Restaurant/Tourism Management Programs are required to understand concepts of sustainability trough their course work. In addition to this they are required to conduct field research and participate in hands-on experiences at LCC's Learning Garden to help them further understand the connection to food and how sustainable agriculture can be incorporated into their profession.

The college also has a learning garden club located on the main campus in which students, volunteers, staff and faculty use to practice creative garden design, observe and cultivate plant communities, and learn basic organic agriculture and gardening principles. The Learning Garden Club is funded through student fees. Members are a diverse, energetic group dedicated to stewarding our environment, honoring the natural world that sustains us, and providing produce for great meals.

LCC students created or enhanced four pollinator habitats in different locations of campus. The plants promote pollinator health, specific to Willamette Valley Pollinators. Some employees and faculty also participate in this initiative to maintain a bee friendly campus.
LCC students also use the Learning Garden as a campus laboratory conducting independent research projects for class credits, such as wetland restorations, pollinator plant identification and developing plans for the appropriate maintenance of native and non-native plant species.

LCC students have used the campus as living laboratory related to purchases by leading initiatives such as banning the sale of plastic water bottles on campus. The students are now working with the administration to create a policy that would ban the use of single-use plastics on campus.

LCC students have worked on campaigns to increase bus ridership amongst fellow students. LCC students also recently had a campaign advocating to the local bus service provider to turn its fleet to 100% electric by 2030.
Our Students are eligible for free buss pass during their enrollments. Also, we have the Bike Lane bicycle loan program to provide a free bicycle loan for one term to qualified students. This program is a great way to promote a healthy and happy community.

LCC students taking class ENVS-181 Terrestrial Environment are required to participate in conducting waste audits from campus buildings and using the recycling center on campus to perform the audit. The students learn exactly how to conduct a commercial waste audit using the campus as a living lab.

This work is supported by student Government, student clubs and volunteers. The goal of this work is to know the improvement areas allowing to raise awareness to establish a sustainable campus waste management. Students, volunteers, and other college stakeholders are involved in waste audits and plastic roundup events.

The Commercial / Industrial water conservation course, WATR 210, audits campus domestic use water sources, (faucets, showerheads, toilets) and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning system water flow using current flowmeter technology. Students look for appropriate water use and flow rates and report findings to the college sustainability coordinator.

Student Government collaborates with other college students to implement guidelines for green activities. Those guidelines are included in coursework of students, and contain all necessary resources regarding planning and coordination. Through this process, the environmental impacts are minimized, and establish better sustainable practices on campuses including local business management. Students recently developed a draft or plastic free campus pledge, proposal is pending President approval.

Our multicultural Center collaborates with students to support their projects about racial conflicts, equity, and diversity. Their recommendations are used as college resources and are shared with faculty, students, and staff to promote inclusion and diversity. For instance, the college has a program called the Rites of Passage Summer Academies. This program is designed to inform and inspire high school and middle school students of color in Lane County. Students representing four racial/ethnic groups are immersed in their own respective Summer program focusing on their cultural history, literature, folklore, and traditions. These programs are based on an academic framework that promotes positive self-image and self-esteem.

LCC has a Green Revolving Fund, this fund is used for resource conservation projects on campus, applications can be submitted through an online from by any member of the campus community, including students. The fund oversight is performed by the campus sustainability committee which includes student participation. Having student participation is particularly important in the fund oversight committee and required before any project can be approved for funding.

The college offers several health and wellbeing courses through the Health, PE & Athletics Department. In addition, there some wellness resources such as the Fitness Education Center which is available for students and employees. Health and wellbeing includes all physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental and occupational health activities.