| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 61.40 |
| Liaison | Jennifer Bodine |
| Submission Date | April 25, 2022 |
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 an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
In addition to the Environmental Ambassadors, listed under credit EN-1, WSU also has a student chapter of the Food Recovery Network which recovers food twice weekly and takes it to the Weber Cares Pantry on campus and the Lantern House, a homeless shelter, in downtown Ogden. More information about the Environmental Ambassadors can be found here https://weber.edu/sustainability/environmental-ambassadors.html and information about the Food Recovery Network can be found here https://www.weber.edu/sustainability/food-recovery-network.html
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:
WSU's community garden is managed by the student Community Garden Club President whose position is housed in the Energy & Sustainability Office. Student volunteers are recruited to help run the garden each year. The food grown in the garden is donated to the Weber Cares Food Pantry and to the Lantern House which is a shelter located in Ogden City. The garden offers education on home gardening, composting, and advice for plant care. Volunteers gain practical experience working in a horticultural setting and the first pick of produce. More information about the garden can be found here https://www.weber.edu/sustainability/community-garden.html
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:
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 2010, Weber State University has annually hosted the Intermountain Sustainability Summit (ISS). The Intermountain Sustainability Summit is an annual benchmark event where sustainability professionals from business, non-profits, government and education come together, along with the students and next generation of leaders, to learn, share, network and build momentum as we work to improve our communities, environment and economy. The next Summit will be held March 17-18, 2022. More information can be found here https://www.weber.edu/issummit
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:
WSU hosts an annual Engaged Learning Series (ELS), which is a university-wide series of events designed to engage students, faculty, staff, and community in discussion, debate, dialogue, learning, and action around an issue of public concern. Each installation of the ELS features multiple facets, including a specific focus on sustainability. During the 2020-2021 academic year, the theme was "Connect" and the series included an entire week of "Connect to Sustainability" events. This 2021-2022 academic year the theme is "Re-Connect" and the sustainability-related sub-theme for this year is "Reconnect to the River."
Art exhibits, installations, and performances have been incorporated into this series over the past several years. For example, in November, 2020, WSU Dance live-streamed their "Sojourners" performance about the waste stream. More information about the performance can be found here https://www.weber.edu/PerformingArts/Orchesis.html. More information about the ELS can be found here https://weber.edu/ccel/els.html
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:
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. More information about the program can be found here https://www.weber.edu/outdoor/
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:
As discussed above, WSU hosts an annual engaged learning series which always includes sustainability. More information about WSU's Engaged Learning Series can be found here https://weber.edu/ccel/els.html
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:
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Both the Sustainability Practices and Research Center and the Energy & Sustainability Office on campus run a paid student internship program. Currently 6 students are employed by these programs. These students are also involved in running the student Environmental Ambassadors Program, Food Recovery Network, Community Garden Club, the Intermountain Sustainability Summit, community programs, and more.
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:
Sustainability Snapshots is a multi-disciplinary course covering sustainability perspectives from physics to philosophy, English to engineering and biology to business.
Offered as a 1-credit class, students, staff, and community members are also encouraged to just drop in — free of charge. This course runs over the lunch hour, making it a perfect time to bring a lunch and enjoy the discussion. Details about the 2021 series can be found here https://www.weber.edu/sustainability/snapshots.html
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.