| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 51.71 |
| Liaison | Anne Jakle |
| Submission Date | Oct. 18, 2024 |
The University of New Mexico
EN-2: Co-Curricular Activities
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.50 / 9.00 |
Jessica
Rowland Senior Lecturer Geography & Environmental Studies, Sustainability Studies |
2.1 Student sustainability organization
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the sustainability-focused student organization(s):
Since 2020, UNM Leaders for Environmental Action and Foresight (LEAF) has been an important campus entity to advance sustainability objectives at UNM. The student organization is dedicated to “protecting basic human rights and needs through environmentally based action and justice.” UNM LEAF’s ongoing work includes advocacy on fossil fuel divestment, cultivating a low carbon/waste-free campus, and investing in environmentally aware education and research. It has an active membership and is part of the Student Solidarity Coalition, which represents a group of nine UNM student organizations that are collaborating on various activities and initiatives related to sustainability and equity.
The Climate Change and Health Equity Coalition and Grassroot Greenworks are two newer chartered student organizations that specifically focus on environmental sustainability. A large number of chartered student organizations focus specifically on inclusion, including the Queer Student Alliance, National Society of Black Engineers, Dream Team, and Kiva Club. See: https://sac.unm.edu/student-organizations/index.html
In addition, the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico (ASUNM) has two standing positions that support general sustainability on campus. The Director of Environmental Affairs is tasked with advancing sustainability initiatives within ASUNM and on the UNM campus at large and collaborating with UNM Community Experience to execute and expand sustainability initiatives, among other duties. The ASUNM Director of Student Wellness addresses student basic needs through the implementation of innovative policies and programming to prioritize student support (including access to food at the Lobo Food Pantry). https://asunm.unm.edu/government/presidentoffice/index.html
The Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) also employs a Sustainability Director, who advances campuswide sustainability efforts and organizes student feedback and support for sustainability initiatives. Over the past two legislative sessions, GPSA successfully lobbied to receive state appropriations to install a solar photovoltaic system on top of the Student Union Building.
Does the institution formally recognize at least one student organization that is focused on a topic other than sustainability, but is advancing ecological integrity or racial equity and social justice?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the student organizations that are advancing ecological integrity or racial equity and social justice:
There are numerous student organizations at UNM that are committed to advancing ecological integrity, racial equity, and social justice. These include:
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
- Advancing Women in Science
- Geology & Environmental Science Club
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science - SACNAS Lobos
- UNM Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan (MEChA)
- Student Association of Geography & Environmental Studies (SAGES)
- Water Environment Federation/ American Water Works Association UNM Student Chapter
- Black Graduate and Professional Student Association
- National Society of Black Engineers
- Environmental Law Society
- Society of Native American Graduate Students
- American Civil Liberties Union
- UNMSOL
- United Graduate Workers of UNM
- Dream Team
- Wilderness Alliance
The majority of these student groups host regular club meetings, organize community events, take part in the annual UNM Sustainability Expo, and advocate for justice and equity on campus and in the larger Albuquerque community.
All chartered student organizations can be viewed at: https://sac.unm.edu/student-organizations/index.html
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
2.2 Sustainability-focused co-curricular activities
Description of and/or website URL for at least one major sustainability-focused event or series of events:
The UNM Sustainability Expo is an annual event hosted during Earth Week in late April. This event typically draws around 800 attendees and provides an opportunity for students, staff, and faculty to engage in sustainable practices, connect with community partners, and take action. With 70-90 booths at the Expo, attendees can learn about student clubs, class projects, university operations, sustainability research, local nonprofits, and more. This major sustainability-focused event provides the university community with an opportunity to support local and sustainable small businesses via a student-organized growers’ market. There are farms selling fresh produce, herbs and starter plants; prepared-food and value-added vendors; and local artisans and musicians. Student and community groups also promote the values of sustainable living through numerous informational booths and informal “how-to” demonstrations. The event is promoted on Instagram (@unmsustainabilityexpo) and is co-hosted by the UNM Sustainability Studies Program, the UNM Office of Sustainability, and UNM Parking & Transportation.
