University of Texas at San Antonio
EN-3: Student Life

The University of Texas at San Antonio has several student groups focused on sustainability issues. These include:

1) The UTSA Student Government Association (SGA) Sustainability Committee
A university sponsored group that focuses on sustainability issues and works through the SGA.

2) The UTSA Chapter of the US Green Building Council (USGBC)
An allied student organization in the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Designs that works to bring LEED to UTSA.
https://klesse.utsa.edu/civil-environmental-construction-management/students/csm-student-organizations.html

3) The UTSA Green Society
A student-led organization that works to advance sustainability at UTSA.
http://twitter.com/greensociety

4) Bioswale Brigade
A student-led organization to provide resources, hands-on training, and education regarding the campus bioswale. The Bioswale Bridge is responsible for maintaining the Bioswale and educating the community about the low impact designs on campus.
https://www.instagram.com/bioswalebrigade/

5) Plant the Future
A student-led service organization devoted to planting trees in Texas, focused on United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13.
https://careercenter.utsa.edu/organizations/plant-the-future/

The UTSA Student Community Garden was established in 2017 and has been an exciting addition to the UTSA sustainability efforts. It is a joint effort by the Green Society, Garden Society, the Office of Sustainability, and their academic advisor through an MOU with the Nutrition and Dietetics department.

https://facilities.utsa.edu/utsa-community-garden-plants-roots-march-4/

UTSA Investment Society's Student-Managed Portfolio. A select group of Investment Society members, Senior Analyst, lead weekly sector meetings where all members are able to join. Sector teams analyze companies, model performance, craft investment memos, and present buy recommendations to the society and the investment committee. Returns from the student managed portfolio enable the investment society to partner with Community Development International (ICDI), which uses the money to provided micro-loans to a rural community in Costa Rica. The loans have been used to fund agricultural projects, transportation, and construction equipment, along with providing seed capital for a small business.

https://www.theinvestmentsociety.com/

The UTSA recreation center (Campus Rec) organizes a variety of outdoor activities including Orienteering, Mountain Biking, Bike and Climb, Trail Clean-Up, Coast Clean-Up, Sailing and Rock Climbing.

All Campus Rec outdoor activities follow the "Leave no Trace" principles.

All incoming Freshmen to UTSA are required to read the book: "Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living", by Doug Fine. The book describes the experiences of a world-weary journalist who decides to live sustainably, and settles down in a New Mexican ranch.

The Consortium for Social Transformation (CST). The CST is an administrative unit within the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD), at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The CST is a leader in preparing culturally responsible citizens who are active collaborators and agents of positive change through scholarship, teaching and service that supports the existence of equitable and just communities.

The University of Texas at San Antonio created the Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute to partner with our community and contribute to a new energy future that builds on a diverse resource base to position
 San Antonio as a significant contributor to the 21st century global energy economy.


The Institute integrates scientific
 discovery, engineering innovation 
and policy deliberations with pragmatic implementation and a commitment to our multicultural traditions to realize the promise of tomorrow’s America as a global energy leader. The Institute also serves as a center of intellectual creativity that promotes socioeconomic development regionally, nationally and globally.


We provide systems solutions that pursue novel opportunities for technology insertion to reduce costs, improve reliability 
and assure responsible environmental stewardship that contributes to our energy future. Our impact will drive San Antonio’s economic future, coalesce our intellectual capital, serve as a magnet for thought leaders from around the globe and help secure a foundation for enhanced prosperity for south Texas and the Alamo region for decades to come.

The Order of the Engineer was initiated in the United States to foster a spirit of pride and responsibility in the engineering profession, to bridge the gap between training and experience, and to present to the public a visible symbol identifying the engineer.

The first ceremony was held on June 4, 1970 at Cleveland State University. Since then, similar ceremonies have been held across the United States at which graduate and registered engineers are invited to accept the Obligation of the Engineer and a stainless steel ring. The ceremonies are conducted by Links (local sections) of the Order.

The Order is not a membership organization; there are never any meetings to attend or dues to pay. Instead, the Order fosters a unity of purpose and the honoring of one’s pledge lifelong.

The Obligation is a creed similar to the oath attributed to Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) that is generally taken by medical graduates and which sets forth an ethical code. The Obligation likewise, contains parts of the Canon of Ethics of major engineering societies. Initiates, as they accept it voluntarily, pledge to uphold the standards and dignity of the engineering profession and to serve humanity by making the best use of Earth’s precious wealth.

The Student Government Association hold a position for 2 sustainability representatives.

https://www.utsa.edu/rpm/services/campus-planning/sustainability/sustainability-council.html