| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 75.37 |
| Liaison | Suchi Daniels |
| Submission Date | Jan. 14, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of South Florida (Tampa)
ER-4: Sustainability Outreach and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Kebreab
Ghebremichael Director of Water Sustainability Concentration Patel College of Global Sustainability |
Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
A brief description of the central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts:
Office of Sustainability website - The Office of Sustainability coordinates and builds partnerships for university-wide initiatives that advance the University of South Florida's strategic goal of creating a sustainable campus environment.
To accomplish this mission, we actively support faculty, staff, students, alumni, and neighborhood partners in their efforts to transform the University of South Florida into a 'Green University', where decisions —structural and routine—consider both individual and collective impacts to our campus, community, economy, and environment. As citizen-scholar activists, we share a sustainability ethic that promotes conserving resources, reducing waste, recycling, reusing materials, finding new sources of clean energy, increasing energy efficiency, and diminishing life-cycle impacts and our consumption of greenhouse gas producing materials. We engage in this ethic of stewardship to guide the development and implementation of programs, policies, and other courses of action in the operation and management of the University of South Florida system as well as its institutional teaching, research, and service commitments.
The website URL for the central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts:
Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
1) The Office of Sustainability website features a page where recent news related to sustainability are published.
2) The Patel College of Global Sustainability disseminates a monthly electronic newsletter nationally and internationally.
3) The Office of Sustainability maintains an active listserv for the campus and community, as well as active Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and iTunes sites/pages/channels.
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
Does the institution have a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
1) The USF College of Global Sustainability website features information on the school, programs, global partners, current students, and the MA Program Portal that allows students to connect with fellow program participants and access lectures and other useful tools.
2) The Office of Sustainability website features a page highlighting student research on the topic of sustainability and efforts by students to promote sustainability on campus and beyond.
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
Signage for all new features funded by the Student Green Energy Fund are being implemented campus wide. All LEED accredited buildings on campus maintain ample signage to highlight green building features.
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
Does the institution have food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
Dining Services has a "Make Your Mark" flyer outlining the various sustainable efforts of dining services on campus, which include trayless dining, the collection of used cooking oil for conversion to biodiesel fuel, locally sourced food options and reusable to-go containers which can be obtained with a refundable deposit.
Similar flyers and brochures are regularly printed and distributed.
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
Does the institution have signage on the grounds about sustainable grounds-keeping strategies employed?:
A brief description of signage on the grounds about sustainable grounds-keeping strategies employed:
The website URL for signage on the grounds about sustainable grounds-keeping strategies employed:
Does the institution have a sustainability walking map or tour?:
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
1) In collaboration with the MPO’s Livable Roadways Committee in celebrating non-motorized ways to get around supported a Bike Week Tour with USF President Genshaft. This highlighted the safety tips with the next generation using these Interactive Tools:
• Interactive Tools Overview
• Planning Information Map App (PIMA)
• Land Use Map Viewer
• Land Use Code Description
• Public Notification
• Bicycle Suitability Map
• Traffic Conditions
• Traffic Counts
• Transportation Improvement Program
2) Students from the Green LLC are given a green tour of campus during new student orientation. The guide, a faculty member, speaks about the development of sustainability initiatives on campus, shows examples of sustainability related projects, and has them visit the Office of Sustainability, the center for urban transportation, and the botanical gardens. Overall the tour takes about 1.5 hours.
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
Does the institution have a guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation?:
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
USF students may select from:
• Bull Runner
• Carpool Program
• HART Route Information
• Tampa Bay Ride Share
• Hart- plan your route
• HART U-Pass
• Assessing the costs of commuting
• Emergency Ride Home (ERH)
• Daily fuel prices report
• WeCar
• Red Coach
• USF WeCar Membership Sign-up
• Zimride
FOR EXAMPLE:
1) U-Pass allows USF students to Ride FREE on HART by showing a new valid USF ID to ride HART Local, Limited Express and Flex routes FREE.* And it isn't just students who are in on the deal. USF faculty and staff pay just 25¢ with their new valid USF ID card. Please see: http://www.gohart.org/ride_guide/usf/usf-upass.html which links directly to the campus Bull Runner: http://usfweb2.usf.edu/parking_services/bullrunner.asp
2) The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), established in 1988, has become recognized nationally and serves as an important resource for policymakers, transportation professionals, the education system, and the public. With emphasis on developing innovative, implementable solutions to transportation problems, CUTR provides high quality, objective transportation expertise in the form of technical support, policy analysis, and research support that translates directly into benefits for its project sponsors. Please see: http://www.cutr.usf.edu/index.shtml
3) The New North Transportation Alliance (NNTA), is a public-private partnership in Northeast Tampa that provides a forum for businesses, local governments, residents, and commuters to address the transportation needs of the area. Our purpose is to improve and expand transportation options for all travelers in the New North area. The website brings together information on a wide variety of transportation programs and news relevant to the area, especially the USF campus. Please see: http://www.newnorthalliance.com
4) Parking and Transportation Services produces a handout outlining the Car Pool Program policy and goals, which center around the need to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in and around the campus.
