University of the Pacific
EN-3: Student Life

Pacific's student government (ASUOP) has a sustainability committee currently in its third year of activity. The Senate Sustainability Committee works to serve students by promoting on-campus sustainability across all areas of student life. They were integral to student-led initiatives around divestment.

The Pacific Garden Program is comprised of activities at the Ted and Chris Robb garden on the Stockton campus and the Sacramento Campus Community Garden. Both gardens are spaces where students and the broader community can learn to grow food in a more sustainable manner, learn about sustainable food systems and connect with each other to build community.

Volunteers are welcome to learn and harvest from both gardens every other Friday during Volunteer Garden Days. Classes and outside groups frequent the gardens for tours and lessons.

The Ted and Chris Robb Garden is part of the Food Resource Center, a one stop shop for learning about sustainable food systems via garden activities, the resource library and lounge and accessing food at the Pacific Food Pantry. The Ted and Chris Garden is managed by one staff member and several student gardeners. They host weekly markets in-season and the garden is open during business hours for people to walk through or drop-by.

The Sacramento Garden is entirely student volunteer driven with all volunteers tending to the garden. It was started by students in the McGeorge School of Law and continues to be a resource for stress reduction and connecting to classmates for valuable informal mentoring and support outside the classroom.

https://www.pacific.edu/about/sustainability/garden-program

Student gardeners at the Ted & Chris Robb Garden improve their marketing, business and interpersonal skills by managing weekly, in-season garden markets where produce is available to the community by donation.

https://www.pacific.edu/about/sustainability

The Sustainability Project Investment Fund (SPIF) is an annual pool of funding available to students, faculty and staff. Funds are awarded to projects that advance sustainability efforts at Pacific in measurable ways. Additionally, there is a student investment fund. this is a fund of actual money that is invested based on the students managing it. ESGS are a consideration for students managing these funds.

April is designated as Sustainability Month at Pacific. Events of different types are organized by students, staff and faculty with a focus on one or more aspects of sustainability. Sustaining Pacific plans many of the events and collaborates on others. Events are compiled onto a calendar which is distributed on campus throughout the month.

April 2023 events:
- Rise n Ride: E-Bike and Carshare Event, April 1
- 11th Annual Green Fashion Show, April 7
- Garden Party & Food Resource Center Open House, April 12
- Film: Honeyland, April 14
- An Evening with Kristy Drutman (speaker), April 17
- Sustainability Festival & Clothing Swap, April 21
-Film: Strange World, April 22

April 2022 events:
- Tiger Threads Sewing Workshop, April 5
- From Farms to Incubators (speaker events), April 14 & 15
- 10th Annual Green Fashion Show, April 15
- Spring Clothing Swap, April 19
-Earth Day Celebration, April 20
- ASuop Sustainability Forum, April 21
- Pacific Earth Day & Solar Celebration, April 22
- Muir Symposium, April 23
- Feeding the Village, April 27

Sustainability events also occur during orientation and Fall semester.
Fall 2023 Events:
- School Supply Giveaway, August 23
- Sustainable Meal Prep Workshop, September 21
- Planet Wise (Peer Education Series), Weekly October 11-25

https://www.pacific.edu/calendar/all/all/all/all

The Reynolds Gallery hosted the exhibition "Drought, Dust, Flood: Owens Lake and the Los Angeles Aqueduct" in September 2023. It visually examined the human and ecological costs of supplying water to a booming metropolitan region.

Reynolds Gallery hosted an exhibition called 13% in November 2023. In 2019, researchers investigated gender and ethnic diversity in the collections of 18 major US museums including two university museums. They discovered that regardless of size or collecting mission around 87% of their collection was made up of art created by white men. The remaining 13% is composed of art made by women and artists of color. The University of the Pacific’s own permanent art collection yields the same number. This student curated exhibition is a selection from Pacific’s own 13%.

https://www.pacific.edu/about-pacific/reynolds-gallery/exhibitions

Pacific's Annual Green Fashion Show features handmade fashion designs and art made from repurposed materials. The purpose is to discourage fast fashion, encourage thrifting and show how beautiful sustainability can be.

The Tiger Escapes programs provide outdoor experiential learning for the Pacific Community. Trips vary and go to places such as camping at Point Reyes National Seashore, rafting the American River or snowshoeing at Tahoe. All trips are planned in advance, attendees are advised to respect nature and only travel to and on pre-approved trails.

https://www.pacific.edu/student-life/activities-and-programs/athletics-and-recreation/tiger-escapes

All undergraduates have to complete a series of core courses. Pacific core one is a required course for all freshmen in their first term at Pacific. In this Core courses, students explore issues related to "What is a Good Society?" Course readings deal with race, gender, age, political diversity, social injustice, and the environment.

https://www.pacific.edu/academics/majors-and-programs/general-education-program/pacific-seminar-i.html

-Throughout the year, the Kitchen Co-op hosts multiple workshops to teach cooking skills. Past event topics include meal prepping, beginner cooking skills, and international recipes.
https://www.pacific.edu/about/sustainability/kitchen-co-op

-The Robb Garden Program offers students the opportunity to learn how to grow produce in a more sustainable manner through internships, volunteer opportunities and workshops.
https://www.pacific.edu/about/sustainability/garden-program

-During Fall orientation, new students attend a session on Sustainability. The session reviews sustainability resources available to students, proper waste sorting and sustainable living tips.

The Office of Sustainability hires students each year for different paid positions. All students work to engage the campus community in sustainable action. Positions include Zero Waste coordinator, Outreach Coordinator, Social Media Coordinator, Food Security Coordinator, Graphic Designer, Green Move In and Green Move Out Leads, Special Projects Assistant and Gardeners. Positions are for academic year and summer.

https://app.joinhandshake.com/employers/547484

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