Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.68
Liaison John Gardner
Submission Date May 31, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Kate Nelson
Chief Sustainability Officer
Office of 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 Yes
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 Yes
Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences Yes
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 ---

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

Engineers without Borders (EWB@UWM) designs and implements sustainable engineering projects locally and around the world. The Conservation Club strives to provide an enhanced awareness of issues within local and global ecosystems, providing education and volunteer opportunities in order to increase environmental literacy through the lens of conservation science within our campus. The club is welcome to all who have a passion for biological preservation. Reduce, Reuse Recycle is a new campus organization getting underway which hosts competitions for item reuse and examines these principles throughout the cross-disciplines of engineering, business, and architecture.


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 UWM Food & Garden Club built 50 raised organic garden beds on the south lawn of the Physics building in May 2011. The raised beds were designed for individual students, faculty, and staff to garden as they see fit. In addition to individual plots, the club also oversees educational gardens, planted and maintained by students in a UWM Conservation & Environmental Science class, as well as community gardens at the Sandburg residence hall. UWM's Restaurant Operations cultivates food gardens adjacent to the Sandburg community gardens as well as a rooftop garden. The campus hoop house, which produces compost year round from kitchen waste, is run by a student workers, with the help of 10-12 student volunteers


The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:

The 8th Note Coffee House is a student-run, volunteer based coffee shop and lounge on campus. It has been in existence for many years at UWM, and is run by students of the Union Activities Board. Fair-trade and affordable coffee is offered at the 8th Note.


The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
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:

Share the Earth

For the past eight years, the UW-Milwaukee Student Union has put forth the earth-friendly Share the Earth program which involves films, speakers, and special events. Share the Earth has hosted such guests as John Francis Planet Walker, Michael Pollan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Ed Begley Jr. Events are run for students, but all community members are welcome.


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:

The UWM Union Art Gallery regularly features installations on water conservation, aquaponics, food security, and reuse within the built environment.

In the spring of 2014, UWM's Theatre Department produced, "Urine town" (about water rights), which featured the campus Chief Sustainability Officer as an opening night speaker and the entire run of the show featured a sustainability theme display in the theater lobby.


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:

Outdoor Pursuits is dedicated to providing outdoor programming and equipment to facilitate challenging, educational, environmentally sound, and fun outdoor-based recreational experiences. Various trips include: rock climbing, canoeing, leave-no-trace camping and hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Outdoor Pursuits also hosts learning events/classes such as a wilderness first-aid course.


The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:

Food For Thought

UW-Milwaukee’s Semester Long Experience of Food, Culture, & the Environment

In the Fall of 2010 UWM explored how food connects us to the environment, our culture, and to each other. Our daily choices reflect our values and personalities, all the while impacting our planet and our health. Through films, workshops, cooking discussions, an art exhibition and introducing UWM’s new “green” book club, students, staff, and faculty engaged their taste buds and minds together and provoked a little food for thought.

The headliner of Food for Thought was An Evening with Michael Pollan.


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:

UWM's Eco Reps program in University Housing launched in the early spring semester of 2014. The program focuses on personal sustainability habits.


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 Office of Sustainability hires student workers, interns, independent study students, and service learning students.


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:
---

The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.