University of Utah
EN-3: Student Life

There are many student groups focused on components of sustainability. Topics range from clean air to food recovery to political advocacy. Only some of these groups are managed directly by the Sustainability Office and the Environmental & Sustainability Studies program. Information about university student groups is available online at getinvolved.utah.edu. Below are descriptions of some student groups making a difference at the University of Utah:

Food Recovery Network:
The Food Recovery Network partners with campus dining services to rescue leftover food and bring it to those in need. Learn more at https://getinvolved.utah.edu/organization/food-recovery-network-at-u-of-u

Sustainability in Medicine:
The Sustainability in Medicine Interest Group has a two-fold mission: to improve sustainability efforts on the University of Utah Medical School Campus and to educate and inspire future physicians to reevaluate current medical practice to minimize the burden that health care imposes on the environment. By doing so, we aim to improve public health and shift the current paradigm of medical education. Learn more at https://getinvolved.utah.edu/organization/sustainability-in-medicine-interest-group

ASUU Sustainability Board:
ASUU, the Associated Students for the University of Utah, is the student government body. The Sustainability Board is part of the executive branch of government and its leadership is confirmed by the student senate. In FY23, the Sustainability Board planted trees to demonstrate a long-term commitment to sustainability; lead a recycling initiative at home football games; and helped organize events around environmental issues such as the drying of the Great Salt Lake. In addition, students from the board are on the steering committee for the 2023 climate change action plan. Learn more at https://www.asuu.utah.edu/executive-branch/#sustainability

Edible Campus Gardens:
The Edible Campus Gardens, managed by the University’s Sustainability Office, are spaces for active learning about ecologically sound practices and just food systems through experience, education, and research. The Edible Campus Gardens are made of three sites, including a larger site with a sizable hoop house that extends the Utah growing season. The gardens program uphold the tenets of regenerative agriculture by not using chemicals or tilling and working holistically to care for the land, inhabitants of the space, and crops. Paid student interns, the Gardens Program Coordinator, and the Organic Gardening class teach students how to garden. The gardens partner with classes across campus to provide experiential learning in conjunction with class curriculum. Past classes have utilized the garden space to learn about local food justice movements, design, agriculture, fair labor, biology, entomology, and health outcomes based on diet. Produce from the gardens are donated to the on campus food pantry or given away at the University Farmer’s Market. Learn more at sustainability.utah.edu/edible-campus-gardens. 

Hydroponics Club:
Started in 2019 and based in the Lassonde Studios residence hall, students maintain an indoor hydroponics farm that produces vegetables that students can access. Learn more at https://lassonde.utah.edu/the-aqua-project-feeding-the-future-at-lassonde-studios/ and https://getinvolved.utah.edu/organization/the-hydroponic-club

Off the Rack is a student-run vintage & thrift store pop-up market. According to the founder, “The goal is to hold businesses accountable if they are not making efforts and taking action toward implementing sustainable policies in their business operations.” Off the Rack’s overall purpose is to encourage people to shop sustainably and ethically while supporting young fashion entrepreneurs in the community. More information is available at https://lassonde.utah.edu/off-the-rack-a-marketplace-for-young-fashion-entrepreneurs/

The University of Utah maintains two grant programs for on-campus projects: the Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund (SCIF) and the Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF). SCIF is a student-fee funded grant program for students and employees to lead sustainability projects. Each semester, students pay $2.50 from student fees into SCIF, and the campus community can apply for funds by submitting grant applications. An allocation committee of students, staff, and faculty evaluate applications and choose which grants will be funded. Past grants have ranged from $200 to more than $80,000. The original plan for SCIF was a revolving loan fund, but barriers led to switching to a grant-based program with no payback requirement.  

In 2016, the university approved a sustainability revolving loan fund, the SEF. The SEF is transforming the University of Utah campus through energy conservation, waste reduction, operation efficiency and cost savings projects. Often the initial costs of these projects—such as solar panels and high efficiency water heaters—can be a barrier for the university, even if the project will save money over its lifetime. The SEF works in cooperation with the much larger operational revolving loan fud manages by the Facilites department. Students created the SEF to fill this gap and implement these projects. More information is available at sustainability.utah.edu/scif and sustainability.utah.edu/engagement/sustainable-energy-fund.

