Wilfrid Laurier University
EN-5: Outreach Campaign

As all of Laurier's owned academic and residence buildings are sub-metered, a yearly energy conservation competition is held between student residences using Lucid's Building Dashboard. Each sub-metered residence's energy consumption is monitored for one week prior to the start of the competition to create a baseline, followed by a one or two week competition to reduce the most energy. The residence that reduces their total percentage of energy consumption the most (per capita) over the competition period is awarded a prize. Students are provided with energy conserving information and engaged in energy saving practices throughout the span of the competition to educate them about the local, regional and global benefits of energy conservation.

In 2012 over a one week period, the Building Dashboard Residence Energy Competition saved 14,626 kilowatt-hours, averted 5,481 pounds of carbon dioxide, and saved the university $1,462 in energy bills. In addition to the above mentioned positive impacts, this campaign also greatly increased energy conservation awareness among first year students and instilled basic conservation ideas to encourage energy conservation in their homes and residences for the rest of the year.

The Diversity & Equity Office is offering a program for TA’s/graduate students to build capacity in facilitating critical thinking and engagement with issues of diversity, equity, and social justice in the classroom. The program consists of three sessions and will feature the following key topics: Workshops include an in-depth understanding of diversity and equity issues, the different isms (ex. racism, ableism, sexism), how they intersect with each other and play out in a university context. Equity issues and unpacking common problematic statements that derail conversations about equity and social justice.And how to facilitate difficult conversations and disruptions in the moment when they occur and look at possible ways of handling these situations and/or turning them into teachable moments.

The positive impact of these programs is measured by the student and employee feedback upon competition of training as well as the change in the work environment that results from a better educated staff. The Diversity and Equality Office is dedicated to increasing the skills, competencies and knowledge of the Laurier community to improve our morale, broaden our curriculum and make our university more attractive to an increasingly broad pool of potential students and employees.