University of West Georgia
EN-2: Student Orientation

All freshmen and transfer students are made aware of UWG's commitment to sustainability at orientation. This comes in different forms. 1) Incoming students are given a guidebook to the university called "the Navigator". This book features a variety of sustainability themes, including environmental sustainability via recycling and biking, social sustainability via diversity and inclusion information, and economic sustainability via financial literacy information. In 2018 a revamped Navigator will be used that has significantly more environmental sustainability information in it, including how to become engaged and dining. 2) A video created by Auxiliary Services is shown to all orientation participants. This video emphasizes the commitment to "Go Green" and offers detailed information on recycling. In 2018 a revamped video will include more sustainability related information, including bikes, dining, water refilling stations. 3) There is a tabling event where orientation participants can get more face to face information. The Center for Diversity and Inclusion takes part in this event to further social sustainability awareness. In 2018 the Center for Diversity and Inclusion will directly address all orientation participants in a formal presentation. 4) The Office of Financial Aid emphasizes financial literacy (sustainability) in a presentation to orientation participants. 5) The Director of Sustainability gives a brief training to the orientation leaders who handle the participants, to give them confidence in addressing sustainability issues and answering relevant questions. 6) In 2017 a sustainability handbook was created intended as a resource for the entire UWG community, but with incoming students particularly in mind. A sustainability map was also created that can help in future orientations. It has also been agreed that in 2018 brochures featuring sustainability information on water use, energy, biking, and dining will be placed in all the dorm rooms upon freshmen move in. These brochures were also created in 2017 and they include a link to the full sustainability handbook.