In addition, through the Sorensen Impact Center at the David Eccles School of Business, students may participate in internships with the impact finance team "to design innovative financing structures that better address social problems." Learn more at https://sorensonimpactcenter.com/internships/impact-finance-2/.

The University of Utah provides regular, co-curricular programming to help educate the campus and local communities about sustainability concerns.

Global Change & Sustainability Center (GCSC):
GCSC is the research arm of the U of U’s sustainability efforts and hosts public bi-weekly seminars around topics ranging from wildfires to indigenous climate action to stable isotopes and more. Presenters include researchers from the University of Utah, other universities, or government agencies. Learn more at environment.utah.edu/seminar-series.

Stegner Center for Environmental Law and Policy:
The Stegner Center at the College of Law hosts regular Green Bag Lunches that focus on environmental law such as water quality, air pollution, and more. Their annual symposium brings together practitioners, academics and students to focus on topics like plastic (2021), the Colorado River compact (2022) and the Great Salt Lake (2023). Learn more at law.utah.edu/research/stegner.

Eccles Health Sciences Library:
The Health Sciences Library hosts a Climate Changes Health and Health Equity series with ongoing speakers, reading clubs, exhibits and other engagement opportunities. Learn more at https://library.med.utah.edu/publishing/collection/climate-changes-health-and-health-equity/

Hinckley Institute of Politics:
The Hinckley Institute hosts a weekly lunchtime speaker series throughout the year which are rebroadcast on a local NPR-affiliate station, many of which are focused on sustainability topics such as air quality, planning for climate change, the great salt lake, and more. Learn more at www.hinckley.utah.edu/calendar and https://www.hinckley.utah.edu/spring-2021.

Utah Presents-Sustainability Partnership
A multi-year initiative between UtahPresents, the Global Change & Sustainability Center (GCSC), and the Sustainability Office brings artists with justice-based perspectives on sustainability and embeds them across campus and with community groups throughout Utah. For example, in 2022, the artist collective All My Relations completed a residency at one of the U’s field stations to prepare a performance engaging the relationship between Indigenous cultures and sky stories. Learn more at https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/marking-a-path-sustainability-and-the-arts/ and https://www.utahpresents.org/.

For Earth Day 2022, the School of Medicine Sustainability Club created an art exhibit for the Eccles Health Sciences Library to educate about medical waste and the health effects of climate change.

Art Heals Utah:
In 2022, a SCIF grant (sustainable campus initiative fund) funded an art installation at the main U of U Health hospital. Project Art Heals Utahis a collaborative mosaic art project using empty COVID-19 vaccine vials, clean healthcare waste from University of Utah patient care areas, and physical and virtual mementos donated by those that have suffered loss due to COVID-19.The main objectiveof the project is to create a means to collectively acknowledge and mourn the losseswe have experienced due to theCOVID-19 pandemic and to create a means to honor our shared resiliency.The piece addressed waste diversion and reduction; health and wellness sustainability; sustainability literacy and justice & equity.Learn more athttps://artheals.utah.edu/.

Marriott Library exhibitions:
Throughout the year the main campus library, the Marriott Library, hosts exhibitions on a variety of topics. Many of those topics include environmental or sustainability themes such as the environmental concerns around fast fashion or art produced in relation to scientific research. Please see attached spreadsheet for a compilation of exhibits.

Outdoor Adventures
The University of Utah’s Outdoor Adventures (OA) program hosts student-led trips for the University of Utah campus community. OA hosts clinics, day trips, and over night and weekend trips, as well as extended trips over breaks. All trip participants are taught Leave No Trace principles, which are enforced on every OA trip. When the trip concludes, unopened food items are donated are donated to the on-campus food pantry, and all vegetables scraps and coffee grounds are composted at the Earth Cube at the Edible Campus Gardens. Learn more at https://campusrec.utah.edu/outdoor-adventures/trips/index.php

