| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 85.89 |
| Liaison | Jennifer Andrews |
| Submission Date | Oct. 24, 2024 |
University of New Hampshire
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Jennifer
Andrews Project Director Sustainability Institute |
Student groups
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
UNH has a tremendous selection of thriving student organizations that are collaborating on programs, events, and community building opportunities to promote sustainability on and off campus including many that specifically engage in promoting diversity, social justice, equity and inclusion.
Examples include but are not limited to the following:
- EcoReps at UNH - EcoReps is a club dedicated to making the community a better and cleaner place by doing community clean-ups at UNH and surrounding areas. We host clean-ups and attend UNH events, such as Sustainability Day and U-Day, to peer educate other students on sustainable practices. Anyone is able to join! https://www.instagram.com/unhecoreps/
- Engineers Without Borders - The mission of Engineers Without Borders- UNH (EWB-UNH) is to establish an organization that encourages, supports, and implements environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects in disadvantaged communities nationally and internationally, while developing knowledgeable and globally responsible students.
- Electric Vehicle Organization - To promote the adoption of electric transportation through the design and fabrication of custom electric vehicles as well as community engagement activities. https://www.instagram.com/ewbunh/
- Environmental and Water Resources Institute - Founded in 1999, EWRI is ASCE's technical source for environmental and water-related issues; EWRI's vision is "Advancing water resources and environmental solutions to achieve a sustainable future."
- GIVE- We are a service org dedicated to community service within the UNH and Durham community. We want to provide sustainable volunteer opportunities within our community that can have a lasting impact and really make a difference. Most importantly...we are here to explore and stretch our comfort zones!
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Model United Nations - The main purpose of the organization is to promote a greater awareness and understanding of the United Nations (UN), international politics, and diplomacy through the participation of members of the organization in Model UN conferences. https://www.instagram.com/unhmun/
- NH Outing Club - The New Hampshire Outing Club's mission is to break down economic and social barriers to outdoor recreation and foster a community of stewardship and belonging along the way. https://www.instagram.com/the_nhoc/
- Organic Garden Club - The Organic Garden Club (OGC) manages the only student-run, certified organic farm on campus on an acre of land just off Mast Rd. The purpose of this organization shall be to cultivate an inclusive campus-community organic farm based on promoting social, economic, environmental, and agricultural sustainability through practice and education. We aim to foster campus-community involvement in learning about organic agriculture, how to garden, and where our food comes from! No experience is necessary to be a member, at the OGC we are all learning together. We want to grow and enjoy good food together, hosting community dinners at the Waysmeet Center, as well as operating our farm stand in season (summer). https://www.instagram.com/ogcunh/
- Partners for World Health Chapter of UNH - The mission of our chapter is to organize students at the college and university level to collect discarded medical supplies, save our landfills, and provide services to those underserved around the globe. A PWH Chapter member reflects a commitment of service to give back to our community and our world. https://www.instagram.com/unhpwh/
- Slow Food UNH - Seeks to preserve and revitalize food culture on campus and in the community through education, celebration, and outreach. https://www.instagram.com/slowfoodunh/
- The Butterfly Garden Club - The mission of the Butterfly Garden Club is to raise awareness for and to conserve declining pollinator populations including but not limited to: butterflies, birds, and bees. By building a diverse garden filled with pollinator-attracting plants, we hope to support these fundamental organisms that are crucial to our ecosystem. https://www.instagram.com/bgc.unh/
- UNH Energy Club - The UNH Energy Club (UEC) is a student organization with the purpose of informing the UNH community about issues in energy by hosting campus-wide events, networking with professionals to learn about energy-related careers, and building an energy-conscious community of students. See https://www.unh.edu/sustainability/blog/2022/02/revival-unh-energy-club and https://www.instagram.com/unhenergyclub/
There are also a number of organizations devoted to social justice, a vital aspect of sustainabitliy:
- Alliance - Alliance is committed to making a safe environment not only for students within the organization but around Durham as well. We strive to create a community without prejudice. It is the belief of Alliance that students should be able to feel comfortable expressing their identity across campus and not feel alienated from fellow students. https://www.instagram.com/allianceatunh/
- Black Student Union- Black Student Union (BSU) seeks to provide black students and allies a space to gain knowledge, awareness, and a sense of self. We seek to educate the entire UNH community on issues relating to Black identity, culture, and social justice issues.
- Chabad Jewish Student Group- The Chabad Jewish Student Group is a fellowship of students, driven to share Jewish tradition, language, and culture with UNH students and faculty. We as a student organization strive to enrich the public knowledge of the Jewish people, their way of life, history, and civilization, and give the Jewish students a home away from home.
