| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 55.52 |
| Liaison | Alan Burr |
| Submission Date | March 5, 2020 |
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Amy
Seeboth-Wilson Sustainability Coordinator Facilities Management |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the 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.
Does the institution have a garden, farm, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or an urban agriculture project where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:
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.
Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
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.
Does the institution have a sustainable investment fund, green revolving fund, or sustainable microfinance initiative through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills?:
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
Has the institution hosted a conference, speaker series, symposium, or similar event focused on sustainability during the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on 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.
Has the institution hosted a cultural arts event, installation, or performance focused on sustainability with the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
Green Campus Project, in partnership with other student organizations, host movie showings on campus each year. In the past, they have shown Between Earth and Sky, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, and Decoding the Driftless. These showings are student run and free to all students wishing to attend.
Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
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.
Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
One residence hall, Morrow Hall, is a model sustainability hall. The student residence life assistants that advise that hall shape their regular programming around the principles of sustainable living. The work of these two student residence life assistants is very independent, and thus, we consider this program student-governed.
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
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.
Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
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.
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.