| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.20 |
| Liaison | Olivia Shehan |
| Submission Date | Dec. 24, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Wellesley College
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Sharon
Bort Sustainability Coordinator Sustainability |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
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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 | Yes |
| Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
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The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
El Table: El Table is a student-run co-operative cafe that purchases sustainable food items such as fair trade coffee, local and organic produce, and more. They also compost their food scraps.
WEED: Wellesley Energy and Environmental Defense, better know as WEED, aims to promote and enhance environmentally friendly practices on campus by coordinating a number of campus wide events and demonstrations, hosting a month long inter-dorm competition, and inviting speakers onto campus.
SLOW Food: Slow Food was founded in 1989 to counter the rise of fast food and fast life. It is a global, grassroots organization with supporters in 150 countries around the world that promote good, clean, and fair food; good for your body and delicious, clean for the environment and the entire community, and fair trade for labor. Wellesley College is proud to have their own chapter in this movement.
SCoop: Sustainable Co-Op on campus is a sustainable housing community on campus. Their sustainable living includes preparing their own meals from local and organic foods, composting their food waste, and living low impact by using less electricity and water.
Outing Club: Revived in 2007, Wellesley College Outing Club offers students an opportunity to go on great adventures, engage in fun and stress-relieving outdoor activities and, with collaboration with PERA, outdoor equipment rentals. Regular outings include hiking, biking, and rock-climbing, additional trips emerge out of the interest of the members. Meetings are biweekly.
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The website URL where information about student groups is available:
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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:
Regeneration is a student-run farm near campus at the College’s community gardens that grows all organic produce. Their crops range from kale, tomatoes, eggplant, basil, and more. They seasonally sell their produce on a pay-what-you-can basis to the campus community.
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The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
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A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
El Table: El Table is a student-run co-operative cafe that purchases sustainable food items such as fair trade coffee, local and organic produce, and more. They also compost their food scraps. https://www.facebook.com/ElTable?fref=ts
Punch's Alley: A student run, cooperative business that provides community space and beverages for campus. Recycling is a key part of their model.
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The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
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A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
Class of 57 Green Fund: The Class of 1957 Fund was established by the Class of 1957 to provide funding for initiatives designed to enhance sustainable practices at Wellesley, to reduce Wellesley's environmental impact, and to raise awareness about environmental issues on campus. Anyone can apply for a grant if they have an idea for a sustainable initiative. This is run as a sub-committee of the Environmental Sustainability Committee with staff, faculty, and student representation.
Green Revolving Fund: The mission of the Wellesley College Green Revolving Fund (GRF) is to support sustainability initiatives in the college’s operations and facilities. It frames sustainability as an investment rather than an expense. The fund finances energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability projects that reduce environmental impacts and operating costs. In addition, the fund provides a platform for sustainability reporting and community engagement. This is also run as a sub-committee of the Environmental Sustainability Committee with staff, faculty, and student representation. http://www.wellesley.edu/sustainability/partners/green-revolving-fund-grf-
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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
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A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
Sustainable Roundtable: This is an annual gathering put together by the Office of Sustainability in which over 30 universities and colleges from the Northeast attend to network, attend workshops, and discuss common issues. Last year Mitch Thomashow presented to the group and conducted workshops. In previous years we have taken an un-conference model. Students, staff, and faculty are all invited to participate in this annual summer event.
Project Handprint: Project Handprint brings people together with an inaugural symposium, with participants sharing the roles they play and the paths they took to those roles, and introducing current projects and opportunities to participate. Intended to inspire participants near and far, the discussion will continue online as we build a web-based network of interested affiliates. The site will be a clearinghouse for ideas and opportunities, and for the latest member updates on the many topical projects. The network connects alumnae and Friends with faculty and students from such disparate disciplines as Geosciences, American Studies, Biology, Economics, Art History, and Engineering, multiplying the learning opportunities for all involved. We expect this “cooperative extension” of the liberal arts model to yield conceptual breakthroughs, and certainly to promote a strong understanding of how to make progress on complex environmental issues.
Sustainability Science Symposium: Every other year, the student group WEED hosts a symposium on sustainability science. The theme changes each year but faculty, staff, students of Wellesley College as well as the surrounding schools are all invited to attend.
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The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
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A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
Every year at least one art installation relative to sustainability is set up in a central area of our campus center. These installations include focuses on paper recycling, bicycles, and single use plastic water bottles.
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The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
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A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The Outing club aims to provide a venue for Wellesley community members to participate in outdoor activities. These include hiking, biking, climbing, trail running, camping, skiing, and other activities based on the interests of current club members. The goal is to have fun while fostering a community with a love and respect for the great outdoors
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The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
This is currently being planned and recommended in the College's Sustainability Plan which will mandate greater integration of sustainability into academic sphere.
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The website URL where information about the theme is available:
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A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
Skillshare: The student group, WEED, holds a bi-annual skillshare in which volunteers from across campus share various skills to attendees such as yoga, making almond milk, graphic design, rock identification and much more.
Workshop Series offered by Office of Sustainability Office and Wellness Committee: This partnership puts on a series of workshops education students on bike repair and other important skills to have for life after Wellesley.
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The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
The Office of Sustainability offers 6 internships each year as well as 2-4 internships over the summer.
The Environmental Studies Program offers 2 internships annually to assist in the newsletter, programming, and the general functioning of the department.
The Wellesley Botanical Gardens offers year round internships to attend to the gardens and farms on campus while learning about horticulture and botany.
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The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
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A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
N/A
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
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A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
Sustainable Move Out Collection and Move-In Sale:
The Office of Sustainability has developed a program in which students moving out of their dorms who no longer want their good quality/reusable dorm items donate them to the sustainable move-out program. Items collected during move-out are sold back at a significantly cheaper price to students moving in during the following semester. Funds collected during this program go towards sustainability projects on campus. Over 14,000 pounds of clothing alone was recycled and donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters. We also filled a 40 foot by 8ft by 8 ft container of dorm essentials.
Wellesley Initiative for Sustainable Computing (WISC): This program is a collaborative initiative with Library and Technology services to move information into the cloud, repair and donate old computer, reduce paper use in printing, reduce electronics on campus, and educate the campus on energy saving strategies
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The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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