| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 75.27 |
| Liaison | Hannah Rushing |
| Submission Date | Jan. 28, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Sterling College (VT)
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Favor
Ellis Dean of Community Residence Life |
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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 | --- |
| Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills | --- |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
| Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives | --- |
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The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
Social and Environmental Justice Club (SEJC)
The SEJC at Sterling College is a student-driven club that meets weekly to discuss various social and environmentally related issues going on locally and regionally. Many of these apply to the larger context of sustainable communities. Past events attended by members include the People's Climate March in NYC in Fall 2014 and a protest march and direct action even in Montpelier, Vermont at the state house.
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The website URL where information about student groups is available:
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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:
Among the nation’s first college farms, our farm is a big part of our campus, and farm work is well integrated with academic study, the work program, and everyday community life. Students grow 20% of our own food on campus. Students conduct research experiments on the farm, and gain hands-on experience growing crops, managing livestock, using the woodlot, and working with draft horses.
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The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
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A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
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The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
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A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
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A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
A number of different speakers and conferences have been hosted at Sterling College. Green Mountain Farm to School hosted a Farm to School Conference in November, which included students in their intended audience, in addition to numerous local teachers, farmers, and businesses.
A number of different speakers related to sustainability have spoken at Sterling College including Gary Paul Nabhan, Marion Nestle, Alice Waters, and Peter Allen.
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The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
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A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
Sterling College hosts a number of student focused art events that include display and sales of artwork made through the Environmental Humanities curriculum.
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The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
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A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
Many of the Outdoor Education classes at Sterling College include following Leave No Trace principles. Bounder, a first year experiential learning opportunity, gives students an in-depth exploration of experiential education that culminates in a three day, four night trip called Expedition that follows Leave No Trace principles as well. In 2014, Sterling College held its fiftieth annual Expedition.
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The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Sustainability is a large theme in new students' first class at Sterling, A Sense of Place. This course includes sustainability as a major theme through field experiences, readings, and discussions.
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The website URL where information about the theme is available:
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A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
All of the residence halls included on campus are designed to develop sustainable life skills in Sterling College students.
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The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
A Federal Work Program College, Sterling utilizes a number of student employment opportunities that are focused on sustainability. Some of these include Food Systems Analyst, Invasive Species Monitor, and a myriad of Farm Crew related positions.
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The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
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A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
Since 2004, we have been a part of the Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental Responsibility. The pledge reads: "I pledge to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any action I consider and to seek to improve these aspects of any community to which I belong."
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
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A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
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The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
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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.