Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 46.14
Liaison Casey Romero
Submission Date Jan. 12, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Oklahoma State University
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Ilda Hershey
Sustainability Coordinator
OSU Physical Plant
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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 Yes
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 ---
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 ---

The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:

The Student Government Association (SGA) Sustainability Committee promotes sustainability through programs such as Real Cowboys Recycle (tailgate recycling), Real Pokes Pass It On (move-out collections), and the Green Student Initiative (a small grant program for students to implement projects on campus).

ECO-OSU is an action oriented club that shows how students can make a difference in their environment and are responsible for their actions within it. They are dedicated to creating better environmental awareness and action toward the goal of sustainability at OSU. Activities include film screenings, litter clean-ups, tree plantings, and the organization of OSU’s Earth Fest Week.

The Environmental Science Club strives to stimulate interest in Environmental Science at OSU and promote fellowship among students with environmental interests. Activities include waste audits, film screenings, river cleanups, water quality testing and topical lectures.

Net Impact is an organization that teaches students the latest about sustainability, corporate responsibility, and social entrepreneurship, and then shows students how to utilize these skills in their careers. Activities include Small Steps Big Wins, the installation and promotion of water bottle refill stations on campus, and American Recycles Day event participation.

Sustainability, Energy, and Resources Collaborative (SERC) provides a forum for research and development regarding sustainable energy and other similar subjects. SERC aims for interdisciplinary collaboration at OSU on these subjects and to maintain a growing interest among students regarding sustainability. SERC was awarded Green Student Initiative funding to purchase and display an Off-the-Grid mechanical room that has been moved to various locations on campus for educational purposes.

The Society of Environmental Scientists promotes and advances environmental knowledge and undertakes projects that enhance environmental quality and provide an avenue for Environmental Science Graduate Students and Professionals. Activities include movie nights, river and lake clean-ups, and lectures.

The Biosystems & Ag Engineering Graduate Student Association creates awareness about the process of planning, funding and implementing research projects to prepare graduate students for industry and the academic world. They have focused their Green Student Initiative awards on raising sustainability awareness in the Family & Graduate Student Housing community with lectures, hands-on workshops, leaflets, and games that highlight resource and energy conservation. They were instrumental in rolling out a new single-stream recycling program for campus residents.

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Student Chapter hosts programming events related to sustainability such as the ChemCar Competition, which requires students to design for zero environmental impact.


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:

Family & Graduate Student Housing students share a community garden right in their neighborhood. Biosystems & Ag Engineering students conduct workshops with FGSH residents on composting and organic gardening.


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:

"Real Pokes Pass It On" is a collaborative effort between the SGA Sustainability Committee, Housing & Residential Life, Parent & Family Relations, and is co-sponsored by the Student Union Activities Board. At the end of the spring semester unwanted items such as clothing and furniture are collected from students and stored until the beginning of the fall semester when they are sold to students, faculty, and staff for reuse.


The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:

n/a


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:

The Finding Center Conference, organized by OSU’s student chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, features internationally-known keynote speakers and breakout sessions that appeal to sustainability in design for engineers, policy makers, scientists, developers, land owners, community members, and more.  The full-day conference attracts students, regional professionals, faculty, alumni and the general public.


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:

Earth Week is an annual event hosted by ECO-OSU that occurs every year around Earth Day and focuses on educating the OSU community on sustainability and enjoying the outdoors with EarthFest as its center point. EarthFest features a day of music performances, student environmental design displays, sustainability exhibits, vendors, vegetarian food, and fun activities.


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:

Outdoor Adventure emphasizes adventure, environmental awareness, personal development, safety training, wilderness travel and fun through its workshops and trip programs. As part of our program design philosophy, OSU Outdoor Adventure teaches and models the Principles of Leave No Trace ethics to student participants.


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:

n/a


The website URL where information about the theme is available:
---

A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:

Biosystems & Ag Engineering GSA students conduct a sustainable life skills series for Family & Graduate Student Housing residents that include hands-on workshops on energy conservation, re-purposing disposable items through craft-making, how to recycle right, and how to compost.


The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:

The Office of Sustainability employees and trains students to conduct student outreach presentations and develop/execute marketing plans year-round for various sustainability programs, projects and events.


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:

n/a


The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
---

A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:

n/a


The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.