| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.74 |
| Liaison | Jennifer Bodine |
| Submission Date | July 22, 2024 |
Weber State University
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Analeah
Vaughn Green Department Program Manager Energy & Sustainability Office |
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. 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:
1) In the Fall of 2022, the Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery at WSU had an exhibition called "Constructs for the Anthropocene" by Seattle-based artist, Buster Simpson. The exhibition presented a wide range of tactics for addressing pressing issues such as: sea rise, migrating species, planet acidification, sequestration of greenhouse gases, potable water supplies, sustainable energy, and climate equity. URL: https://www.nowplayingutah.com/event/buster-simpson-constructs-for-the-anthropocene/
2) Annually, the Intermountain Sustainability Summit (ISS) collaborates with the WSU Printmaking Art classes to generate artworks for the ISS. Around 40 students engage annually, crafting art pieces that align with the ISS theme. For instance, the theme for ISS in 2024 was "Sustainable by Design" and the theme in 2023 was "Connect and Amplify Impact". In 2023, ISS focused on a BIPOC Art Display and asked for submissions of sustainability-related artwork created by WSU's Black, Indigenous, People Of Color (BIPOC) communities.
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:
1) The Engaged Learning Series (ELS) is a university-wide series of events and programs designed to engage students, faculty, staff, and community in discussion, debate, dialogue, learning, and action around an issue of public concern. ESL has yearly themes that feature sustainability topics and concerns. The 2022-2023 theme was "Boundaries and Beyond" and it looked at how boundaries are used socially, personally, globally, and physically and how they impact culture, economics, education, environment, health, and politics. More information about WSU's Engaged Learning Series can be found here https://weber.edu/ccel/els.html
2) The monthly sustainability themes in WSU's Green Badge Program also help guide and integrate various campus events and activities related to each theme. When the Green Badge Program was created, the monthly themes were chosen based on when other campus events and programs were. For example, October is Social Sustainability month because that was when the Diversity Conference was held and it lined up well with the Walker Institute's political engagement efforts. Now that the themes are established, sustainability workshops and lunch and learns are held during applicable months, the WSU Sustainable clubs host events based on the themes, and the Sustainability Newsletter highlights information related to the theme each month. URL: https://www.weber.edu/sustainability/green-badge-program.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:
WSU's Green Badge Program incentivizes students, faculty, and staff to make their lives more sustainable and increase their knowledge of 9 different aspects of sustainability by earning monthly badges. Each month focuses on a different aspect of sustainability, and participants earn badges by completing actions related to that theme. Available actions include a variety of options such as attending virtual and in-person events or workshops, reading/watching educational material, making changes at home, volunteering, and more. URL: https://www.weber.edu/sustainability/green-badge-program.html
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. Presently, these programs employ 10 students. These individuals play an active role in managing various student initiatives, including the Environmental Ambassadors Program, Food Recovery Network, Garden Club, Intermountain Sustainability Summit, community outreach programs, zero waste initiatives, transportation planning, communications, 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:
Throughout the Fall and Spring semesters, the Sustainability Practices and Research Center at WSU presents a complimentary film each month centered on different sustainability themes, available to students, faculty, and staff. Frequently, screenings are accompanied by a collective conversation about the themes presented in the film.
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.