Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 46.35
Liaison Alan Burr
Submission Date March 2, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Wisconsin-Platteville
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Amy Seeboth-Wilson
Sustainability Coordinator
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:

Each of the following groups are completely student-governed:
Health and Human Performance Club - Dedicated to health education.
Outdoor Adventure Club - Regular outdoor trips (i.e. camping, ice climbing)
Engineers without Borders- Builds sustainable engineering solutions in Ghana each year.
Biology Club - Supports biology and natural science education on campus.
Reclamation Club - Help restore native lands on campus and in broader region.
Cycling Club - Promote bicycling on campus and broader community.
Green Campus Project - Supports sustainability initiatives across campus.
Platteville Society of Environmental Engineers - Enhances knowledge of environmental issues and career opportunities for members.
Students for Peace and Justice - Create awareness through education, forum and discourse, of alternatives to violent responses to political and social problems facing the world today.
Wisconsin Association of Energy Engineers - Promotes interest in the energy field, with an emphasis on sustainable energy.


The website URL where information about the student groups is available (optional):
Does the institution have gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:

We have an organic, edible garden on campus started in the summer of 2013 and run by Green Campus Project Student Organization with support from the Office of Sustainability. Starting in 2015 we began to also plant mini-edible garden's around campus in place of traditional annual plants (in cooperation with campus grounds). Each year we hire 2-4 garden coordinators, have volunteer nights open to the public, and do campus programming to build awareness about sustainable agriculture.


The website URL where information about the gardens, farms or agriculture projects is available (optional):
Does the institution have student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes (e.g. cafés through which students gain sustainable business skills)?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:

We have a student run business on campus, Platteville Sunflower Oil, which grows, presses, and sells it's own organic and locally grown sunflower oil for cooking. The business has been around since 2013 and has a 7-member board of directors, all of whom must be UW-Platteville students. Sustainability places prominently in their mission statement and marketing materials.


The website URL where information about the student-run enterprises is available (optional):
Does the institution have 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

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
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Does the institution have conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:

Since 2014 Green Campus Project student organization has organized an Earth Day Carnival on campus each year. The Carnival invites student organizations from across campus to table and offer carnival games related to sustainability open to the entire campus. The event occurs on the main green in central campus and is well attended. We also have workshops that help teach students about aspects of sustainability.


The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):
Does the institution have cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:

Green Campus Project, in partnership with other student organizations, host movie showings on campus each year. This year they showed Between Earth and Sky (with a special introduction and Q&A from the producer) and An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. These showings are student run and free to all students wishing to attend.


The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):
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Does the institution have wilderness or outdoors programs (e.g. that organize hiking, backpacking, kayaking, or other outings for students) that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:

Outdoor Adventure Club regularly leads "Leave No Trace" outdoor trips. Activities include rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, slacklining, rappelling. These events are always student governed.


The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors programs is available (optional):
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Does the institution have sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences (e.g. choosing a sustainability-related book for common reading)?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
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The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):
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Does the institution have programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
Yes

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:

One wing of a residence hall, Dobson Hall, served as a model for sustainable living last year. The two student residence life assistants that advise that hall shape their regular programming around the principles of sustainable living. This program is building toward the creation of a formal Living and Learning Community on campus. The work of these two student residence life assistants is very independent, and thus, we consider this program student-governed.


The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
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Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:

The Office of Sustainability hires several positions each year to promote sustainability. Typically we hire 2-5 sustainability assistants who help with a wide range of sustainability issues, 1-2 transportation assistants who promote alternative transportation on campus, and 3-4 students who help run our campus surplus program. Additionally, Green Campus Project student organization hires 2-4 students each year to manage the edible campus garden.


The website URL where information about the student employment opportunities is available:
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Does the institution have graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
No

A brief description of the graduation pledges:
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
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Does the institution have other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives?:
Yes

A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:

Engineers Without Borders travels to Ghana once or twice each year to help build some form of sustainable infrastructure (e.g. a water pump or solar heating system). WEAA works each year to do similar initiatives on campus and have helped us identify ways to improve our passive solar panels and install solar charging stations on campus. Both of these initiatives are student governed.


The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):
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Estimated percentage of students (full-time and part-time) that participate annually in sustainability-focused co-curricular education and outreach programs (0-100):
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.