Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.04
Liaison Troy Goodnough
Submission Date March 30, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Minnesota, Morris
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Troy Goodnough
Sustainability Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Central Sustainability Website 

Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
Yes

A brief description of the central sustainability website (optional):
The sustainability website provides several pages of information about our sustainability efforts on campus as well as a news feed.

The website URL for the central sustainability website:
http://www.morris.umn.edu/sustainability/

Sustainability Newsletter 

Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
The Office of Sustainability uses the campus listserv infrastructure to communicate sustainability messages, events, and progress. This serves as the sustainability newsletter to campus. This platform is very effective at Morris. Please, see the example newsletter in the notes section at the bottom of this credit.

None
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
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Social Media Platforms 

Does the institution have social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, interactive blogs) that focus specifically on campus sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of the social media platforms that focus on sustainability:
Morris students, in collaboration with the Office of Sustainability, provide content to the UMM Students for Sustainability Facebook page.

The website URL of the primary social media platform focused on sustainability:
https://www.facebook.com/morrissfs/

Student Newspaper Coverage 

Does the institution have regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat?:
Yes

A brief description of the regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
There is routine of sustainability coverage on campus -- and typically a reporter who highlights campus sustainability efforts. Additionally, there is a routine MPIRG article discussing sustainability efforts on campus and in Minnesota.

The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
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Student Research Publication 

Does the institution produce a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Each spring, campus hosts the Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS). As it states on the website linked below, "the annual UMM Undergraduate Research Symposium celebrates student scholarly achievement and informs the campus community about the variety and quality of research on campus." At each URS, you will find student sustainability research featured. In addition to the URS, Morris students also participate in the U of M Institute on the Environment Sustainability Symposium and Student Engagement Leadership Forum on Sustainability (SELFsustain), where sustainability student leaders from across U of M meet to discuss sustainability progress on each campus and across the U of M system.

None
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
http://www.morris.umn.edu/urs/

Green Building Signage 

Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
No

None
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
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None
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
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Sustainable Food Systems Information 

Does the institution have signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of the signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
In both the main dining hall and student center cafe, there is signage highlighting our commitment to sustainable food systems. In addition, organizations on campus have published a community food assessment and guides to buying local and organic food. There is also information in food services about our ongoing composting project and signs about how and why we are composting on campus.

None
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
http://issuu.com/ummorris/docs/communityfoodassessment

Sustainable Grounds Signage 

Does the institution have signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed?:
No

A brief description of the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
There are brochures around campus about the edible landscaping feature at the Green Prairie Community. The Morris Grounds Crew labels plants around campus for community member to learn more about specific plant species. There are posters put up around campus, Pounce Ponderings, which highlight various aspects of campus sustainability, including grounds practices.

The website URL for the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
http://www.morris.umn.edu/facilities/grounds/

Sustainable Walking Map or Tour 

Does the institution produce a sustainability walking map or tour?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
In addition to a virtual sustainability tour there is also a paper brochure that highlights many of the areas on campus of connected to our sustainability efforts.

None
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
http://www.morris.umn.edu/virtualtour/

Guide for Commuters 

Does the institution produce a guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
Included on the campus website is a page about transportation. Recently, students used ZimRide to arrange transportation. There is information on the local and inter-city public transit options available in the area. In addition, our Regional Fitness Center has biking and walking maps of Morris. And the Regional Fitness Center, a campus-community collaborative effort, has a bike share program that loans out bikes.

The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
http://www.morris.umn.edu/visitors/transportation/

Materials for Cyclists and Pedestrians 

Does the institution produce navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians (e.g. covering routes, inter-modal connections, policies, services, and safety)? :
Yes

None
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
The Regional Fitness Center provides information about campus and community walking and bike and trails.

None
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
http://www.regionalfitnesscenter.com/facility/faqs/other-resources/

Green Living Guide 

Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
No

None
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
There are several green living guides made available to students on campus, produced by MPIRG and the MN GreenCorps students.

None
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
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Other Outreach Materials 

Does the institution produce other sustainability outreach materials or publications not covered above?:
Yes

A brief description of these materials or publications:
We share information about our collaborative renewable energy efforts with U of M West Central Research and Outreach Center at a website. https://wcroc.cfans.umn.edu/research-programs/renewable-energy We also put out a campus "green piece" with additional information about our sustainability efforts.

