Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 58.86
Liaison Joseph Wasylycia-Leis
Submission Date March 3, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Winnipeg
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.75 / 2.00 Alana Lajoie-O'Malley
Director
Campus Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have one or more co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that fall into the following categories?:
Yes or No
Active student groups focused on sustainability Yes
Gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems Yes
Student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes No
Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills No
Conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience Yes
Cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience Yes
Wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles No
Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences No
Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills Yes
Sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution Yes
Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions No
Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives Yes

The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:

1) EcoPIA is a student service group, and is a part of (and funded by) the UWSA – The University of Winnipeg Student’s Association. The EcoPIA offices supply students with a library of movies, books, journals, course textbooks, and magazines on environmental issues and topics, as well as a fully functioning vermicompost. The activities of EcoPIA are decided amongst its members each year; in the past EcoPIA has hosted events such as workshops, speaker series, movie nights, stuff swaps (free stores), protests and rallies, and its annual fundraising concert, EcoEclectica. Membership is open to all interested individuals.
2) GESA (Geography and Environmental Students' Association
3) Ice Riders: Founded in 2010, the UWSA Ice Rider Team is a collective of University of Winnipeg Students committed to fostering the development of winter cycling in Winnipeg.


The website URL where information about student groups is available:
A brief description of gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems:

The UWSA Community Garden provides opportunities for interested students and community members to grow food in an urban environment. The Students' Association and the Campus Sustainability Office work together to provide relevant workshops, such as seed starting workshops, and to develop programming for the garden year over year.


The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
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A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
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The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
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A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
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A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:

Grass Routes is an annual, week-long celebration of ideas, skills, and creativity for a sustainable future. Through workshops, exhibits, and various lecture/dialogue events, the festival seeks to engage discussion about what sustainability means, what a sustainable world might look like, and how we might get there. The event is organized collaboratively between the UWinnipeg Campus Sustainability Office and the UWSA


The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:

In October 2014 Roadsworth -- notable street artist and environmentalist -- gave an artist talk and also left the campus with it's very own Roadsworth art when he painted the UWSA Bike Lab building.


The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
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A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
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The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
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The website URL where information about the theme is available:
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A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:

In partnership with Ecopia and the University of Winnipeg Students' Association, the Campus Sustainability Office offers a variety of workshops open to students, faculty and staff. These include seed starting, outdoor and vermi-composting, hobby beekeeping, bicycle-repair and during Grass Routes workshops are held on making personal care products.


The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:

The Campus Sustainability Office reserves both allotted budget money, along with grant money to provide students with part-time opportunities working in the office on sustainability related projects. Roles taken on by students:
-Educated other students on waste sorting
-Research on best practices and policies
- Assistance with designing new outreach programming


The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
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A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
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A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:

An $2000 Eco-grant which is funded by the fundraising efforts of the University of Winnipeg student group GESA (Geography and Environmental Students Association). Students of the University of Winnipeg and Collegiate, faculty members, staff,and community members (anyone with a direct affiliation to the University of Winnipeg)
are invited to apply. A project proposal on how to make our campus more sustainable
will be presented by the applicant(s). Preference will be given to campus based projects
that will have the largest impact on our campus’s sustainability.
Objectives of the eco-grant:
o Applicants will apply for the grant to fund a project that will positively impact
the University of Winnipeg campus sustainability and environmental efforts.
o Empower campus members to engage in sustainable initiatives on campus and in their personal lives.
o Allow people to take initiative with their ideas by funding them to do so.
o Increase environmental awareness and stewardship within the campus
community


The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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