Oregon State University
EN-3: Student Life

The Student Sustainability Initiative mission is to support student efforts to create a sustainable community at OSU through action, education, and opportunity. Objectives: * Reduce the ecological footprint of the OSU community. * Connect students' innovation and energy with the resources and skills need for them to succeed. * Identify and help implement best practices through collaboration and research with OSU and the greater community. * Manage student funds responsibly. * Diversify and integrate with the OSU sustainability community. * Model a transition toward sustainable practices through renovations on the Student Sustainability Center Objectives are implemented through: * Volunteer opportunities * Project leadership opportunities * Community building events * Experiential learning * Strategic investments * Grassroots organizing training * Relationships with faculty, staff, and administration At the SSI we work to comply with our mission statement through the financing of internships, grants, activities, projects, and work parties. The SSI has helped fund: * Interns on the restoration of Oak Creek * The renovation of the Student Sustainability Center * The Green Roof Project * Composting on campus * Energy efficiency studies * Permaculture learning garden * Sustainable food projects * Corvallis/OSU Bicycle Coop

The OSU Organic Growers Club is an all-volunteer, student-run, organic farming project that began in 2000. The group was founded by a handful of undergraduate students on the notion that folks getting a degree in agriculture science should at some point in their academic careers, put a seed in the ground, take care of it, and harvest the benefits of that effort. Since then, the group and the farm have grown into much more than a ideological reaction and more toward a forward thinking community of students, staff, and faculty that have a common interest in food, fun, and above all experiencing the reality that is ecosystem sustenance. The OSU Organic Growers Club farm is located on ~2 acres of OSU agricultural research land and has gained the support of many faculty, staff and the community which has helped it to grow to over 300 members and 400 community clients.

Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) is an international organization focused on mobilizing university students to create economic opportunity for others while discovering their own potential. OSU SIFE is an opportunity for students to apply their classroom experiences to the real world with the help of faculty and advisors. Skills learned in market economics, entrepreneurship, personal finances, sustainability, and business ethics are applied to real life business situations. OSU SIFE participates in community outreach programs at OSU and around the world. At Oregon State University Students In Free Enterprise, we believe that we are a small group of thoughtful, committed people. Joined by students from across campus from Art to Zoology, OSU SIFE is a diverse group of students with one goal that all SIFE chapters share; to save the world. By building campus wide bridges and leveraging our corporate partnerships, OSU SIFE cultivates socially conscious students who empower individuals and communities through the delivery of free enterprise education. Empowerment sparks change. OSU SIFE Focuses on different program areas including: - Business Ethics - Entrepreneurship - Financial Literacy - Market Economics - Sustainability - Success Skills OSU also has the largest Residential College west of the Mississippi with the Austin Entrepreneurship program. The Austin Entrepreneurship Program at Weatherford Residential College is a unique living-learning environment for undergraduates offering entrepreneurship courses, hands-on experience, and the opportunity to explore business ideas. The Weatherford program focuses on four key initiatives: - Entrepreneurship and Innovation - Social Entrepreneurship and Social Initiatives - Sustainability - Professional Development Pangea Cafe is is a student run on-campus restaurant that is available Monday through Friday. They offer a low price healthy alternative with a focus on international menus and sustainability.

Started in January 2010, the SERLF is a student program that provides a local source of low interest financing to accelerate sustainable energy projects at Oregon State University. Funding is delivered through a competitive application process. $100,000 were available in 09-10, with an additional $100,000 in 10-11 and 11-12. Minimum loan size is $5,000; there is no maximum on individual projects.

OSU hosts many student focused events around sustainability throughout the year. Three of the largest are Earth Week, the Energy Civil War, and the Campus Carbon Challenge. Earth Week is the largest such event and is the week of Earth Day in April. There are many events (30+) that happen within the span of the week and are focused on all aspects of sustainability (http://recycle.oregonstate.edu/EarthDay/eventCalendar.cfm). The largest and most noticeable event is the community fair, which typically has 40-50 groups present and is a great opportunity for groups to outreach to students and others as well as network with other groups. The Energy Civil War is a competition between the University of Oregon and Oregon State University to see which school can produce the most human-generated renewable energy on exercise equipment connected to the power grid. The competition runs during the week of the football civil war. Campuses Take Charge is an annual month-long event that challenges individuals to make personal commitments to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions in their daily lives. Emphasis is on reducing energy use through no-cost and low-cost actions. Resident students are one target audience, but outreach is conducted to the entire campus community. More info: http://energizecorvallis.org/takecharge/campuses/

Art About Agriculture is a program in the College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University, which encourages artists to investigate agriculture and natural resources themes for creating their works of art. It strives to develop an understanding and appreciation of food and fiber among Oregon's diverse audiences. Also, the art installation "Pomp and Circumstance" by Patrick Daugherty used student and volunteer labor to harvest local materials for the all natural stick based sculpture, located in the core of campus.

The OSU Adventure Leadership Institute (ALI) helps students learn about the recreational opportunities in the area and follows Leave No Trace principles. Resources are available at the ALI to learn more about what can be done to leave no trace. Principles include * Plan ahead and prepare. * Camp and travel on durable surfaces * Pack it in pack it out. * Leave what your find * Minimize use and impact of fire Resources Available: * Oregon's Wild Area's * Pacific Northwest Hike's * Oregon State Parks * Pacific Northwest Camping * The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook * National Forest Service Maps Specific courses that include Leave No Trace content include: Backpacking, LNT Awareness, Wilderness Living Techniques, and Winter Backcountry Travel.

The OSU Sustainability Office, Campus Recycling and the Student Sustainability Initiative are dedicated to providing student employment and internship opportunities, as well as periodic projects on which students can work. http://oregonstate.edu/sustainability/contacts http://recycle.oregonstate.edu/contactinfo