The website URL for these materials or publications:
https://issuu.com/ummorris/docs/morrisgreenpiece2017

Optional Fields 

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Troy Goodnough Date: Wed, Nov 22, 2017 at 12:08 PM Subject: From Troy: A Gratitude Day sustainability update! To: UMM-ALL-EMPLOYEES@lists.umn.edu, ummra@lists.umn.edu Friends, I hope you have a good Gratitude Day with your friends and family as we head into the home stretch of fall semester. You know what "they" say: gratitude is the parent of virtue. And, we have much to be thankful for. A lot of good sustainability work happened during summer/fall 2017 -- by folks all over campus -- and with our community partners. Morris is a sustainability leader -- in Minnesota and in the United States. Below is snapshot of some of our progress -- it is not a comprehensive list, but it is an attempt to share some highlights. Errors and omissions are mine. As always, I appreciate your sharing sustainability updates with me! Thanks to all of you who are helping to advance Morris’s sustainability aspirations and sharing our story. Thanks, Troy ------------------------------ 1) The UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, MORRIS (UMM) was recognized by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) as one of the TOP 10 BACCALAUREATE colleges in the North America in their recently release 2017 Campus Sustainability Index. We were also recognized for our efforts to BUILD GREEN. UMM IS THE ONLY PUBLIC SCHOOL in the U.S. to make this TOP 10 LIST. UMM was also featured in Princeton Review AND Sierra Club (in the TOP 40 in the US). 2) The CITY OF MORRIS and UMM were recognized with the LOCAL GOVERNMENT INNOVATION LEADERSHIP AWARD from the U of M Humphrey School for our ongoing award-winning MORRIS MODEL work (morrismodel.org).The award reception in in December 2017. 3) UMM FACILITIES MANAGEMENT (UMM FM) has continued their PARTNERSHIP with the MORRIS AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MORRIS is COLLECTING FOOD SCRAPS/ORGANICS from ELEMENTARY school and integrating it into the campus's COLD WEATHER COMPOSTING system. 4) This summer UMM hosted its FIRST J-1 intern from Muenster University of Applied Sciences in Germany. The city of Morris and SAERBECK, GERMANY have signed a SISTER-CITY and CLIMATE PROTECTION AGREEMENT. UMM supports the coordination of these efforts. The intern worked with the city, campus, public schools and hospital on energy planning. We are partnered with the GREENEST CITY IN EUROPE. 5) Lots of work by UMM FM. UMM Interns worked with Facilities Management, WCROC, and partners to better understand the MORRIS MICROGRID and lower PEAK DEMAND ELECTRICAL CHARGES. And, UMM continues to work hard to diversify and preserve its TREE CANOPY. 6) UMM FM now has one of the FIRST BOLT ALL-ELECTRIC CARS IN OUR FLEET -- and one of the first of about 20 in the entire State of Minnesota with help from a UMM alum. MORRIS also has the FIRST CHARGING STATION in Morris. Too cool for school. 7) This fall, as part of the CLIMATE SMART MUNICIPALITIES PROGRAM, UMM hosted a hundred people on campus to have an INTERNATIONAL AND INTERGENERATIONAL CONVERSATION ON “IMAGINING OUR ENERGY FUTURE”. Community leaders from across Stevens County and Morris attended the meeting. We also had about 15 LEADERS FROM CITIES ACROSS GERMANY IN MORRIS. THEY SHARED TECHNICAL DATA about their efforts to improve city sustainability. 8) UMM ALUMNI have been recognized for their outstanding efforts to advance FOOD JUSTICE in MINNESOTA. Many Morris alums and students are interested in food systems -- and are building livelihoods to advance those goals. 9) CHANCELLOR EMERITUS JACQUIE JOHNSON was recognized with the UPPER MIDWEST ASSOCIATION FOR CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY AWARD FOR ADMINISTRATORS (umacs.org). The award recognized Johnson for her decade of sustainability leadership at UMM, in the region, and for her national leadership. Johnson served as board chair to AASHE (aashe.org) and served in other national sustainability leadership roles. 10) UMM and INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY, MN EXTENSION, MN RSDP and other partners held a series of conversations exploring AGRICULTURE IN RURAL MINNESOTA AND RURAL LIFE. These were amazing conversations! 11) It was another busy year of gardening for the LIVE TO GARDEN PROGRAM -- a program facilitated by MORRIS HEALTHY EATING. The team worked on gardens in TWO RURAL COMMUNITIES in addition to their efforts in the ON-CAMPUS ORGANIC GARDEN AND NATIVE AMERICAN GARDEN. 12) And MORRIS HEALTHY EATING continued its efforts with the MORRIS AREA FARMERS MARKET located near the Morris Public Library -- the team expanded its youth programming to include the TASTE BUDS PROGRAM. 13) MORRIS ALUM, and SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR at BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY, Erika Bailey-Johnson, spent time with students and community partners discussing the connections between FOOD, SUSTAINABILITY and WELLNESS at a Sustainability Leadership Fellows for the Future-inspired program. http://www.aashe.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/2017_Sustainable_Campus_Index.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU9dQRXXsqk https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/green-colleges-2017 https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/cool-schools-2017 https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/first-bolt https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/waste-diversion-2017 https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/tree-history https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/conserve-and-save https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/alumni-food https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/cst-diversity-discussion https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/cst-diversity-discussion https://news.morris.umn.edu/news/johnson-farrell-recognition

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.