- Diversity Support Coalition - The Diversity Support Coalition (DSC) seeks to promote, educate, and support multiculturalism, diversity, and equity at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) through programming and support of its member groups. The DSC strives to keep the acceptance of multiculturalism, diversity, and equality at the forefront of the University culture. These ideas and concepts are supported by the central DSC leadership and the students in its member groups. https://www.instagram.com/unhdsc/
- oSTEM - This organization intends to promote LGBTQIAP+ visibility and advocacy within STEM fields through outreach and community involvement.
- Save the Children Action Network - Save the Children Action Network is the political voice for kids. We work to spread awareness about the major issues affecting children across the globe. By building political will and mobilizing the community, SCAN increases the opportunity for children to survive and thrive. Domestically, SCAN hopes to expand high-quality early learning programs. Internationally, the goal is to end preventable deaths of mothers and children around the globe.
These resources are featured and promoted by the Memorial Union and Student Activities: www.unh.edu/mub/student-organizations
Gardens and farms
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
UNH Organic Garden Club
The UNH Organic Garden Club (OGC) is a student-run organization established in 2003. The OGC maintains a two-acre farm on the Campus-Community Farm, a 30-acre USDA certified organic site. In the winter of 2004, OGC collaborated with UNH's Students Without Borders to secure a $10,000 grant from the UNH Parent’s Association to create the “built” components of the farm site, including drip irrigation and a shed. The first growing season was the spring/summer of 2004. Crops harvested at the site are purchased by UNH Dining Services and sold at a weekly UNH Durham campus farm stand and a small CSA during the growing season. The OGC also hosts free community dinners at the Waysmeet Center every 2nd Friday of the month with produce while in season and with produce from local farms at other times of the year. ttps://www.instagram.com/ogcunh/
Farm to YOU NH
Students in the SAFS679/680: Food Production Field Experience class learn about sustainable agriculture firsthand while producing fresh healthy food for UNH Dining, UNH Dairy Bar and UNH Conferences and Catering. Students work at the high tunnels and fields located by the Fairchild Dairy on O’Kane Rd. They produce a wide variety of crops ranging from lettuce to edible flowers. https://farmtoyounh.com/
Team Experience in Agroecosystem Management - TEAM Organic
TEAM-Organic is a brand-new full year experiential course that takes place at the Organic Dairy Research Farm in Lee, NH. Students work together in the operation of the COLSA/ NHAES Organic Dairy Research Farm building on agro-ecology and sustainable agriculture principles. Students explore organic dairy farming methods, marketing and development of value-added strategies, business and human resource management, woodland management, water quality, land use, composting, nutrient management, pasture productivity, complimentary animal production systems, and soils and post-harvest management. https://colsa.unh.edu/agriculture-nutrition-food-systems/opportunities/sustainable-agriculture-food-systems-field-experience
Student-run enterprises
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
Trash 2 Treasure
Trash 2 Treasure (T2T) is a student-powered social enterprise with the mission of assisting students, UNH and the local community in reducing waste. T2T’s main initiative is to run the spring move-out collection and fall yard sale program, reducing unnecessary discarded items from entering landfills. Consequently, T2T significantly reduces trash removal costs for UNH and provides families back-to-school savings at move-in weekend. The success of T2T is achieved through strong student leadership and passionate, active volunteers who want to promote sustainability.
www.unh.edu/sustainability/student-education-engagement/trash-2-treasure
UNH CREAM
UNH CREAM (Cooperative Real Education in Agricultural Management) is a student-run cooperative in which 25-30 UNH students, with the help of advisors, operate and manage a small business consisting of a registered Holstein dairy herd. With regard to the herd, CREAM's mission is to provide a clean, comfortable environment for their cows and to manage them in such a way as to maintain a healthy, contented herd, which will produce high quality milk in an economical and sustainable manner.