Parks, Recreation, & Tourism: U-Explore
Offered through the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism in the College of Health, U-Explore outdoor adventure courses offer an opportunity for University of Utah students to enjoy “wild Utah” through an exciting array of 60 course titles. A wide variety of land, snow and water based courses include principles of environmental ethics, resource management, minimum impact travel, public lands policy, and leave-no-trace backcountry travel. Most of these courses are included in the AC-3 inventory with SUSC/L designation. Learn more at health.utah.edu/health-kinesiology-recreation/recreation/u-explore

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Partnership
The Department of Parks, Recreation,& Tourism and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) have maintained a productive professional and collegial partnership spanning more than 30 years. Beginning in 1980, the two schools signed a memorandum of understanding through which NOLS students would receive University of Utah credits for participating in their NOLS expedition. As part of this agreement, the PRT faculty began yearly reviews of NOLS curriculum and instructor qualifications. Today, the relationship between the two organizations is characterized by high quality outcome and process-oriented research, educational exchange, and an annual scholarship provided to a PRT student to attend a NOLS course. NOLS’ mission is to be the “leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment.”
Learn more at health.utah.edu/health-kinesiology-recreation/recreation/nols/
NOLS' statement on Stewardship and Sustainability reads in part, "NOLS travels lightly on the earth, practicing Leave No Trace in the backcountry and pursuing an ambitious sustainability program in the front country by reducing our carbon footprint, minimizing our waste, and prioritizing eco-friendly supply streams.
https://www.nols.edu/en/about/stewardship-sustainability/

Academic year 2022-23 focused on an institution-wide Environmental Justice theme to bring together speakers, classes and initiatives across campus. Learn more at https://sustainability.utah.edu/engagement/environmental-justice/

Lassonde Studios Sustainability & Global Impact Floor
Located on the second floor of Lassonde Studios is the Sustainability & Global Impact floor, where 100 residents live. On the Sustainability & Global Impact floor, events and dinners feature sustainability-focused speakers. The floor also features a hydroponic garden. Most importantly, the floor provides a community for entrepreneurs focused on incorporating sustainability into their future. More information available at https://lassonde.utah.edu/themed-floors-at-lassonde-studios/.

Housing & Residential Education (HRE)
HRE employs Social Justice Advocates and hosts two inclusive spaces within its residence areas, the Equity Lounge and the Equity Living Room. The EL & ELR are safe places for students from marginalized communities to thrive. Both spaces have a comfortable lounge and are staffed by Social Justice Advocates (SJAs) and a Resident Director (RD). The SJAs and the RD are a team of students and full-time staff committed to educating students on Social Justice issues and topics while also having fun. Learn more at housing.utah.edu/living-the-u/equitylounge.

Sustainability Office: Student Employees
Student support is the top priority of the University of Utah, and that priority extends beyond the classroom. The university strives to prepare students to for employment after graduation. The Sustainability Office fulfills this mission through its internship opportunities. The office hosts paid student employees year-round. Interns do a variety of work, specializing in areas such as communications, outreach, event programming, gardening, grant management, active transportation planning and more. Learn more at sustainability.utah.edu.

Environmental Humanities:
The Environmental Humanities graduate program in the College of Humanities hosts graduate assistant and fellowship opportunities for its students in many sustainability-focused departments at the U including the Tanner Humanities Center, the Sustainability Office, and the Global Change and Sustainability Center. Learn more at https://environmental-humanities.utah.edu/prospective-students/financial-aid.php

In FY22, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (CSBS) hosted a voluntary pledge for graduates. The Sustainability Pledge asks individuals to consider the impacts their job and lifestyle has on social equity and the environment and encourages them to improve both of these aspects through individual and collective actions. 

In 2023, the pledge was expanded to be offered to all colleges at the university. Learn more at https://sustainability.utah.edu/graduating-sustainability-pledge/.

Among the most visible on-campus sustainability programs is the University of Utah Farmers Market. The market links local growers, artisans, and resources for healthy lives with students, faculty, and staff campus. Market vendors provide on-campus access to diverse cuisines, as well as produce, baked goods, gifts, and more, while local organizations and on-campus departments showcase the full range of resources available to students. The market has also offers the Double Your Dollars program to students, which literally doubles students’ money to purchase food items, with a heavy emphasis on produce. Learn more at sustainability.utah.edu/farmers-market.