Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.76
Liaison Allison Jenks
Submission Date Jan. 26, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

New Mexico State University
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 joni newcomer
Mgr. Env. Policy and Sustainability
Facilities and Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Central Sustainability Website 

Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
Yes

A brief description of the central sustainability website (optional):
The NMSU Sustainability website, which has undergone several format changes, provides information on sustainability initiatives happening campus-wide relating to energy reduction, waste reduction, water conservation, transportation alternatives, green building, purchasing, food services, education, and research. A description of the Office of Sustainability is a primary component of the website and the public can contact the Manager of Sustainability from the home page. It also has information about the NMSU Sustainability Council, Facilities and Services, and Housing. The website informs student about many opportunities for involvement and green student organizations.

The website URL for the central sustainability website:
http://sustainability.nmsu.edu/

Sustainability Newsletter 

Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
The Office of Sustainability produces a sustainability newsletter in the spring. The newsletter highlights projects, events, news, and tips on how to be a Green Aggie. The Office of Sustainability administers the newsletters through our student, staff, and faculty listservs, NMSU Hotline, Facebook, the NMSU Sustainability website, social media, and through the Sustainability Council.

None
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
https://sustainability.nmsu.edu/newsletters/

Social Media Platforms 

Does the institution have social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, interactive blogs) that focus specifically on campus sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of the social media platforms that focus on sustainability:
Facebook is our main social media outlet. When the OoS had student workers they were responsible for posting. Since May 2015 it has been the responsibility of the Sustainability Manager to post.We also have an Instagram account but we don't use that as often.

The website URL of the primary social media platform focused on sustainability:
https://www.facebook.com/NMSUSustainability

Student Newspaper Coverage 

Does the institution have regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat?:
Yes

A brief description of the regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
During 2014 - 2015 the editor of The Round Up (TRU), our NMSU student-run newspaper, was a very sustainability-minded reporter - green stories were frequent. The 2015-2016 TRU "Oncore", an online magazine, has many environmentally-oriented articles taken from other publications shared through the online newspaper. The Fall 2016 TRU had a feature article on our semester-long efforts to get polystyrene out of our food services.

The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
http://www.nmsuroundup.com/search/?d1=1+year+ago&nsa=eedition&q=sustainability

Student Research Publication 

Does the institution produce a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
The Office of Sustainability newsletter highlights articles on student research, as well as submitting Hotline, Student Hotline, and our student newspaper and University Communications News Center and individual colleges. URL's shown here: https://newscenter.nmsu.edu/Articles/view/12223/graduate-appreciates-research-opportunities-while-a-student-at-nmsu

None
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
https://honors.nmsu.edu/nmsu-alumni-sativa-cruz/

Green Building Signage 

Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
Yes

None
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
We have several ways to highlight green building features: LEED certified buildings have a monitor in the lobby with highlights of the green building and we have the LEED plaques in the lobby of each of our 17 LEED buildings. Another way to highlight the importance of health and sustainability are our signs next to the stairs/elevators that encourage people to walk instead of taking the elevator. We also have signs on our solar arrays that tell all the facts of the particular array.

None
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
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Sustainable Food Systems Information 

Does the institution have signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of the signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
Sodexo is our Dining Services vendor. They have posters in our many food service areas that advertise their commitment to the planet and sustainability. The posters advertise their “14 Commitments for Action” and “The Better Tomorrow Plan”. Links below: http://www.sodexo.com/group_en/corporate-citizenship/priorities/objectives.asp

None
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
http://www.sodexousa.com/usen/citizenship/thebettertomorrowplan/thebettertomorrowplan.asp

Sustainable Grounds Signage 

Does the institution have signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed?:
Yes

A brief description of the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
We are in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert. We have a Chihuahuan Desert garden that has all local native plants with a beautiful walking path through it. Each plant is identified with a brief description of its value in the desert. It is on one of the major malls that dissects campus. We manage all our xeriscaping as low-water and low management landscapes. We also have educational signs all across campus that gives the names of local trees and plants in English and their Latin names.

The website URL for the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
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Sustainable Walking Map or Tour 

Does the institution produce a sustainability walking map or tour?:
No

None
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
---

None
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
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Guide for Commuters 

Does the institution produce a guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
The NMSU Environmental Health and Safety Office has an entire portion of its website that focuses on pedestrian and bicycle safety. On this page they provide bicycle maps for the city as well as information about the trainings EHS provides for bicycle safety at NMSU. The Associated Students of New Mexico State University (ASNMSU), in partnership with the Transportation and Parking Services Office, and the City of Las Cruces, manage the Aggie Transit, a free service that runs during spring and fall semesters from 7:00am-7:00pm M-F. The Aggie Transit program provides free shuttle routes that transports riders with a valid NMSU ID from free parking lots from all across campus, rather than driving their personal vehicles. The Aggie Transit is intended to reduce campus congestion, promote public transportation, and reduce carbon emissions. The ASNMSU website has a guide to this transit program here: http://asnmsu.nmsu.edu/transit/index.html

The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
http://safety.nmsu.edu/programs/BikeSafety/nmsu-bicycle-safety.html

Materials for Cyclists and Pedestrians 

Does the institution produce navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians (e.g. covering routes, inter-modal connections, policies, services, and safety)? :
Yes

None
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
As a Bronze-rated Bicycle Friendly University, we have an impressive amount of tools for bicyclists. We also link to the City of Las Cruces Bike and Transportation map here: https://sustainability.nmsu.edu/transportationalternatives/

None
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
http://bikes.nmsu.edu/

Green Living Guide 

Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
From the "What Can You Do?" to be a Green Aggie on Housing's sustainability webpage: "While shopping for college, we encourage you to make environmentally responsible choices. You may not think your individual choices will make a difference, but collectively, we make a difference together! Every decision and choice you make will have an effect, so here is our way of making it easy for you to have both a positive effect and a green living experience while you are at NMSU."

None
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
https://housing.nmsu.edu/sustainability/

Other Outreach Materials 

Does the institution produce other sustainability outreach materials or publications not covered above?:
Yes

A brief description of these materials or publications:
Our coverage with our own assigned reporter goes across campus, not just to students. It is called "@NMSU" and a monthly (or more often if necessary) article is done on sustainability issues. Articles written in the last year have included LEED buildings that are approved for certification, bio-algae fuels and research on campus, cotton seed research including a bio fuels machine, solar research, and the opening of the new Sustainability Office in July 2010.

The website URL for these materials or publications:
http://newscenter.nmsu.edu/Articles/search_all

Optional Fields 

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Student newspaper articles on sustainability: http://www.nmsuroundup.com/search/?d1=1+year+ago&nsa=eedition&q=polystyrene Student research published stories: https://newscenter.nmsu.edu/Articles/view/11459/nmsu-la-salle-project-receives-funding-partners-with-awhere-for-irrigation-project

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