The student group running the business changes completely in the fall semester of each year. The herd is passed on to the next group with the help of a transition team of student advisors, as well as dairy center personnel and faculty advisors. Cooperatively running this dairy business with other students encourages each member to develop, personally, their leadership, communication and group skills and may well be the most important benefit derived from being a CREAMer. https://colsa.unh.edu/thompson-school-applied-science/cream
Sustainable investment and finance
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
Atkins Investment Group
The Atkins Investment Group is a completely student-managed investment fund at UNH's Peter T Paul College of Business & Economics, overseeing approximately $40,000 in long-equity and fixed income positions. The group, which is open to all majors and concentrations, is comprised of forty-five students ranging from sophomores to seniors that are responsible for making all investment decisions. Student members are provided with a unique opportunity to learn about active investing and portfolio management. In 2013, the Group has began managing a Socially Responsible Fund. https://paulcollege.unh.edu/experience/student-clubs-organizations
Rines Student Angel Investment Fund
Students actively manage the Rines Student Angel Investment Fund, a donor-created fund which focuses on investments in private equity and angel investments in entrepreneurial ventures and start-ups. During weekly meetings students present due diligence completed on potential investment opportunities. Final due diligence reports are presented to the investment committee of the Fund. Students attend regional angel group meetings for company presentations for investment opportunities. https://paulcollege.unh.edu/experience/student-clubs-organizations
Committee on Investor Responsibility
As part of UNH's ongoing institution-wide commitment to sustainability, the UNH Committee on Investor Responsibility (CIR) was formed in 2017 to help support the Foundation in sustainable, socially responsible investment practices and policies. UNH has a longstanding history of sustainable initiatives and will continue to support them through our Foundation's investments. The CIR invites two-three students per year to participate in the CIR's efforts to learn about, and educate the campus community about, the University's Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment sleeve, and to explore opportunities to increase UNH's sustainable investments. The CIR presents to and works with both the Atkins and the Rines Student Angel Investment Fund. www.unh.edu/give/sustainable-investment-unh
Events
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
UNH houses many sustainability events. Examples include:
The Changemaker Speaker Series
The Changemaker Speaker Series covers a diverse range of topics related to the world’s most pressing challenges, including the climate crisis and racial injustice. We embarked on this partnership because we understand that the scale and complexity of these challenges must be addressed by collaboration across public, private and nonprofit sectors, and we know the tools of public policy and ethically governed commerce are critically important to mitigating and adapting to these challenges in a just and equitable way. The Changemaker Speaker series aims to shine a light on innovative solutions by bringing inspiring leaders to campus twice each semester.
www.unh.edu/sustainability/student-education-engagement/changemaker-speaker-series
Local Harvest Feast
Local Harvest Feast: Held each September, the Local Harvest Feast is a day of fine dining on mouth-watering creations served at all three dining halls and produced from local foods. Open to the public and students alike, this hugely popular event is a chance for attendees to learn why supporting local agriculture and food producers is so important. Attendees have the opportunity to meet various local producers and browse their presentation tables before or after dinner: www.unh.edu/dining/sustainability/local-food-awareness
Environmental Sciences Seminar Series
The Environmental Sciences Seminar Series is sponsored by the NRESS Ph.D. Program, the Department of Earth Sciences, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Environmental Research Group, the Institute for the Study of Earth Oceans and Space (EOS), and often the Sustainability Institute. https://gradschool.unh.edu/natural-resources-earth-systems-science-phd/about/environmental-sciences-seminar-series
Organic Agriculture Seminar Series
The College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA) each spring hosts lectures focused on sustainable agriculture. Seminars range from “Wheat for Local and Sustainable Systems” to “Sustainable Agriculture in a Post-Industrial World.” https://media.unh.edu/channel/Agriculture%2BNutrition%2Band%2BFood%2BSystems/111160261
The Saul O Sidore Memorial Lecture Series
The purpose of the Saul O Sidore Memorial Lecture Series is to offer the UNH community and the state of New Hampshire programs that raise critical and sometimes controversial issues facing our society. The University of New Hampshire Center for the Humanities sponsors the programs. Open to all students. This academic year the series is focused on "Human Health, Planetary Health, and What Sustains Us." https://cola.unh.edu/center-humanities/events-programs/sidore-lecture-series
The NH Social Venture Innovation Challenge (SVIC)
The SVIC invites students (as individuals or in teams of up to 5 members) from across the state to identify pressing social, environmental or economic issues at the state, national or global level, and develop innovative, sustainable, business-oriented ideas to solve them. This is an idea competition and an excellent applied learning project; no detailed business plans or financials needed. Contestants write a 2-page paper and create a 3-minute video explaining an innovative solution to the problem identified.
www.unh.edu/sustainability/student-education-engagement/nh-social-venture-innovation-challenge
Paul J. Holloway Prize Competition – Sustainability Track
This multi-track competition takes students out of the classroom and into the real world. It challenges students to develop products or services and present their plans to bring them to market. The Holloway Prize is open to all students in all majors at the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, Keene State College, and Granite State College. The competition recognizes students who conceptualize, develop, and pitch the most compelling proposals to bring a product to market. After multiple stages of the competition, the final teams present their ideas at the Holloway Prize Competition Championship Round in May. Students select their preferred track, which includes: Sustainability - The distinguishing feature of the venture is positive social and/or environmental impact.