Does the institution have a sustainability-focused peer-to-peer education program in which student educators are selected and trained to help catalyze change among their peers?:
Description of and/or website URL for at least one sustainability-focused peer-to-peer education programs for students:
Does the institution provide sustainability-focused employment opportunities for students on at least an annual basis?:
Description of and/or website URL for at least one sustainability-focused employment opportunity for students:
Beginning in Fall 2024, the UNM Office of Sustainability has hired two Graduate Research Assistants to conduct research on sustainability topics to support the department’s commitment to UNM 2040 and strategic goals set by the UNM Administration and Regents. One is co-supervised with UNM Food and is focused on issues related to food security and sustainability.
Lobo Gardens offers one graduate assistantship per academic year and 1-3 undergraduate internship positions each semester (fall, spring, summer) to manage the gardens, lead workshops and field trips, and instruct classes related to the Lobo Community Garden. (https://www.dailylobo.com/article/2023/03/lobo-gardens-cultivate-community-and-sustainability-on-campus)
The UNM Sustainability Studies Program supports 5 paid student internships each semester. Students have been placed with local and national nonprofits; city, county and state government agencies; and on-campus units. (https://sust.unm.edu/professional-immersion-internship-program/index.html)
The UNM Community Engagement Center offers paid student positions through the UNM Service Corps program. Projects include collaboration with a diverse team working with community leaders working to advance equity in education, juvenile justice, community health, immigration, environmental, and tribal justice. (https://communityengagement.unm.edu/)
The Peer Learning Facilitator (PLF) Program often employs student PLFs in sustainability-inclusive courses. (https://urad.unm.edu/faculty-staff/plf-program.html)
UNM Food, via its contractor Aramark, hires sustainability interns to work on sustainability food-related issues on campus.
Does the institution have at least one student-managed enterprise that is sustainability-focused?:
Description of and/or website URL for at least one student-managed enterprise that is sustainability-focused:
Lobo Gardens is a student-managed community garden on campus that provides UNM students, faculty, and staff with opportunities to educate themselves and their communities about the practices and health benefits of growing food in sustainable ways. Lobo Gardens is the site for graduate and undergraduate research and projects, and it provides fresh produce for the Lobo Food Pantry to support food security of UNM students. (https://www.dailylobo.com/article/2023/03/lobo-gardens-cultivate-community-and-sustainability-on-campus)
Description of additional sustainability-focused co-curricular activities for students:
The UNM Outdoor Adventure Center has numerous sustainability-focused co-curricular activities. The Outdoor Adventure Center is a Leave No Trace partner and offers a training on outdoor ethics to students. It also supports the Lobo Bike Shop, which is staffed by student bicycle mechanics. The bike shop provides low-cost bicycle repair and services to the UNM community and also offers an affordable semester-long bicycle rental program to students. (https://recservices.unm.edu/outdoor-adventure-center/classes-clinics.html and https://recservices.unm.edu/outdoor-adventure-center/lobo-bike-shop.html)
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
2.3 Percentage of students that participate in sustainability activities
Percentage of students that participate in sustainability activities:
Approach used to determine the percentage of students that participate in the institution’s sustainability activities:
Narrative outlining how student participation in the institution’s sustainability activities was determined:
The largest sustainability event on campus is the Annual Sustainability Expo, which takes place in late April on Main Campus each year. By taking staggered hourly crowd counts (using a handheld tally counter) over the 4-hour duration of the Expo, the Sustainability Studies Program estimates that around 800 attendees came to the 2024 event. Based on randomly gathered attendee feedback, the average time spent at the event is about an hour. The same random survey shows that over 90% of attendees are students, so we assume that around 720 students participated in the Expo.
According to the 2023 Annual Lobo Gardens report, around 60 students were enrolled in the Lobo Gardens course during the 2022-23 academic year, and close to 100 students engaged in the garden via outreach events and volunteer days. Together with twenty-three sustainability-related student organizations that were active during the 2023-24 academic year, a handful of sustainability-focused positions in ASUNM and GPSA student government, 15 Sustainability Studies internships, and various co-curricular activities on campus (particularly those happening through the Outdoor Adventure Center), we conservatively estimate another 300-400 students to be directly involved in UNM’s sustainability activities. Although there may be some overlap with attendance at the Sustainability Expo, an estimate of ~1000 students participating in sustainability activities is likely extremely conservative.
With full-time equivalent student enrollment in Fall 2023 for the Albuquerque Campus of 23,929 and an estimated 1000 students participating in campus sustainability activities, our conservative estimate is just over 4% of the total student body was actively involved in institutional sustainability initiatives.
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
Optional documentation
Additional documentation for this credit:
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.