| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 77.90 |
| Liaison | Katie Maynard |
| Submission Date | March 4, 2021 |
University of California, Santa Barbara
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Jewel
Persad Sustainability Manager Administration |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
UC Santa Barbara is home to 40 student-led organizations that work on environmental and/or sustainability issues. Each of these programs is devoted to informing the campus and community about topics such as climate change, law and policy, ecology, energy, food justice, and sustainability. A description of each organization's primary functions and goals, as well as past and current projects, can be found here: https://sustainability.ucsb.edu/organizations
Associated Students Bike Committee
Associated Students Bike Shop
Associated Students Coastal Fund
Associated Students Commission On Student Well-Being (COSWB)
Associated Students Community Affairs Board
Associated Students Department of Public Worms
Associated Students Environmental Affairs Board (EAB)
Associated Students Food Bank
Associated Students Human Rights Board
Associated Students Recycling
Associated Students Zero Waste Committee
California Student Public Interest Research Group
Climate Justice Hub
Climate Reality Project Campus Corps at UCSB
Ecological Coalition (ECOalition) at UCSB
Edible Campus Program*
Educating Leaders for the Future (ELF)
Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
FeelGood SB
Food, Nutrition, & Basic Skills Program (FNBS)
Fossil Free UCSB
Greenhouse and Garden Project
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)
The Wildlife Society*
Health, Environment, & Animal Rights (HEAR)!
Isla Vista Community Relations Commission (IVCRC)
Isla Vista Surfrider Foundation
LabRATS (Laboratory Research and Technical Staff)
Oxfam America Club at UCSB
Program for the Assessment and Certification of the Environment and Sustainability (PACES)
Refuse, Recycling & Research Center (R3C)
Renewable Energy Initiative (REI)
Residence Hall Association (RHA)
Santa Barbara Student Housing Cooperative
UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI)
UC Global Food Initiative (GFI)
UCSB Sustainability Internship Program
Your Children’s Trees at UCSB
Does the institution have a garden, farm, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or an urban agriculture project where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
UCSB has three plot-based community gardens on campus, the UCSB Greenhouse and Garden Project, West Campus Family Student Housing Gardens, and Storke Campus Family Student Housing Garden.
The Greenhouse and Garden Project (GHGP) allows students, faculty, and staff to maintain their own gardening plot. Each member has full access to the greenhouse. The GHGP practices organic gardening; no pesticides or harmful chemicals may be used. Several faculty members use the grounds for research and educational purposes. More information can be found here: https://food.ucsb.edu/gardens
.
There are also two community gardens in housing, the Storke Family Housing Garden and the West Campus Family Housing Garden. These gardens are run by the residents and their families. More information can be found here: https://fshgardens.weebly.com and the following link can be used to sign-up for a plot: http://ucsbfsh.weebly.com/services-555152-417722.html
Through the UCSB Edible Campus Program, we have a student farm, an urban orchard, and a hydroponic garden which produce food for campus food pantries, especially Associated Students Food Bank.
UCSB’s Edible Campus Program aims to address local food insecurity by re-purposing underutilized spaces on campus for food production, turning waste into food, and engaging students as growers and producers. This effort is supported by the AS Department of Public Worms, AS Food Bank, and UCSB Sustainability. The program empowers the campus community, especially students, to be responsible stewards and leaders of our food system. Students are trained in practices that address social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability to help them to reclaim their personal connection to the land and their food. These projects are primarily maintained by students and provide education on sustainable farming. The farm grows a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that are distributed to UCSB students via campus food pantries. As part of the Urban Orchard Project, seven trees have been planted in Storke Plaza. The fruit from all seven trees is harvested and also donated to campus pantries.
The Edible Campus Program’s third project involves the hydroponic vertical gardens on campus, the garden eliminates the need for the land and excess water that is typically needed to grow produce. Nutrients for the plants come in part from compost tea prepared by the student-run AS Department of Public Worms. Food grown from the vertical gardens is donated to campus food pantries.
Lastly we also have a few community gardens without individual plots. The American Indian and Indigenous Gardens Alliance (AIIGA) manages the Three Sisters and Four Directions Garden which promotes health through growing and preparing traditional foods/plants that enhance our medical, physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. The UCSB Edible Campus Program also partners with the St.Michael’s Community Church and the University United Methodist Community Church in Isla Vista to execute two community gardens at those locations.
Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
Does the institution have a sustainable investment fund, green revolving fund, or sustainable microfinance initiative through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills?:
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)
TGIF is a student-funded program that awards approximately $170,000 annually in grants for projects that enhance UCSB’s environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability. Students, staff, and faculty can submit project proposals to a student-majority governance board that selects which projects receive funding. Priority, however, is given to student initiated projects. For a list of projects funded through the grant program, visit https://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/tgif/tgif-projects
The Coastal Fund
The Coastal Fund is a student initiative that is dedicated to the conservation of the UCSB coastline. Each undergraduate student contributes $5.75 per quarter ($3.00 for graduate students) to the fund through a student lock-in fee. The Coastal Fund accepts proposals each academic quarter for projects such as marine research, community and campus restoration initiatives or coastal education, and funds are administered by a board consisting of 5 undergraduate and 2 graduate students. The Coastal Fund has further involved UCSB students in coastal protection by creating the Coastal Service Program in which student organizations can raise much needed funds by participating in a local beach clean up or native habitat restoration.
