Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 76.81
Liaison Aaron Durnbaugh
Submission Date March 6, 2020

STARS v2.2

Loyola University Chicago
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Aaron Durnbaugh
Director of Sustainability
Office of Sustainability
"---" 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:

Student Environmental Alliance

The Student Environmental Alliance is a campus organization dedicated to protecting and sustaining our environment. They accomplish this purpose through education and action. The group strives to educate themselves and the Loyola community about the existing instability of our world. Through action, they take this new awareness and translate it into tangible actions to stop environmental destruction and create solutions for a better future.

The Student Environmental Alliance has an active membership of 30-40 students, with an email and volunteer list of over 100 students.


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:

Urban Agriculture is a popular program at Loyola with indoor and outdoor growing spaces as well a significant social enterprise aspect.


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:

ChainLinks is one of four student-run enterprises at Loyola University. This particular business rents out brand new hybrid bicycles to students, faculty, and staff for the day, week, month, semester, or full year. The company employs undergraduate Loyola students, provides internship credit, and teaches students the necessary skills to run and manage a business that benefits students, faculty, staff, the surrounding community and the environment.

Chainlinks is also equipped with a full-service maintenance and repair center that is open to the public as well. The ultimate goal is to continue to promote bike advocacy around campus and an enjoyable riding experience for every customer. In order to achieve this mission, employees are available to answer all biking questions as well as provide suggested bike routes to those who may not be familiar with biking in the area.

Philanthropy is a priority to this company. After covering operational costs, a portion of the profits is available to the student body to host guest speakers on campus. The remaining profits go towards new business ventures, which will allow the program to expand.


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:

The Loyola Fund is a student-run investment program with some efforts towards ESR investing although this is not their only investment criteria.


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:

Loyola University Chicago and the Institute of Environmental Sustainability (IES) are committed to the advancing an appreciation of the environment and societal understanding of our role as care-takers. In the urban setting of the Chicago metropolitan area there are many opportunities to get involved in initiatives and projects that have a real impact.


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:

Events across the year include EnergyWeek, WasteWeek, HungerWeek, WaterWeek. The choral arts and dance programs have both conducted sustainability-related programs in the past. Visual arts has hosted guest artists as well as student-led displays on environmental and social-justice topics.


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 Office for Outdoor Experiential Education (O.O.E.E.) serves the Loyola University Chicago community by providing integrated educational experiences designed to foster the student promise of care for self, care for others, and care for the environment. Using the outdoors as classrooms, students participate in challenging and intentional, group-based activities that provide space for reflection and leadership development.
The program follows "Leave No Trace" principles. Students spend one night of the Outdoor Leadership Workshop discussing Leave Not Trace and how to apply it to programs and around campus.


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:

In academic year 2018/19, the Convocation speaker and text was "Finding Purpose - Environmental Stewardship as a Personal Calling". Each incoming student was asked to read this over the summer and during WelcomeWeek they met with a mentor to discuss.


Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
Yes

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:

The Institute of Environmental Sustainability serves as a model for sustainability initiatives on campus. It is also home to San Francisco Hall and the Greenhouse Learning Community. Each of these are available demonstrations of sustainable living.

Additionally, our Campus Sustainability interns organize 3-5 events each semester for off-campus students that cover various sustainability topics including sustainable eating, energy efficiency, water efficiency and waste reduction. The program is called Living Off Campus and Living Sustainably (LOCALS). The goal is to provide practical knowledge to off-campus students about how to live sustainably in their homes. Our most recent event was waste themed as part of our annual Waste Week. The president of the Chicago Recycling Coalition spoke to students about tips for reducing residential waste and how to properly dispose of residential waste.


Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
Yes

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

Multiple student worker positions at Loyola Limited companies and with the Office of Sustainability and Institute of Environmental Sustainability.


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:

Yes. There are co-curricular opportunities to engage around sustainability through Student Development, Campus Ministries, Alternative Break Immersions and other outlets.


Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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