| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 47.23 |
| Liaison | Keaton Schrank |
| Submission Date | Aug. 15, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Westminster University - Utah
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Kerry
Case Environmental Center Director Environmental Center |
Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:
The Environmental Center offers several student groups that focus on sustainability.
EcoReps: student employees who live in the residence halls and encourage sustainability on campus.
Sustainability Fellows: 3-4 student employees who provide peer-to-peer education related to sustainability.
Bicycle Collective: a group of student employees who run a do-it-yourself bike shop an free bike rental program on campus.
Organic Garden: student run organic garden that engages students in learning sustainable gardening practices.
Westminster Bee Hive: student run program that maintains 2 hives and teaches students about beekeeping and pollination.
Climate Solutions Club: climate activism focused student club on campus.
The website URL where information about the student groups is available (optional):
Does the institution have gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects 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:
Westminster Organic Garden Program: Westminster's organic garden is a space for students to collectively grow healthy, organic produce. The small garden includes raised vegetable beds, compost bins, and a gathering space. Student employees and volunteers maintain the garden, and the produce is available each week to student volunteers and at a campus farm stand. The full campus garden program also includes cooking classes, a small orchard, and a beekeeping program.
The website URL where information about the gardens, farms or agriculture projects is available (optional):
Does the institution have student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes (e.g. cafés through which students gain sustainable business skills)?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
N/A
The website URL where information about the student-run enterprises is available (optional):
Does the institution have sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives 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:
N/A
The website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
Does the institution have conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:
Environmental Center offers several sustainability events each year. In the past two years, the Center has hosted guest speakers, political action training sessions, films, and hands-on workshops.
Additionally, the undergraduate Global Crisis and Global Change conference held at Westminster has a component inviting students to present ecological crisis related research.
The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):
Does the institution have cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:
As part of #WasteFreeWestminster, students completed an art-build installation that demonstrated the waste generated on campus and what can and cannot be recycled. The installation was exhibited at Earth Day. The Environmental Center also employs an Environmental Art Coordinator who works to help programs engage students in sustainability topics through art.
The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):
Does the institution have wilderness or outdoors programs (e.g. that organize hiking, backpacking, kayaking, or other outings for students) that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The Outdoor Program trip leaders are all certified in Leave No Trace policies. All trips, including climbing, backpacking, pack rafting, back country skiing and more, all follow the Leave No Trace policy.
The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors programs is available (optional):
Does the institution have sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences (e.g. choosing a sustainability-related book for common reading)?:
A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):
Does the institution have programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
Green Grade: This online self-assessment and learning tool helps student measure and improve sustainable behaviors. It offers "grades" based on current actions and provides information on how to improve scores and live more sustainability day to day.
#WasteFreeWestminster Workshops: this educational series provides information and supplies for students and staff to reduce or eliminate the personal waste they generate.
Residence Hall Energy Challenge: this annual challenge helps students learn practical steps to reduce their energy use.
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
The Environmental Center employs 15-20 students each year, and all of these positions focus on sustainability in some way.
Sustainability Fellows: encourage and implement sustainable projects on campus and help complete the STARS evaluation.
Sustainability Coordinator: students who are in charge of supporting and coordinating student sustainability work across campus.
Garden Coordinators: run the campus garden, compost, and farmstand.
Bee Keeper: maintains campus hives and offers educational programming.
Sustainable Food Coordinator: responsible for working with campus food services to improve overall sustainability of campus dining.
Waste Minimization Coordinator and Recycling Coordinator: work together to maintain and improve campus waste reduction programs.
Bike Technicians: Help students fix bikes and distribute bikes to students as part of the bicycle collective.
Environmental Center Assistant: help in the environmental center where ever needed, often on projects related to sustainability.
EcoReps: residential students committed to spreading sustainable practices in residence halls and teaching sustainable behaviors.
Environmental Justice Coordinator: helps integrate and prioritize justice concerns in environmental center program and offers workshops and materials related to the topic.
Environmental Arts Coordinator: helps the Environmental Center incorporate art as a way to increase sustainability knowledge and awareness on campus.
The website URL where information about the student employment opportunities is available:
Does the institution have graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
A brief description of the graduation pledges:
N/A
The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
Does the institution have other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives?:
A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
Environmental Center: The Environmental Center on campus provides opportunities for students to do research, be a part of sustainable projects, and identify sources of funding to realize their sustainability ideas. It encompasses the Westminster Bike Collective and the Organic Garden, as well as employs Sustainability Fellows and offers many workshops and events that educate the campus in sustainable matters. The center is the main force for sustainability planning, implementation, and assessment on campus. Moreover, it involves students meaningfully in each of these aspects.
The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):
Estimated percentage of students (full-time and part-time) that participate annually in sustainability-focused co-curricular education and outreach programs (0-100):
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.