Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.63
Liaison Karen Oberer
Submission Date Aug. 22, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

McGill University
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:

As of 2014, there are almost 60 student groups focused on sustainability. See McGill Student Sustainability Groups Database website for the names and descriptions for each.


The website URL where information about the student groups is available (optional):
Does the institution have gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects 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 McGill, Macdonald Student-run Ecological Gardens is a manifestation of sustainable farming at the university. Conceived 6 years ago, the main tenet is for students to explore, apply, and expand ecological agriculture techniques.

With the cooperation of McGill professors and staff, local organic crop producers, and student volunteers the MSEG has grown to encompass a 1 1/4 acre ecological farm completely run by students.

The future of MSEG depends on integrating the farm with the academic and research life of the university. MSEG serves to push the envelope on what we think of organic and ecological farming, and to record everything that is learnt along the way.

External monetary funding, student passion, and donations have gotten the movement to where it is today."


The website URL where information about the gardens, farms or agriculture projects is available (optional):
Does the institution have student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes (e.g. cafés through which students gain sustainable business skills)?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:

Organic Campus: Organic Campus is a non-profit student service that operates on the McGill University Campus and is dedicated to bringing local organic fruits and vegetables to the community at affordable prices, as well as provide educational opportunities on healthy and sustainable food practices.

Out of the Garden Project: The Out of the Garden Project is a student directed café at the MacDonald Campus of McGill. [They] aim to source a majority of our produce from on campus farms and other members of the West Island farming community. The café is a place on campus where members of the Mac community can go to enjoy healthy and affordable food. The goal of the project is to create a closed loop food system at Mac and educate students about the chain of production.


The website URL where information about the student-run enterprises is available (optional):
Does the institution have sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives 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 Students' Society of McGill University has the Financial Ethics and Research Committee that investigates purchasing and investment issues at the Students' Society level, including policymaking, working with investment managers, and the governance process. The SSMU has also done research on ethical investments at the university level and provides advocacy at the Board of Governors (Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility). [Student-governed]


The website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
Does the institution have conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:

The Student Sustainability Symposium, Students Pursuing Opportunities & Knowledge in Environment & Sustainability (SPOKES) conference, Post Graduate Student Society (PGSS) Sustainable Research Conference, Community-University Research Exchange (CURE), and the Desautels Business Conference on Sustainability (DBCS)


The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):
Does the institution have cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:

The Science Undergraduate Society organizes ECOuture as part of SUS Green Week, which "aims to increase awareness on [sic] eco-friendly alternatives to the fashion industry...[...]. Our goal, through this fashion show, is to educate the McGill community that elegance and class can still be attained by wearing local, Montreal designers and/or wearing recycled/organic fabrics".


The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):
Does the institution have wilderness or outdoors programs (e.g. that organize hiking, backpacking, kayaking, or other outings for students) that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
Yes

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

The McGill Outdoors Club (MOC) is a student organization that organizes hikes and backpacking trips. Its organizers encourage that their participants follow Leave No Trace principles.


The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors programs is available (optional):
Does the institution have sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences (e.g. choosing a sustainability-related book for common reading)?:
No

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

While the University promotes sustainability at events targeting freshmen (e.g. RezFest/RezWarz - coordinated by Student Housing; Leadership for Life and orientation - coordinated by the First Year Office), the first year experience is not necessarily 'sustainability themed' through and through


The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):
Does the institution have programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
Yes

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

"The Sustainability Living and Learning Community (LLC) is committed to the learning and sharing of new perspectives on local and global sustainability issues, practical and theoretical approaches to environmental stewardship, building coalitions committed to social justice and putting sustainability into action. LLC members will have opportunities to attend a diverse set of events from documentary screenings and seminars to nature walks and service learning initiatives, and connect with a network of sustainability-conscious faculty, student and community groups. Most important, members are encouraged and will be supported to pursue their own initiatives; in other words: 'Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!'”


The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
Yes

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

The McGill Office of Sustainability (MOOS) and the Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF) provide sustainability-focused student employment opportunities, in campus operations and projects.

Other opportunities across the institution include:
* The Macdonald Student-Run Ecological Gardens (MSEG) (SPF-funded)
* McGill Food and Dining Services (MFDS) & McGill's Food Systems Project (MFSP)
* Farmer's Market (through Student Housing and Hospitality Services)
* Campus and Space Planning & McGill Spaces Project (CSP-MSP)


The website URL where information about the student employment opportunities is available:
Does the institution have graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
No

A brief description of the graduation pledges:

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The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
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Does the institution have other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives?:
Yes

A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:

"The ECOLE Project is a space that facilitates a culture of sustainability at McGill University and in surrounding communities through research, teaching, experimentation, intentional living practices, and collaboration between student and community groups. We are a central space that integrates the many projects related to environmental sustainability on campus. ECOLE provides a home for interdisciplinary applied student research, brings together the Milton Parc and McGill communities, and serves as a focal point and meeting space for sustainability projects and groups. "


The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):
Estimated percentage of students (full-time and part-time) that participate annually in sustainability-focused co-curricular education and outreach programs (0-100):
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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.