https://paulcollege.unh.edu/holloway-competition/holloway-competition-details
The UNH Sustainability Awards
The program seeks to celebrate and incentivize research and scholarship, curriculum development and teaching, campus initiatives and culture, and external engagement activities and achievements that best embody the principles and practices of sustainability. The total number of awards granted is not predetermined and is based on the caliber of the submissions. www.unh.edu/sustainability/campus-initiatives/unh-sustainability-awards
Cultural arts
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
The UNH Dance Co presented SPLASH: https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2022/04/making-splash
The ocean is vast and full of creatures that are both beautiful and fearsome. From the largest of mammals to the smallest of fish, the beauty and wonder of the water remain a mystery to behold. It may seem small, but the impact of throwing that piece of trash can last a lifetime. Two dancers discover the effects of littering together when they go beneath the waves to swim with the turtles and amazing sea creatures. Along the way they are followed by the frightening trash creatures, created by the waste that humans leave behind. They experience first-hand the devastation that plastics and other waste have wrought on the fragile habitats that exist there.
The Ballet and Jazz, Tap, Aerial companies come together to tell this dynamic and important story. https://cola.unh.edu/SPLASH
In addition, UNH has WildActs, a social justice theater and dance troupe: https://www.facebook.com/WildActsUNH/
Wilderness and outdoors programs
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
All UNH outdoor programs are grounded in “Leave No Trace” principles. Student leaders are trained in these principles through the Recreation Management and Policy Major: Outdoor Leadership And Management Option. They then practice the principles and educate their peers in best practices.
The New Hampshire Outing Club (NHOC) is the oldest and largest club at UNH and is run by UNH students. NHOC Operating Manual (https://unh.box.com/s/gsi2lh3i4u5iibodawnbg5ur063t24l8) states "The object of the NHOC shall be to provide recreational and educational activities and facilities for the University of New Hampshire -Durham Campus (hereafter referred to as UNH) students, alumni, faculty, and staff.It shall further be the object of the club to actively promote environmentally sound and safe minimum impact practices in the outdoors that follow the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace." NHOC typically offers 2-5 trips each weekend throughout the year including hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, trail maintenance, cross country/downhill skiing, canoeing, biking, ice climbing, kayaking, road trips, and extreme sledding. https://www.instagram.com/the_nhoc/?hl=en
Sustainability-focused themes
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Sustainable life skills
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
Sustainability Advocates
Sustainability Advocates is a residence hall peer-to-peer education and engagement program that aims to encourage sustainable thought and action across campus. The program is managed by the Engagement and Outreach Intern at the Sustainability Institute and implemented by the Sustainability Advocates within the residence halls. www.unh.edu/sustainability/student-education-engagement/sustainability-advocates
Environmental Sustainability Learning Community
In this Residential Learning Community, first-year students live together on a floor in Haaland Hall and form a creative environment for group studying and social interaction. This is an exciting opportunity for students to live and learn alongside like-minded students with an interest in exploring environmental issues and sustainability across disciplines and gain a global perspective! www.unh.edu/housing/housing-options/learning-communities-themes
Students are also encouraged to take classes like Exploring Sustainability, Sustainability in Action, Sustainability and Spirituality, Principles in Sustainability, Sustainability Living and Systems Thinking.
Student employment opportunities
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Students can work on sustainability across UNH - from research opportunities with faculty to internships, fellowships and employment opportunities in the Changemaker Collaborative at the Sustainability Institute.
UNHSI hires 20-plus Sustainability Interns annually to work on a variety of projects, and to act as peer educators. Additionally, the national Sustainability Fellowship program pairs exceptional undergraduate and graduate students from UNH and universities across the country with municipal, educational, corporate, and non-profit partners in New England to work on transformative sustainability initiatives each summer. www.unh.edu/sustainability/student-education-engagement/sustainability-fellowships
The Changemaker Collaborative also hires a team of Changemaker Coaches, UNH students with experience in changemaking on campus and in the community. They coach their peers to help them make the most of their UNH experience, while driving social, environmental and economic action. A team of Changemaker Recruiters is also hired to facilitate outreach efforts across the University, including programming in the Residence Halls, tabling at resource fairs and at campus events and speaking with students in student club and organization meetings and in classes. www.unh.edu/sustainability/changemaker-collaborative/changemaker-collaborative-team
The Extension Internship Program gives undergraduate students the opportunity to work in communities across the Granite State. Extension Interns work on projects addressing agriculture & horticulture, community & economic development, nutrition & healthy living, natural resources, citizen science, and youth & family resiliency. Interns will work with their mentors and their peers to develop as young professionals and help the University make an impact across New Hampshire. These paid internships are approximately 30-40 hours per week, for 10-15 weeks. https://extension.unh.edu/internships
Graduation pledge
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.