Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 62.11
Liaison Natalie Sobrinski
Submission Date June 16, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Muhlenberg College
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Kalyna Procyk
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Campus Sustainability
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Does the institution have one or more co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that fall into the following categories?:
Yes or No
Active student groups focused on sustainability Yes
Gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems Yes
Student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes No
Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills Yes
Conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience Yes
Cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience Yes
Wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles Yes
Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences Yes
Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills Yes
Sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution Yes
Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions Yes
Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives Yes

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The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
Yes Muhlenberg College has an active student organization focuses on sustainability. EnAcT Mission Statement: “EnAcT's mission is to spread environmental awareness and cultivate ecological literacy while actively taking part in the ecological betterment of the campus, local, and global communities. We offer an outlet for all students to pursue activities and intellectual explorations that fall under this general scheme. Noting the present state of environmental degradation as well as the widespread ideological misunderstanding and general apathy among people, we feel our mission is of ever-increasing importance.” The group has organized events such as brining students to the global climate change march in New York City, organizing Earth Day, supporting the Tree House, Permaculture Garden and Community Garden. This group is student governed.

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The website URL where information about student groups is available:
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A brief description of gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems:
Yes Muhlenberg College has an on campus garden where students are able to gain organic farming and/or gardening experience. The organic garden behind the “garden house” is up and running. Classes, students, and faculty are welcome to come by and learn organic gardening practices and help out the students living in the house. The Community Vegetable Garden that grows consumable annuals, and the Permaculture Garden that grows consumable perennials.

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The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
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A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
The college does host a program called the Innovation Challenge. Students sign up as a group to come up with a business plan. This plan can be focused on whatever the group wishes to center their project on. They then are able to implement this business. At this time, a student could chose to run a sustainable business.

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The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
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A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
There is a student-managed investment fund separate from the College's endowment that exists as part of class project.

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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
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A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
Yes Muhlenberg College holds major events related to sustainability, such as conferences, speaker series, or symposia, which have students as the intended audience. Host to Social Research Social Justice Conference Speakers came to campus through the center for Ethics series this year, Civility and Disobedience and Influence and Information. The series is aimed at student education.

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The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
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A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
The Tree Intern partnered with the Arts Collective on campus to perform a piece relating to tree education.

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The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
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A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
Muhlenberg’s student run group, EnAcT devotes part of its programming to outdoor events. In order to spread environmental awareness, they are taking the student organized nature based trips. They now organize hikes, white water rafting trips, along with other outdoor programs that are accessible to all students on campus. There are multiple trips a semester. There is also an Outdoors Club.

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The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
See above.

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The website URL where information about the theme is available:
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A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
Our Tree House demonstrates sustainable living - waste reduction, such as bringing their own bags while shopping, bringing their own mugs to coffee places. There is also a Garden House that focuses on planting food.

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The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
There are multiple internships through the Office of Sustainability each semester focusing on energy audits, communications, metrics, carbon inventory, permaculture garden, EcoReps, dorm energy competitions, tree inventory and hydroponic herb garden project.

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The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
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A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
Muhlenberg College does administer a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions.

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The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
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A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
The College hosts group of students called the Green Team who assist students with recycling and disposing of their waster during Move-In. The College has also partnered with Habitat for Humanity and the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement to promote re-use of items during Move-Out.

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The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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