University of Oregon
Tier2-5: Sustainable Enterprise

The UO has several cafes and eating establishments that employ students, which sell Fair Trade and organic goods, while practicing responsible waste management practices. One can read about these on the EMU Food Venue Web page (http://emu.uoregon.edu/) and on the Housing Food Services Sustainability Web page: http://housing.uoregon.edu/about/sustainability.php While students may hold leadership roles in these establishments, it would be a stretch to claim that any are "student-run." However, two "enterprises" that definitely are student-run are the annual PIELC (Public Interest Environmental Law Conference) and HOPES (Holistic Options for Planet Earth Sustainability) Conferences. PIELC is a nationally significant event organized by UO Law students for more than 25 years. The HOPES Conference, organized by the UO's Ecological Design Center, works to promote the deeper understanding and broader application of sustainable design principles and is the only ecological design conference in the country developed and managed by students. PIELC and HOPES raise tens of thousands of dollars annually to pay expenses conference expenses. HOPES charges community members and design professionals for admittance into the conference. However, the primary focus is not to make money, or to learn business skills, but to create active leaders and organizers around sustainable design.