Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 58.21
Liaison Olivia Wiebe
Submission Date Feb. 27, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Idaho
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Jeannie L. Matheison
Director
Sustainability Center
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Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
Yes

The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:

1. Longterm stakeholders on the Food & Farm Composting Committee troubleshoot program challenges, fundraise for equipment, recruit volunteers, track diversions, and calculate cost savings to the university.

2. Representatives from five recycling management arenas attend the Recycling Committee with the aim to improve campus recycling and to provide consistent programming and marketing across campus.

3. The Projects Collaborative links facilities research needs with faculty expertise and class projects.

4. Sustainability Center Advisory Board, advises the Sustainability Center on its mission and awards up to $10,000 in annual student grants.


Members of each committee, including affiliations and role (e.g. staff, student, or faculty):

1. Food & Farm Composting Committee
Sustainability Center staff Jeannie Matheison (co-chair), Kayla Bordelon, and students Ethan Morris, Kylie Cultler, Kaitlyn Lindholm; Facilities Management staff Brian D. Johnson (co-chair), Gene Gussenhoven, and Fred Pollard; College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty Kathy Roheim, and staff Josh Peak, Derrick Mamer, and Alison Detjens; Auxiliary Services staff Gregory Cain; Commons Administration staff Robert Anderson, and Ben Aiman; Sodexo staff Mike Thomsen, and Kevin Maines.

2. Recycling Committee
Facilities Management staff Charles Zillinger (Chair), Tom Fisher, and Gene Gussenhoven; City of Moscow staff Tim Davis; Latah Sanitation staff Stevie Steely; ASUI Kibbie Activity Center staff; University Housing staff: Sustainability Center staff Jeannie Matheison, and Ethan Morris.

3. Projects Collaborative
College of Engineering faculty Dr. Herbert Hess, Dr. Steve Beyerlein, and Dr. Brian K. Johnson; College of Art & Architecture faculty Dr. Bruce Haglund; College of Business & Economics faculty Dr. Scott Metlen, and Dr. Kenneth Pekie; , Facilities Utilities & Engineering Services staff Gene Gussenhoven (chair), Marc Compton, Scott Smith, and Fred Pollard.

4. UI Sustainability Center (UISC) Advisory Board
Sustainability Center students Ethan Morris (chair), and Kylie Cutler; Sustainability Center staff Jeannie Matheison, and Kayla Bordelon; Facilities Management Brian Johnson; College of Education faculty James Gregson; ASUI student body President Nicole Skinner; Graduate Student Professional Association President; Student Law Society President.


Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee?:
Yes

A brief description of each sustainability office:

The Sustainability Center (UISC) was established as the first student-led Sustainability Center west of the Mississippi in 2006 as part of campus-wide student movement with support from staff, faculty, all three student governments (undergraduate ASUI, graduate student GPSA, and law student SBA), residence hall presidents and many clubs. This effort culminated in the passing of a $5 per semester student fee that continues to support UI Sustainability Center activities.

Our Mission: A student-led and student-funded organization, the Sustainability Center supports efforts to create an active culture of sustainability, and we are committed to developing and maintaining healthful, educational living environments while fully integrating sustainable practices at the University of Idaho and in the communities where we operate. Sustainability involves reorganizing our life support systems; climate, energy, biodiversity, food, consumerism and consumption, waste, transportation and built environment. We do this through projects that reduce our environmental footprint and increase participation and collaboration among students, faculty, staff and community members in addressing sustainability-related issues.

Student Leadership: The Sustainability Center is led by a student Program Manager and eight student staff positions responsible for coordinating events, volunteers, recycling, marketing, grant projects, and website. Students receive training, support and guidance from the Sustainability and Student Engagement Coordinator and Sustainability Center Director.

2 full-time staff positions: Sustainability Center activities and initiatives are supported by two full-time staff members: Kayla Bordelon, Sustainability & Student Engagement Coordinator, and Jeannie Matheison, Sustainability Center Director.


Full-time equivalent (FTE) of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
3.80

Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Yes

Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Jeannie Matheison, Sustainability Center Director; Kayla Bordelon, Sustainability and Student Engagement Coordinator

Does the institution have a mechanism for broad sustainability coordination for the entire institution (e.g. a campus-wide committee or an officer/office responsible for the entire campus)?:
Yes

A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:

The Sustainability Center uses the campus as a living laboratory to engage students in addressing real-world problems through service learning. One notable project among many benefitting UI is the Campus Solar Initiative. A senior, electrical engineering student is researching and leading the process of installing a solar array of 393 panels on the Institutional Research and Innovation Center (IRIC).

In addition, eight student leaders host 80-100 activities annually, most notably:
 Partnering with 120 key constituents including 11 student leadership organizations (ASUI, GPSA, SBA, clubs), 4 living groups (Greek, Dorms), 52 U of I (colleges, departments), and 53 community (non-profit’s, businesses).

 Allocating, up to $10,000 annually, for student-led campus sustainability projects.

 Supplementing campus recycling with Ink cartridge recycling, a move-out donation program, and more.

 Hosting 6 experiential volunteer programs which give students the opportunity to plant trees, grow organic produce, protect water quality, maintain mountain trails, pick-up litter, and support composting.

 Hosting events such as Bike Fix & Sustainability showcase, Can It!, Climb for Climate Change, Earth Fest, Haul Your Water, Stitch It!, Vandalizing the Kitchen, Wallace Water Competition, Zero Waste Challenge, and many more!

We serve thousands of students across campus. For example, Game Day Recycling serves hundreds of attendees at each home football game, and Food & Farm Composting serves all patrons of the Commons food court and the undergraduate dining hall.

FY17 data:
-Events and volunteer activities: 91
-Participants attending events and volunteer activities: 5,957
-Volunteer hours: 1,299
-Trees, shrubs, and groundcovers planted:751
-Student-led mini-grants awarded: 3

Accomplishments:
-Coordinating the university's response to a campus sustainability survey 2018, gathering and interpreting data for environmental literacy, employee and student commuter, and cultural indicators.
-Coordinating the university's response to STARS, Princeton Review, and Sierra Cool Schools.
-Leading greenhouse gas inventory and Climate Action Plan updates (in progress)
-Leading energy efficiency initiatives such as the installation of the university's first solar array (in progress)
-Fundraising $100,000
-Bringing Midwest Renewable Energy Association Photovoltaic training to five team members
-Improving campus recycling and composting programs
-Supporting a multitude of integrated seminars, professors, and student projects


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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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.