Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 35.20
Liaison Laura Miller
Submission Date Aug. 1, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of New Haven
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.25 / 2.00 Laura Miller
Director of Energy & Sustainability
Office of Facilities
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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:

The Marine Conservation Society focuses on sustainability, conservation, and other environmental initiatives, with a particular focus on issues related to marine biology. The society hosts conservation-based events each year to include Beach Clean-Up and Marine Week. On two separate occasions each semester, the society engages both students and local residents to remove trash and debris from the West Haven, CT beaches. Marine Week is an annual event in April that coincides with Earth Day activities. Programming includes a whale watching outing, sustainability trivia and a touch tank.
• Marine Conservation Society students engage with the Office of Facilities and academic departments to collaborate on campus sustainability initiatives, career fairs, and attendance at workshops promoted by faculty and staff. By getting involved with these events, students are connecting with professionals who are connected to sustainability. Many of the students in this society go on to work in the environmental field.


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?:
No

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

Maxcy Hall houses the Hazell Nut Café, a coffee shop run by students enrolled in the University of New Haven’s Food Service Management program. The Hazell Nut Café is a campus favorite known for its environmental sustainability and community engagement. The students design the café menu to include ingredients purchased from local farms in the West Haven and New Haven communities. By making a conscious choice to use sustainably harvested produce, the students gain a better understanding of the impact of materials used in the food service industry.


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

A University alumnus, Larry Bingaman, is President and CEO of the South-Central Regional Water Authority and chairs the Connecticut chapter of Conscious Capital Organization. He presented “Passion & Purpose: The Case for Conscious Capitalism” and shared the business philosophy in which a company adopts a higher purpose than just maximizing the bottom line. Students from a variety of schools attended the lecture.
The university annually celebrates Women’s History Month and Black History Month with a series of cultural events and lectures.


The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):
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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:

The Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion assists the University in promoting cultural diversity, awareness, and sensitivity throughout the campus community. Its programs, services, and activities promote cultural identity and understanding within a multicultural environment.
The University of New Haven celebrates Holi, a Hindu Spring Festival originating in the Indian subcontinent and celebrated predominantly in India and Nepal. It has also spread to other areas of Asia and parts of the Western World through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent. Also known as the "Festival of Colors," Holi signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, and the end of winter. It is a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships.


The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):
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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?:
No

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
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The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors programs is available (optional):
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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?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:

In 2018, the University of New Haven’s Office of Facilities hired its first Sustainability Assistant student intern. This position is a year-long commitment in which students can work up to 20 hours per week during the semester.
The Sustainability Assistant serves an important role in the Office of Facilities by helping the Director of Energy and Sustainability collect data for energy and sustainability analyses and promote a culture of sustainability throughout campus. The key responsibilities of the position include tracking of fuel and other utility usage on campus, conducting waste stream analyses of campus waste and recycling with the goal of increasing recycling rates, creating and maintaining all content for social media and public outreach purposes to promote current initiatives, collecting data in the areas of Academic, Administration, Operations, and Engagement for the University’s reporting to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and connecting with student organizations to engage volunteers from clubs for events such as Earth Day, Recyclemania, and Game Day Recycling.


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:
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.