Sonoma State University
EN-3: Student Life

Students for Sustainability Club
The club’s mission statement: "Our purpose is to cultivate a sense of culture between students and faculty through the platform of sustainability.”
Community engagement, awareness, and policy transparency are among many of the possible outcomes from this club. Their vision is to establish a group of individuals who will act within their community to promote sustainable resolutions in regards to the environment, economy, and society as a whole.
The clubs goals are to:
1. Collaborate with the community on sustainable initiatives that aid in the development of the club along with the campus community.
2. Promote Sonoma State unity through mutual relationships among diverse social networks like other clubs, Greek life, and student-run organizations.
3. Use sustainability as a catalyst to promote a thriving living and learning environment for students.
4. Engage interested students in policy forums and discussions like the Sustainability Council

Campus Garden: With the support of our department, SSU students have maintained a food-producing organic garden on campus since the 1970’s. Over the years the garden was renamed the “Garden Classroom” and was moved to the current site (on the Campus Master Plan) adjacent to the Environmental Technology Center. The garden is a nexus for many student groups, but the goal is the same. Volunteers from classes in many disciplines across campus, IRA-funding volunteer coordinators and site managers, students in ENSP’s course on Agroecology, JUMP groups, student clubs seeking service opportunities, and many others put in the hours and effort to help the garden thrive. The primary goal of the Garden Classroom is producing fresh, healthy, organic produce for people in need. We accomplish this task by working with our local food bank (NOAH – Neighbors Organized Against Hunger), based on Snyder Lane only a few blocks from campus. On most Wednesdays, SSU students harvest and deliver a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. We average well over 1000 lbs of produce a year representing dozens of different food crops.

Farmster: The goal of Farmster is to create a way for people to become more aware of their produce. Mainly, where it comes from and how it's grown.​ With a focus on staying local and developing a sustainable business model, Farmster plans to stay in Sonoma County and hopes to work among crop-producing individuals in the area.
A group of Sonoma State University alumni have taken the next step in making their dream a reality with the creation of Farmster, a nonprofit dedicated to sustainable living and food security.
https://cce.sonoma.edu/blog/growing-farmster

Environmental Forum: A class available for all students to drop in or sign up to get college credit that has speakers, alumni, nonprofit representatives, and faculty that work with sustainability in mind to come and give a presentation.
http://gep.sonoma.edu/courses
Sustainability Day: A day devoted to sustainable works, programs, and ideas of sustainability.
Earth Day: A student-run all-day event on Earth Day with activates, displays, and talks about our earth and how to be sustainable on it.

In 2018, the university had few exhibitions related to Social Justice.
The Eye of a Storyteller: Photographs by Morrie Camhi;
Although born in New York City, educated in Los Angeles, and long affiliated with City College of San Francisco as a respected and influential photography instructor, Camhi (1928-1999) was most closely associated with Petaluma and was admired for his social conscience, community spirit, and, most notably, his photographs, many of which captured moments in the lives of local residents. Camhi described himself as a storyteller and humanist, and his work reflected his compassion for people—friends and strangers alike—especially those whose lives were shaped by struggle and misfortune. Over the course of his career, Camhi created a number of powerful images of these people that were part of the thematic series in which he chose to work. Several of Camhi’s series are represented in the exhibition, including The Farm Workers (1972-77), that documented the largely Chicano migrant workers he encountered in his travels around California; Faces and Facets: The Jews of Greece (1980-82), during which Camhi visited Thessaloniki, Greece, to photograph the rapidly dwindling Jewish population there, many of whom had survived the Holocaust; AD:vantage (1981-82), a kindhearted and sensitive look at the individuals searching for love through personal ads placed in newspapers; and The Prison Experience (1987-88), an unblinking examination of inmates incarcerated at the California State Prison in Vacaville.
http://web.sonoma.edu/artgallery/exhibitions/pages/2018-The-eye-morrie.html

Joan Baez: Mischief Makers.
This exhibition of 13 paintings by Joan Baez marks the first public display of the portraits she calls “Mischief Makers” since they were donated to Sonoma State University by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria in commemoration of the University’s longstanding commitment to civil rights and social justice. The title of the series comes from Baez’s insight about her subjects: “The added element, which is often buried under the weightiness and dedication to positive change, is mischief—the coyote element, imaginative trickery, slyness, the shenanigans that give a movement its soul, confound the oppressor and create laughter and music.”

Outdoor Pursuits Program from the REC Center: Our programs include activities such as hiking, backpacking, sea kayaking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountaineering, cycle touring, mountain biking, hot spring soaking, backcountry cooking, and camping. To supplement our programs ODP also offers a range of Wilderness Medicine courses and Wilderness Orientation experiences throughout the year. While our trips and courses may vary in terms of commitment and physical demands, all trips are designed for those with little or no prior experience in mind. Outdoor Pursuits trips are a great way to gain knowledge and experience with outdoor skills, make new friends, escape into the natural world and explore the limits of what you are capable of! All trips will include components on Leave No Trace outdoor ethics, principles and practices.

Adventure Living Community: This community is for students interested in exploring programs and activities around campus and throughout Sonoma County. Sonoma County’s proximity to the ocean, mountains with great hiking and biking trails, and the greater Bay Area provide a great setting for exciting exploration.

The Outdoor Adventure Community exists so students can get involved with the outdoors, be connected to a community, and develop a deeper understanding of sustainability. Whether you are seeking to explore the outdoors for the first time, or you already engage with outdoor activities, Outdoor Adventure fosters a space for learning, growth, and fun in an inclusive community. Students interested in living in a tight-knit community focused on outdoor activities and that encourages sustainable practices are highly encouraged to apply.
Freshman Year Experience (FYE) offers first-year students the opportunity to participate in the year-long University 150A/B “Identity and Global Challenge,” class as well as living together, fostering extensive interaction among fellow students, faculty, residential staff, and peer leaders. Out of class activities might include faculty dinners, field trips, FYE-based study groups, and movie nights. A Faculty-in-Residence for this building offers the opportunity for student-faculty interaction. By being a member of FYE, students make a yearlong commitment to the courses (which earn the credit toward graduation) and the residential living community.

Associated Students is a student-run organization of Sonoma State University.
The Associated Students works to enrich the lives of all Sonoma State University Students. The Associated Students accomplishes this mission by promoting student interests through advocacy and representation. The Associated Students, as a corporation owned and governed by students, supports a variety of programs, services and organizations to enhance the student experience at Sonoma State University.
Some of the groups involved that are focused on sustainability and in employing students are:
JUMP: http://web.sonoma.edu/as/jump/joinusmakingprogress.html
University Culinary Services: https://web.sonoma.edu/culinaryservices/employment.html
Green Council: Student village council members who support sustainability in residential communities, including the STEP Up initiative.