| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.84 |
| Liaison | Natalie Sobrinski |
| Submission Date | June 6, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Muhlenberg College
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Kalyna
Procyk Sustainability Coordinator Office of Campus Sustainability |
Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
A brief description of active student groups 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.
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?:
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
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.
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)?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
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.
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?:
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
There is a student-managed investment fund separate from the College's endowment that exists as part of class project.
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?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:
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.
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?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:
The Tree Intern partnered with the Arts Collective on campus to perform a piece relating to tree education.
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?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs 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.
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)?:
A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
See above.
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?:
A brief description of the programs 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.
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
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.
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?:
A brief description of the graduation pledges:
Muhlenberg College does administer a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions.
The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
Does the institution have other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives?:
A brief description of the 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.
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):
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.