Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 56.90
Liaison Cody Friend
Submission Date March 19, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Nebraska at Omaha
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.50 / 2.00 Sarah Burke
Sustainability Coordinator
Student Affairs
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Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:

Every Bite Counts: Focused on food recovery. They collect unserved food from catering events and deliver the food to a local non-profit that works with homeless and at-risk youth in Omaha. The organization formed in the Spring 2016 and became operational in the Fall 2016.

In the Fall 2017, a new student organization SustainUNO (SUNO) formed. SUNO is an action-oriented student organization focused on improving sustainability practices on campus and educating their peers about sustainability problems and solutions.

In the Fall 2018, SustainUNO and Every Bite Counts merged to form one student organization.


The website URL where information about the student groups is available (optional):
Does the institution have gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:

UNO has partnered with a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to provide fresh produce, breads, and dairy to students, faculty, and staff.


The website URL where information about the gardens, farms or agriculture projects is available (optional):
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Does the institution have student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes (e.g. cafés through which students gain sustainable business skills)?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:

UNO's Maverick Food Pantry (MFP) serves all currently enrolled UNO students as well as faculty and staff. The mission of MFP is to contribute to UNO's culture of caring by providing food to those in immediate need and connecting them with resources in the greater Omaha area for long-term support. They are dedicated to eliminating hunger in the UNO community and increasing awareness of food insecurity and nutrition.

The MFP Program Manager (student position) sees to the day-to-day operations of the MFP. They recruit, coordinate, orient, and train pantry volunteers to complete tasks within the pantry. Additionally, they attend campus events representing the food pantry and coordinate food drives with campus/off-campus organizations.


The website URL where information about the student-run enterprises is available (optional):
Does the institution have 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

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
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Does the institution have conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:

The Center for Urban Sustainability hosts an annual Sustainability Launchpad which focuses on different topic s each year. It features keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. Recent topics have included energy, water, urban food production/availability, and transportation (Last event was in April 2018). https://www.unomaha.edu/community-engagement-center/news/events/2017/04/sustainability-launchpad.php

The Office of Sustainability hosts a speaker annually for the Sustainability Leadership Presentation Series, a monthly live and web-based presentation co-organized by Central Community College, the Joslyn Institute for Sustainable Communities, and five other academic partners.

Michael E. Mann Presentation (2017) - UNO hosted award-winning climate scientist Michael E. Mann. The public talk was based on his 2016 Book: The Madhouse Effect.

UNO hosted the Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Ally College Conference (MBLGTACC) in 2018.


The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):
Does the institution have cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:

WATER (2016) explored the issues impacting water quality and sustainability both within the midwestern region and globally. These concepts were highlighted through the combination of scientific data and fine art, while encouraging visitors to consider their own relationship with water - how water impacts our community, our health, and our perspectives. UNO's Center for Urban Sustainability was one of the supporters that brought WATER to Kaneko.


The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):
Does the institution have wilderness or outdoors programs (e.g. that organize hiking, backpacking, kayaking, or other outings for students) that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:

UNO's Outdoor Venture Center (OVC) continues to operate under LNT principles on all outdoor trips. Trips included rock climbing, stand-up paddleboarding, hiking, backpacking, and cross country skiing. The Assistant Director for OVC is certified as an LNT Master Educator through the National Outdoor Leadership School. Additionally, the OVC ran an Outdoor Leadership class that included an LNT trainer course.


The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors programs is available (optional):
Does the institution have sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences (e.g. choosing a sustainability-related book for common reading)?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
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The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):
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Does the institution have programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
No

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
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The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
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Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
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The website URL where information about the student employment opportunities is available:
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Does the institution have graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
No

A brief description of the graduation pledges:
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
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Does the institution have other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives?:
No

A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
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The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):
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Estimated percentage of students (full-time and part-time) that participate annually in sustainability-focused co-curricular education and outreach programs (0-100):
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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.