Please see:
The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
Does the institution have a guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
The Green LLC brings together students who are interested in sustainability issues and who would like to participate in a variety of green campus projects. Nineteen students volunteered to live in the Green LLC this last year, opting for an eco-conscious stay while studying at USF. 2011 marks the third year that the Green LLC has been operating and it is thriving now more than ever.
“The second year, and this year, the students are more engaged and want to be involved with some green projects and issues on campus.” said Elizabeth Kaplon the Program Director, Housing & Residential Education.
According to Kaplon, "about 40-50% of the Green LLC residents are Environmental Science majors and almost all of them had participated in some green causes in high school or in their community prior to coming to college."
To assist students in their efforts, the housing staff staged an eco-friendly room that showed students how to make eco-conscious choices about the items they placed in their dorms. Please see:
http://patel.usf.edu/news/article/eco-friendly-living-in-the-residence-halls
https://www.facebook.com/USFGreenLLC
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
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)?:
A brief description of regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat:
The Patel College of Global Sustainability provides regular news through multiple Social Media outlets including:
https://www.facebook.com/USFPCGS
https://twitter.com/USFPCGS
http://www.youtube.com/user/psgsusf
http://patel.usf.edu/includes/rss-feed
http://www.flickr.com/photos/psgsusf/sets/
https://itunes.apple.com/itunes-u/ideas-usf/id410295216
As a member of the Florida Climate Institute (FCI), PCGS hosts the FCI-USF website and publishes a monthly newsletter on climate issues, adaptation and mitigation aspects. Please see:
https://floridaclimateinstitute.org/about
The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (1st material):
A brief description of this material:
The Facilities, Planning, and Construction website lists and provides links to numerous related sustainability reports and efforts.
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (2nd material):
A brief description of this material:
The Physical Plant website outlines the Physical Plant Sustainability and Energy Conservation initiatives, including recycling, energy and water conservation, and stormwater pollution prevention.
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (3rd material):
A brief description of this material:
Metal-Organic Materials, MOMs, have captured the imagination of researchers around the world, because they are uniquely suited to provide solutions to problems that impact the sustainability of our society in areas ranging from energy (hydrogen storage materials, solar energy platforms, thermoelectric platforms) to human health (diagnostics and treatment) to the environment (chemical and biological threat detection and remediation).
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (4th material):
A brief description of this material:
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) places emphasis upon results and better management of programs for effective and efficient service delivery. With an increased focus on measuring performance, the transportation demand management (TDM) industry lags other areas of transportation. Without consistent methods of evaluating performance and calculating those benefits, the TDM community is at a distinct disadvantage when transportation investments are being considered at the local, state, and federal levels.
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (5th material):
A brief description of this material:
The USF Botanical Gardens Website contains urban sustainability information, such as environmentally friendly mulch and best plants for wildlife in Florida pamphlets.
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (6th material):
A brief description of this material:
A newsletter is produced by the Clean Energy Research Center, where fundamental investigations into new environmentally clean energy sources and systems (hydrogen, fuel cells, solar energy conversion and biomass utilization) meet the needs of power and energy producers and the transportation sector through multi-disciplinary research, technical and infrastructure development and information transfer.
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (7th material):
A brief description of this material:
The USF Center for Entrepreneurship is a nationally-ranked, multidisciplinary, campus-wide center focusing on entrepreneurial education, training, and research. By using innovative, interdisciplinary approaches, the center provides opportunities for graduate students in the fields of business, engineering, health sciences, and sustainability through the Master of Science in Entrepreneurship and other graduate programs.
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (8th material):
A brief description of this material:
The College of Arts and Sciences is the intellectual heart of the University of South Florida. We are a community of teachers and scholars united in the belief that broadly educated people are the basis of a just, free and prosperous society. By focusing on the big questions facing all of humanity, we prepare students for successful personal and professional lives. By conducting innovative, interdisciplinary research and scholarship, we advance knowledge in ways that prepare us to address vexing social problems and enhance quality of life for people and communities.
The website URL for this material:
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.