Missouri University of Science and Technology
ER-3: Sustainability in New Student Orientation

Missouri S&T’s New Student Programs office conducts an “Opening Week” new student orientation for all incoming freshmen and transfer students. Sustainability is not only prominently included in Opening Week activities, but the entire Opening Week program is administered using sustainable practices, such as on-line applications, electronic event confirmations, on-line surveys and surveys conducted using clickers in the classroom. One of many objectives of Opening Week is to focus on the university’s green initiatives. New students are made aware of the campus’ commitment to sustainability and the environment. In 2009, the “Plug into the Green Movement” program started to further demonstrate Missouri S&T’s commitment to sustainability to its new students. This program is a continued part of Opening Week activities. Instead of providing new students with plastic bags full of paper brochures and information about the campus, all information is provided to new students on a flash drive. This effort has eliminated waste and reduced Missouri S&T’s impact on the environment. Also included is Project X, a student design competition that all new students participate in during Opening Week. Recycled materials are utilized for Project X, and the end products (remote control vehicles designed by the students) are auctioned off at the conclusion of the project instead of destroyed or trashed. The money earned from the auction is donated to local charities. During Opening Week, all new students attend informational sessions and a community fair to gain information about the campus. There are also guest speakers. Discussion topics include campus sustainability, recycling, diversity and inclusion and ethics. In addition, Opening Week activities also include discussion sessions and events focused around the book selected for the summer reading program (Missouri S&T’s One Book Program). In 2011-12 and in 2012-13, the book selected for the One Book Program was No Impact Man – the adventures of a guilty liberal who attempts to save the planet and the discoveries he makes about himself and our way of life in the process, by Colin Beavan. At the conclusion of Opening Week, survey data is collected from new students to determine how they perceive the Green Campus Initiative.