| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 60.77 |
| Liaison | Breeana Sylvas |
| Submission Date | April 15, 2013 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of California, Merced
SD-1: New Student Orientation
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
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Does new student orientation include presentations, speakers, or skits that address sustainability and take place in large venues that most or all first-year students attend?:
Yes
None
Provide a brief description of the presentations, speakers or skits:
Sustainability leaders from campus, such as the recycling coordinator, present at each summer orientation session for incoming students. Each fall, new students attend the Ascend New Student Success Conference which includes a number of sustainability-related workshops, such as Rethink Recycling and The Benefits of Joining a Professional Engineering Organization (including Engineers for a Sustainable World).
None
Does new student orientation incorporate sustainability information into presentations (e.g., made by Residential Advisors to individual dorm floors)?:
Yes
None
Provide a brief description of the presentations:
New student orientation introduces students to sustainable practices in UC Merced's dormitories and through campus tours. As a brand new, entirely LEED certified campus, incoming students are immersed into an environment where every single element of the built environment reflects the latest thinking in resource sensitive design and campus tours for new students make sure to emphasize these elements. Within residence halls, incoming students are briefed and provided online information on strategies (e.g. energy efficient appliance purchasing) and behaviors (e.g. non-peak hour laundry days) that can be used to minimize the resource load of their residence halls.
None
Does new student orientation actively engage students in activities that raise awareness about sustainability, highlight how sustainability plays out on campus, or allows students to take part in a productive green activity?:
Yes
None
Provide a brief description of the activities:
During the first month of classes, the Green Fiend BBQ gives students a chance to chat with sustainability related clubs, organizations, and departments over free food. One of the most noteworthy fun activities is the "Green Campus Bike Blender", a retrofitted, people-powered stationary bicycle that students can use to make a milkshake. Watch the Youtube video of UC Merced student pedaling to blend her very own milkshake to see it in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fms-H1ul7cM&feature=player_embedded
None
Does the institution make new student orientation more sustainable via efforts such as a zero-waste meal or carbon offsets?:
Yes
None
Provide a brief description of the efforts:
UC Merced does not purchase carbon offsets, but it does make students aware of the ability of the campus to support zero waste student club events.
None
Does the institution incorporate sustainability into new student orientation in other ways?:
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None
Provide a brief description:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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