| Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 40.16 |
| Liaison | Jennifer Bodine |
| Submission Date | April 23, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Weber State University
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.75 / 2.00 |
Jennifer
Bodine Sustainability Specialist Facilities Management |
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 | Yes |
| Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences | Yes |
| Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills | No |
| 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 | No |
The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
The Environmental Club is a politically active group focused on promoting environmentally friendly policies at the local level and legislation at the state level. The Environmental Club often works closely with WSU's Environmental Ambassadors to educate the campus community about environmental issues and sustainable living.
WSU also has a student chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) which promotes and educates the campus on green building techniques.
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:
A group of WSU students established a community garden in the summer of 2011. The garden is open to all students, faculty, and staff that are willing to volunteer their time and pay a fee each season of $25 to buy seeds and supplies. The garden is worked in a collaborative fashion and produce is shared equally by the participants
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 website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
From 2010 on, Weber State University has annually hosted the Intermountain Sustainability Summit. The 6th Annual conference will be held on March 5-6, 2015.
WSU is in the process of hosting a three-year engaged learning series focused on sustainability. The first year of this series (2012-2013) centered on water issues, the second year of the series (2013-2014) was entitled On Air, and the final part of this series, Food Matters, will be held this academic year (2014-2015). A schedule of this year's events can be found at: http://www.weber.edu/ccel/foodmatters.html
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:
WSU is in the process of hosting a three-year engaged learning series focused on sustainability. The first year of this series (2012-2013) centered on water issues, the second year of the series (2013-2014) was entitled On Air, and the final part of this series, Food Matters, will be held this academic year (2014-2015). Art exhibits, installations, and performances have been incorporated into this series over the past two years and will be a part of the series this academic year. A schedule of this year's events can be found at: http://www.weber.edu/ccel/foodmatters.html
The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
Weber State University has an Outdoor Program, through Campus Recreation, that organizes a variety of outdoor trips and opportunities including rock climbing, backpacking, etc. All WSU Outdoor Program leaders/teachers are required to take training courses that incorporate Leave No Trace principles. These principles are then incorporated into every WSU Outdoor Program outing or event. Leave No Trace brochures are also available in the Outdoor Program's Office.
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:
As discussed above, WSU is in the process of hosting a three-year engaged learning series focused on sustainability. In early spring, 2012, WSU's Director of Cultural Affairs, a faculty member in Geography, and the Dean of the College of Arts & Humanities, approached the Provost to see if he would consider funding an on-campus visit by Sandra Steingraber, acclaimed ecologist, biologist, and author of Living Downstream, Raising Elijah, as well as essays and poems examining humans’ troubled relationships with water. The Provost suggested that they bring in multiple speakers over the course of the academic year to address water as a topic rather than just one—and Water Works was born. This cross-college effort was transformed into a three-year series of annual thematic discussions at Weber State. After Water Works, the second year of the series (2013-2014) was entitled On Air, and the final part of this series, Food Matters, will be held this academic year (2014-2015).
The website URL where information about the theme is available:
A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
The Energy & Sustainability Office on campus runs a paid student internship program. Currently three students are employed by this program. These three students are responsible for running the student Environmental Ambassadors Program.
The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
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:
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.