Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 50.74
Liaison Rachel Kornhauser
Submission Date Feb. 17, 2023

STARS v2.2

State University of New York at Oneonta
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Rachel Kornhauser
Sustainability Coordinator
Finance and Administration
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Student groups 

Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Yes

Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
The College has several student groups focused on sustainability:

-Outdoor Adventure Club: The purpose of this organization shall be to promote friendship and proficiency in outdoor living, an appreciation of the outdoors and the growth of this feeling in other students. It also follows the guidelines of low impact, self propelled and non-motorized use of the environment.

-The objectives of Environmental Science Club (ESC) are:
A: To offer resources, encourage and support students interested in the Environmental Sciences.
B: To promote and organize intellectual and social exchanges amongst students interested in the Environmental Sciences.

-Pi Epsilon: is the Environmental Science Honor Society. It was established to promote the study of environmental sciences through recognition of exemplary scholarly and professional activity. Environmental science is understood to be the study of our environment and all stressors acting on it; chemical, psychical, and biological. The society seeks to promote interdisciplinary studies, and interactions between industry and academia to further the study of environmental science.

Gardens and farms 

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
An organic community garden was established at College Camp during the summer of 2010, allowing faculty, staff and students who would not otherwise be able to garden, to grow their own produce.

Two pollinator gardens have been planted on campus that provide much needed habitat and food sources to pollinators in the area.

Student-run enterprises 

Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
The Red Closet Thrift Shop is a student run thrift shop located on campus. Their mission statement is: "To educate the campus community about the responsible reuse of items while providing a valuable service to faculty, staff and students on campus who are looking for items of use at inexpensive prices. Our reward is interacting with the campus community in an educational and fun way, with the ultimate goal of funding a student sustainability scholarship!"

Sustainable investment and finance 

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?:
No

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
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Events 

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
Cornell Gladstone Hanlon Kaufmann Lecture Series - Brings international
leaders in environmental thought and education to SUNY Oneonta who share their insights with students and faculty on campus and speak with the community at large.

Green Dragon Week is hosted each year for Earth Day and includes various speakers, workshops, documentary film screenings, etc.

Cultural arts 

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
The campus Open Space Gallery hosted an art exhibit called "What a Waste" in December 2022.
What a Waste is an exhibition by Dr. Cynthia Falk's Visual Anthropology (ANTH 3140) class on the waste created by our disposables-focused culture and how to act sustainably. Spreading across the three walls of the Open Space Gallery, the installation focuses on three ideas inherent to sustainable living: Reduce, Re-Use, and Refuse. Viewers are encouraged to add their own suggestions and commitments to a more sustainable future by filling out and taping personal notes to the installation.

Wilderness and outdoors programs 

Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The Outdoor Adventure Club, led by the Director of Outdoor Services, promotes friendship and proficiency in outdoor living, an appreciation of the outdoors and the growth of this feeling in other students. It also follows the guidelines of low impact, self propelled and non-motorized use of the environment. The club follows Leave No Trace principles..

Sustainability-focused themes 

Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
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Sustainable life skills 

Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
Yes

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
EcoReps- An RA in each residential hall works with the Office of Sustainability to engage residents in sustainability initiatives. EcoReps act as a sustainability resource and promote waste reduction and resource conservation in the hall.

Green Room Certification System- The Green Room Certification is a chance for SUNY Oneonta campus residents to take small actions to make a big difference in their dorm room and receive recognition. Students are encouraged to make commitments in categories such as participation and engagement, waste, water, energy and personal. See below for commitments you can take in your residence hall or at home and if you do live on campus keep your eye out for an application at the start of each semester!

Student employment opportunities 

Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
The Sustainability Coordinator hires student interns each semester to help with on campus research, and event planning, coordination, and other engagement activities.

Graduation pledge

Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
No

A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
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Optional Fields

A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.