Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 56.45
Liaison Bambi Ingram
Submission Date Feb. 7, 2020
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Alabama at Birmingham
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Abigail Franks
Intern
Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Student Groups 

Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:
UAB has a student group for undergrad and grad students to pursue sustainability initiatives on the campus: Green Initiative. We also have a club, Energy Efficiency and Sustainability, whose primary role is to support our 2017 Solar Decathlon competition but thereafter will pursue ways to do other DOE-related initiatives on the campus and in the community.

The website URL where information about the student groups is available (optional):

Gardens and Farms 

Does the institution have gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects 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:
The UAB Community Gardens serve all faculty, staff, and students on a first come, first-served basis. They are individual plots worked by the leasee. Several of the plots are affiliated with courses on campus, such as the School of Public Health's Food Security and Nutrition Course and the Universities Fighting World Hunger club.

The website URL where information about the gardens, farms or agriculture projects is available (optional):

Student-Run Enterprises 

Does the institution have student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes (e.g. cafés through which students gain sustainable business skills)?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
UAB iLab is an entrepreneurial space run by student leaders to address community issues and drive economic development with strong sustainability elements.

The website URL where information about the student-run enterprises is available (optional):

Sustainable Investment and Finance 

Does the institution have sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives 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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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
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Events 

Does the institution have conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:
UAB Earth Month includes a sequence of events such as a trip down the local Black Warrior River, a household hazardous waste collection, a day of service, and guest speakers. Throughout the month there are many seminars that focus on educating the student body of various issues within the field of sustainability.

The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):

Cultural Arts 

Does the institution have cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:
Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth: Upcycling and Art Club Event. When: Tuesday, April 16 from 2-4 PM Where: UAB Gardens and Solar House, 11th Avenue S and 17th Street S Celebrate Earth Month with UAB Screen printing students and Medium: Art Club at UAB. Bring a t-shirt or tote (new or upcycled) to have it printed with this year’s Earth Month design.

The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):

Wilderness and Outdoors Programs 

Does the institution have wilderness or outdoors programs (e.g. that organize hiking, backpacking, kayaking, or other outings for students) that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
UAB Outdoor Pursuits, hosted through the UAB Rec Center's Adventure Rec program, leads outdoor excursions all over the United States. All trips are led by trained staff who administer Leave No Trace principles with participants.

The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors programs is available (optional):

Sustainability-Related Themes 

Does the institution have sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences (e.g. choosing a sustainability-related book for common reading)?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
The Science and Technology Honors Program requires students to take an interdisciplinary seminar during their sophomore year, which includes a concentration of "Creating a Culture of Sustainability". In the spring of 2018, students who took this class visited Iceland to learn about climate change, sustainable ice-fishing, and indoor agriculture. Program Director: Diane C. Tucker, Ph.D. Associate Directors: Joe L. March, Ph.D., and Joel L. Berry, Ph.D. Program Manager: Clay Walls, B.A.

The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):

Sustainable Life Skills 

Does the institution have programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
No

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
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The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
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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 UAB Sustainability program offers annual internships (between 8 and 10) for undergrad and grad students to support various programs. Ex, biking infrastructure, Green Labs, solar decathlon, earth month planning, Tree Campus USA commitments, environmental policies, etc.

The website URL where information about the student employment opportunities is available:

Graduation Pledge

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

A brief description of the graduation pledges:
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
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Other Programs and Initiatives 

Does the institution have other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives?:
Yes

A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
BLOOM is a student-run, design studio that focuses on “DESIGN FOR GOOD” projects for local non-profits, and under-served communities. It is an independent study course taught in the Graphic Design area of the Department of Art and Art History at UAB. BLOOM students work directly with clients and community members on projects ranging from ecology, economic development, and social services. BLOOM students have done research and created design work for many pressing needs and initiatives.

The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):

Optional Fields 

Estimated percentage of students (full-time and part-time) that participate annually in sustainability-focused co-curricular education and outreach programs (0-100):
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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.