Overall Rating Reporter - expired
Overall Score
Liaison Ryan Buchholdt
Submission Date Aug. 12, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Alaska Anchorage
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete Reporter Paula Williams
Sustainability Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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 No
Student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes No
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
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 ---
Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences No
Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills ---
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 No
Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives ---

The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:

The Sustainability Club- A student-governed campus club, their purpose is to bring students together for social events and projects to promote sustainability at UAA and in the local community.

Green Fee Board_This promotes sustainability efforts in the university community by funding student initiatives defined by environmental stewardship, economic pragmatism, and social responsibility.
USUAA- USUAA, the Union of Students of the University of Alaska Anchorage, is recognized by the University of Alaska Board of Regents as the governing body for students enrolled at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The purpose of USUAA is to represent the interests, needs, and welfare of all students within the campus community and to supplement and complement education on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. USUAA provides for the expression of student opinion and interests to the community at large and works to protect the rights of all University of Alaska Anchorage students.

Paper and Energy Working Group- The Paper Reduction Working Group is exactly what its name suggests—a group dedicated toward reducing the amount of paper used on campus. They also seek to reduce energy use as well, most recently conducting a survey on the amount of energy spent in UAA’s computer labs. Their results revealed that the most efficient and cost effective way to conserve energy is to have the computer screens go dark instead of alternating to a screen saver

Transportation Working Group- he Transportation Working Group (TWG) is group that focuses on transportation around campus. Topics of discussion include winter biking, vehicle/biking/pedestrian safety and education, improving our multi-use trails, and more. The group is always looking for great ideas from students, staff, and faculty about transportation on campus.

UAA Sustainability Action Board-The Sustainability Action Board (SAB) consists of 3 staff, 3 faculty, and 4 students, one of which is a USUAA student representative. At least one of the SAB members is from a community campus. The SAB advises and recommends to
the Chancellor and the Sustainability Director courses of action on campus-wide sustainability issues and strategies. SAB promotes and supports annual campus efforts that advance sustainability, recognizes and honors exemplary actions that contribute
to a sustainable campus climate and assists the Director in developing and implementing
UAA's Sustainability Action Plan.


The website URL where information about student groups is available:
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:
---

The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
---

A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
---

The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
---

A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
---

The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
---

A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:

Sustainability Week on campus offers an insight to local foods and sustainable options for students to pursue when they are students at the University.
he University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Office of Sustainability is dedicated to building a future for UAA and the Great Land through environmentally wise, economically sound, and socially responsible actions. The office has made great strides to promote sustainability awareness across UAA's campus and in the community since its founding in January of 2009. These are a few of the speakers brought together to generate discussions and engage students.

“Who Owns the Water in Alaska” with Riki Ott, Gary Prokosch, Larry Merculieff and Bob Loeffler

David Krakauer presents “How the World is Changing & How You Want to Change the World”
Archeological Developments in Yakutat Bay, Alaska with Aron Crowell
Celebration for the "forthcoming" publication of Transforming the University: Alaska Native Studies in the 21st Century
The Art of Myth-Busting: Barthes's "Plastic" and the GYRE Art Exhibit with Jennifer Ann Wagner Lawlor
For Love of Fish
Bulent Kilic presents “ A comparative look at healthcare systems in Turkey and the US: Social Determinants of Health"
Bitcoins
Getting It Right 25 Years After the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: Ways to Strengthen Pre-Planning and Response Measures
Ian C. Hartman presents “From the Beverly Hillbillies to Duck Dynasty: Whiteness, Culture, and Memory in the American South"

3 Artists Facing the World: Katherine Coons, Justin Herrmann, and Nathan ShaferCo-op Businesses Today with Renata Ballesteros-LopezThe Norton Bay Climate Change Adaptation Plan with Hal Shepherd
Paul White presents Mining and the Environment: Archaeological Perspectives on an Unwanted Legacy
Alaska State Climatologist Peter Olsson and ASET Scientist Birgit Hagedorn discuss their Research and Goals
New UAA Faculty on Climate Change, Hydrology, Environmental Health and Resource Economics
Rick Steiner presents “Imperiled Arctic: Place, Threats, Solutions”Julie Raymond-Yakoubian presents "Alaska Native Knowledge, Beliefs and Experiences of the Supernatural Environment"


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:

Winterfest is held every year in February on campus. Activities include snow painting, recycled art called the flow of color. Recycled from UAA campus,thousands of plastic bottle caps were used to create this outdoor display of colors, and raise awareness about the number of plastic bottles that are used. If you can’t find a place that recycles plastic caps, you can certainly use creativity to reinvent them!
Inspired little snowmen, Each student in the class will build a little snowman with personality of 2-3 feet tall. Only natural or organic materials can be used for decoration.


The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
---

The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
---

A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
---

The website URL where information about the theme is available:
---

A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
---

The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
---

A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:

The Office of Sustainability employes students for the recycle crew. The students are in charge of picking up all of the recycles on campus at every building that has a recycle bin or recycling options available to the building. The students are offered briefing, office protocol, pathogen training, proper lift and safety techniques and defensive driver training. This education provides an overall understanding of everything that is required for recycling at the University.


The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:

n/a


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:
---

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.