(https://coastalfund.as.ucsb.edu)
Has the institution hosted a conference, speaker series, symposium, or similar event focused on sustainability during the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
The University of California, Santa Barbara founded the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference (CHESC) and has been host to CHESC nine times since 2002. CHESC is designed by and for campuses from each of the four systems of higher education in California, the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, and private and independent colleges and universities. As a result of this unique partnership, CHESC provides top quality sessions highlighting the most innovative best practices from the past year. Speakers include staff, administrators, faculty, and students from colleges and universities throughout the state, often speaking on teams representing the stakeholder collaborations which are the foundation of campus sustainability efforts.
(http://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/chesc/)
In 2011, UCSB created the Central Coast Sustainability Summit. The Central Coast Sustainability Summit is a yearly event that brings together elected officials, staff, faculty, and interested parties from local governments and organizations to discuss common sustainability issues, share best practices, and seek regional sustainability partnerships. Common discussion topics include issues of energy, transportation, waste, and water management. We have also held a variety of colloquia featuring notable authors and environmental advocates.
(https://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/2019-central-coast-sustainability-summit)
The Bren School, a graduate school for Environmental Science and Management at UCSB, holds the Bren Seminar Series on Mondays every quarter so that students can learn from an expert in the environmental and/or sustainability field. The Bren seminar committee brings in speakers that do work related to Bren's mission of solving environmental problems. For Bren Seminar speakers visit https://www.bren.ucsb.edu/news/all_events.htm
Has the institution hosted a cultural arts event, installation, or performance focused on sustainability with the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
The Carsey-Wolf Center (CWC) supports research in the field of Media and the Environment. This research area includes teaching, research, and public programming. Projects include film screenings of innovative environmental films and environmental media production courses such as GreenScreen. For more information visit https://www.carseywolf.ucsb.edu/research/environment/.
Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
UCSB Adventure Programs in the Department of Recreation offers students, staff, and faculty wilderness trips, outdoor recreation classes, ropes courses and climbing center programs that are meant to provide educational and recreational experiences as well as opportunities for growth and leadership. Activities include backpacking, kayaking and camping. One of the direct commitments of the program offerings is to "promote wilderness ethics and stewardship, utilizing Leave No Trace principles." Adventure Programs currently has five Leave No Trace Master Educators which regularly facilitate both Leave No Trace Trainer Courses and Workshops. All the volunteer outdoor guide staff become Leave No Trace Trainers as part of their baseline training and are able to teach the principles on trips and programs. Additionally, as part of the Adventure Programs, First Year Outdoor Adventures (FYOA) activities are offered prior to first year students' move in day and last about a week. There are three different outdoor programs for first year students (and one for transfer students): Backpacking Adventure, Colorado R. Canoe Adventure, and Multi-Sport Adventure. One of the main goals stated for participants of these programs is to "learn environmental stewardship through the practice of Leave No Trace (LNT)".
Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Since 2007, UCSB Reads has brought the campus and Santa Barbara communities together to read a common book that explores important issues of our time. Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore, a work of creative nonfiction by Elizabeth Rush, was selected as the 2020 UCSB Reads book. Rising depicts the impact of sea level rise in the United States. UCSB Reads 2020 was kick off with a free book giveaway for students at the beginning of the winter quarter. From January through May, The Library sponsored panel discussions, film screenings, exhibitions, and other events to explore the book’s themes.
Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The Food, Nutrition, and Basic Skills Program (FNBS) is a coalition effort between students, staff, faculty, and community members to empower our students with the skills to become more food secure. The Food, Nutrition, and Basic Skills Program (FNBS) launched Winter Quarter 2015 to teach students foundational skills such as budgeting, cooking and nutrition skills. The FNBS program works with many partners to bring learner- centered workshops and cooking series to address basic needs on campus. By focusing on four foundational areas of food security, we aim to support student success on campus and provide skills they can utilize long after graduation. In Fall 2020, the FNBS Program introduced Home Cooking Peers, a virtual (Zoom) food & nutrition themed coaching program where students may schedule a one-on-one appointment with a peer or health educator of their choice.
The UCSB Health & Wellness Program promotes the mental, physical, and social health of all students by enhancing individual skills and positive relationships with families, peers and the UCSB and Isla Vista community. “Throughout the year, Health & Wellness staff, interns, and Advocate volunteers host a variety of events to provide health and wellness information to all students on campus and in Isla Vista. Topics that Health & Wellness focuses on include nutrition, body image, alcohol and other drugs, and sexual health. From receiving a stress-reducing massage to learning how to cook a quick and affordable dinner, Health & Wellness engages students to teach valuable information and skills pertaining to nutrition, stress reduction, sexual health, sleep, and more (https://food.ucsb.edu/resources/food-nutrition/health-wellness).”
UCSB Housing and Residential Services offers a published Sustainability Guide online. This guide offers students valuable information on how to be "green" while living in UCSB Residence Halls. It includes sustainability tips, efforts, and opportunities for students.
(http://www.housing.ucsb.edu/earth-friendly-living)
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
The Sustainability Internship Program, based in the Department of Geography, offers students opportunities to gain experience in sustainability projects and make a difference on campus as well as in the local community.This year (19/2020), 65 students were hired to take part in paid internships through the UCSB Sustainability Internship Program.
Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Please note that the above list of student organizations could have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began and students moved to remote learning.
Please note that the above list of student organizations could have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began and students moved to remote learning.
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.