Western Michigan University
EN-3: Student Life

The WMU Clean Water Project is a student organization dedicated to fundraising and advocating for every human's right to clean water around the world. BioClub - WMU Biology Club is a great way for students to meet professors and other students who share similar interest in the biological sciences. This club promotes study in the field of biology through campus and community involvement. Students for a Sustainable Earth - The goal and mission of SSE to promote attitudes and behaviors on campus and in the wider Kalamazoo community that are environmentally and culturally sustainable. To accomplish this goal, SSE employs a variety of tactics including events, campaigns, and projects.

A) The Stadium Drive Community Garden is a 15,000 square foot garden operated by Western Michigan University. Garden plots are available to the campus community and the public. Community garden participants are encouraged to plant a row for the hungry and donate their extra produce to local food banks. In 2011, the Student Garden Organization partnered with nearby campus-owned Stadium Drive apartments so residents could co-manage the community garden. In 2012, the garden transitioned from a student project into a project of the Office for Sustainability. In both 2012 and 2013, the garden increased in size to accommodate the growing interest in growing on campus! After two years of management, the Office for Sustainability passed stewardship responsibilities to Students for a Sustainable Earth and the BioClub. (Student Governed) B) WMU also has a Student Farm, or Production Garden, that has been operated at the Gibbs House and more recently adjacent to the Community Garden. A variety of heirloom and organic vegetables are cultivated and distributed through catering events, cooking classes (WMU Dietetics and Catering Services), and free giveaways to the campus community. The farm serves as a living laboratory for research on sustainable food systems, ecology, biology, composting, and permaculture. Campus and community groups may book educational tours or volunteer on the farm from early spring through late fall. (Student Governed)

The Campus Beet, is a sustainable campus lunch that features vegetarian and vegan meals for the campus community. In its current location at the Wesley Center the Beet offers a cafe' atmosphere and sometimes features live music.

WMU students pay a student sustainability fee, which funds annual Student Sustainability Grants. Up to $75,000 is available to fund student-authored proposals which promote a campus culture of sustainability and have the potential to benefit all WMU students. The SSG Allocations Committee is 100% student led and includes representatives from all academic colleges and both undergraduate and graduate students. (Student Governed)

The Office for Sustainability is a gathering place for information about campus and community opportunities for sustainability education. Any campus speakers, seminars, or events connected to sustainability are posted on the home page. Campus offices, departments, and student groups often collaborate to support and promote sustainability activities. Students at the Office for Sustainability coordinate WMU’s annual National Campus Sustainability Day, which over the past three years has showcased a variety of free events such as a community roundtable discussions, expert speakers, and campus tours. (Student Governed) Student groups led by Office for Sustainability collaborate to host an annual SustainabiliBASH at the end of each academic year. The BASH is a celebration of campus and community sustainability efforts, skill sharing, music, and activism. (Student Governed)

Spare Change - the Art of Climate (2013) was a juried, student art exhibit guided by the following: "Climate change is the immersive, lasting statistical distribution of weather exceeding average norms over given time brackets from millions of years to decades -caused naturally and by human-specific impacts."

The First Year Seminar video contest is a collaboration between the Office for Sustainability and First Year Experience that offers incoming students an alternative research project. Since Fall 2011, students have worked to create over 50 videos focusing on campus sustainability topics. Students have the opportunity to learn basic research methods, gain knowledge of sustainability on campus, advance their video production and communications skills, have fun, and spread the word about WMU’s sustainability achievements. Videos may range from 2-3 minutes and students formally script, storyboard, shoot, and edit their videos with support from section instructors.

The Bike Stable is a clearinghouse for non-motorized transportation education, advocacy, and policy efforts. It leads workshops, group rides, guided tours, weekly open shop nights, and research. The Stable is run by students with the Office for Sustainability. (Student Governed) Gibbs House Fellowships provide a year-long residential fellowship for students who want a more seamless sustainability experience with their education. Fellows participate in leadership and discovery-driven learning opportunities and are paid to research and work on campus sustainability projects and policies. Fellows live in the 150 year old Gibbs House across from Asylum Lake, which also serves as a community sustainability resource center.

The Office for Sustainability offers an average of 20 student "Green Jobs" a semester. These paid positions include part-time positions at the Office for Sustainability, Wesustain Internships, Gibbs House Fellowships, and graduate assistantships. The Green Jobs are funded by the student Sustainability Fee, and additional students are hired from a facilities operation fund to work on waste reduction and recycling efforts. All jobs are promoted on Bronco Jobs - WMU’s Career and Student Employment Service job database.