| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 50.53 |
| Liaison | Taryn Wilkinson |
| Submission Date | Aug. 10, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Niagara College Canada
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Taryn
Wilkinson Sustainability Coordinator Facilities Management Services |
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 | No |
| 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 | No |
| Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives | Yes |
The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
The Sustainability Ambassadors (formerly Niagara Environmental Corps) is a student organization established at Niagara College organized by the Office of Sustainability. Its mandate is to increase environmental awareness on campus and in the community. The organization promotes student volunteerism and leadership through environmental and organizational sustainability projects and initiatives. The organization’s goal is to empower students to be proactive in solving environmental issues, and to become the leaders in building healthy and sustainable communities. Those who volunteer as a Sustainability Ambassador gain valuable experience in sustainability and have an opportunity to build their resumes, portfolios and showcase their experience on the Co-Curricular Record. Recent projects include participation in the World Water Monitoring Challenge; Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup; information booths on energy, waste, food, and biodiversity; Kick the Toxics Campaign; Green Day; Pollinator Week; and more!
The Society for Ecosystem Restoration of Niagara College Student Association (SER-NC) was formed in 2013 by the students of the Ecosystem Restoration postgraduate certificate program at Niagara College in Ontario, Canada. This student-governed group was the first International Society for Ecosystem Restoration (SER) student association. SER-NC holds information panels, meet-and-greets with environmental professionals and other student associations, as well as host fun events such as pot-lucks and volunteering opportunities. Recent projects include phragmites control research project located at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus and benthic invertebrate sampling and water quality testing at Beaver Creek. More information about this group can be found here: http://serncsa.wix.com/sernc#!projects/c10d6.
The website URL where information about student groups is available:
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:
The Niagara College Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus has an organic chef's garden maintained by staff and students that grows fruits and vegetables used by the Canadian Food and Wine Institute. The garden is not certified organic but does use organic gardening techniques.
The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
No Applicable
The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
Not Applicable
The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
Green Day: 2014 marked the 8th Annual Green Day, in which the Sustainability Ambassadors (formerly Niagara Environmental Corps) bring together environmental leaders, key organizations and vendors who are promoting sustainability and environmentalism in the Niagara community. It’s a great opportunity to learn about organizations and the environmental issues in the community and on campus, and how students can get involved with different organization to make a difference. The event receives support from the School of Environmental and Horticultural Studies as well as the Office of Sustainability.
The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
During the Earth Day 2015 celebration Enactus Niagara College hosted a Re-Picasso Art Competition, in which teams of 3-4 students were given 2 hours to create an art sculpture from items provided to them that were found in the recycling bins around campus. This was used as a platform to discuss waste practices and the importance of minimizing waste generated and waste diversion programs on campus.
The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The Sustainability Ambassadors (formerly Niagara Environmental Corps) organizes a number of different activities for their members to do including tree planting, water sampling, campus and community clean-ups, and hiking. All outdoor activities follow Leave No Trace principles.
The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
The 2013-2014 was the first Sustainability Themed Year in which each month hosted a different theme relating to sustainability. There were many different campus events, campaigns, volunteer opportunities, sustainability challenges and activities available for students, employees, and community members to participate in. The themes included waste, water, paper, energy, biodiversity, food and globalization and all the activities and events run throughout that month corresponded with the theme.
The website URL where information about the theme is available:
A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The Office of Sustainability hosts training workshops with the Residence Advisers (RA's) on how to make life in residence more sustainable. The RA's are then responsible for hosting workshops and information sessions with all the students on his/her respective floor to teach them about sustainability on campus and how each student can reduce his/her negative environmental impacts. Information about how to reduce the negative environmental impacts associated with heating and cooling, water consumption, waste, lighting, appliances (including, oven, washer and dryer), computer and electronics, are covered with the students.
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
Every year the Office of Sustainability employs students to work along side the full time employees to work on a variety of sustainability projects and initiatives. Over the past few years, the following sustainability focused employment opportunities have been provided to students: during the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 Spring semester, 1 co-op student, and in 2015 3 students in the Environmental Field and Lab Technician program was hired in partnership with the School of Environmental and Horticultural Studies as part of the co-op requirement for the program; during the 2014-2015 academic year the Office of Sustainability employed 4 students working twelve hours per week; during the 2014-2015 academic year 4 students working twelve hours per week.
All students have the opportunity to work on various sustainability projects to ensure they each gain a broad set of hands on skills relating to the environmental and sustainability field.
The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
Not Applicable
The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
Not Applicable
The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
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.