| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.89 |
| Liaison | Isabel Savransky |
| Submission Date | Nov. 14, 2023 |
Ontario Tech University
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Isabel
Savransky Sustainability & Asset Planner Office of Campus Infrastructure and Sustainability |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
The Blue Team: (Student and faculty governed) The Blue Team is a student group created under the Office of Sustainability. The focus of the group is sustainability. The students attend events, host events, and spread awareness throughout the school. The group is divided into different aspects of sustainability to focus on, such as energy and infrastructure, water and waste. The groups are also encouraged to work together.
https://sites.ontariotechu.ca/gogreen/get-involved/index.php
Cylc-on: (student governed) Our organization consists of bike enthusiasts who intend to advocate for the use of bicycles to reduce carbonfootprint and encourage outdoor activities which will promote healthy living.
This will be great for holiday and weekend usage for people living oncampus and off campus
The environmental club: (student governed) The Environmental Club is open to all students at Ontario Tech U and DC. Through Action, Advocacy, and Fundraising we will serve for a better and sustainable tomorrow.
Campus Community Gardens Club: Promoting/providing accessibility, education and healthy living to the school community through the use of nature and gardening.
Engineers Without Borders: assisting with proper e-waste collection on campus
Wellness for Women, and Ontario Tech U's Health and Wellness Club
Does the institution have a garden, farm, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or an urban agriculture project 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:
The institution owns farmland, north of campus in which we host sustainability focused workshops, have a community garden (25 gardens with potential to grow to more than 60), pollinator program with more than 3 hectares of hydroseeded wildflower gardens, apiary of 46 hives producing honey on campus; along with a greenhouse. Excess produced grown from gardens is donated to local soup kitchens (St. Vincent's Soup Kitchen).
Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
ENACTUS: a not-for-profit entrepreneurial club for students with sustainable business ideas to develop and pursue these ideas.
Does the institution have a sustainable investment fund, green revolving fund, or sustainable microfinance initiative 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:
Has the institution hosted a conference, speaker series, symposium, or similar event focused on sustainability during the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
January 18, 2022: Climate Change and Public Health In the post-COP26 Landscape: Join experts from the Consortium of Universities for Public Health, the World Health Organization, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems, and Ontario Tech University as we explore the implications of continued climate change impacts on the public health sector, and discuss what can be done in response.
The university hosts a variety of sustainability events for students. Sustainability related capstone projects are presented to the campus at the end of each term. The Present's Future Forum in 2018 was themed Energy and Environment. There are also a variety of speaker series sessions that are conducted through each research department, on a variety of topics including sustainability (social justice, environment, transportation, etc.)
Has the institution hosted a cultural arts event, installation, or performance focused on sustainability with the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
PANGEA - CULTURAL SHOWCASE OF FOOD, MUSIC, DANCE & THEATRE
A cultural voyage across the globe! Pangaea celebrates the diverse cultures on campus with delicious cuisine and entertaining student performances from around the world. The event is open to all students, staff and faculty at Durham College and Ontario Tech U and is completely free!
Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
Mood walks: Student life coordinates weekly walks to connect with nature, and improve mental health.
Shore-line cleanup: Ontario Tech U Sustainability organized a shoreline cleanup to help clean a local beach.
Pollinator and Sustainability Tours and Nature walks.
Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Sustainability related themes include
- Fair trade week
- March Nutrition Month
- Waste Management Month: Recycle-Mania
- Earth Month (April)
Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
Through the Blue Team students can learn sustainable life skills. Students learn from one another, and through events held for students.
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Asset and Sustainability Assistant and Community Garden positions. Students can apply through the work study program. The student(s) assist the asset and sustainability planner, lead the Blue Team, and help develop sustainable initiatives and assist with running the pollinator garden projects. Also other opportunities for research that may fall under sustainability.
Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
The Blue Team finds or hosts sustainable programs and initiatives and shares this information with the university community. Examples include a local shore line clean up, tree planting and a campus market.
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.