| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 56.42 |
| Liaison | Kate Witte |
| Submission Date | May 25, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Keene State College
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Cary
Gaunt Director of Campus Sustainability Sustainability |
Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:
Keene State College has numerous student groups that focus on sustainability. These include:
1) KSC Campus Ecology: KSC Campus Ecology has the goal, "To establish environmentally sound practices on campus by promoting leadership, awareness and action." They table on topics such as Fair Trade, show environmentally themed movies such as Tapped, sponsor or co-sponsor speakers, and try to educate themselves and their peers. Campus Ecology also seeks to develop partnerships with local sustainability related organizations. They sponsor the annual spring SolarFest, which includes fun and educational activities--all solar powered.
2) Common Ground Multicultural Club: The Common Ground Multicultural Club provides a forum for students interested in topics related to diversity and multiculturalism to get together, provide support to one another, and organize social and educational events. See: http://www.keene.edu/campus/diversity/common-ground-multicultural-club/
3) Environmental Outing Club: Helps students actively engage in outdoor activities, while promoting a clean environment and a sustainable future.
4) Fair Trade Club: The Fair Trade Club is a student organization trying to raise awareness of the social and environmental aspects of sustainability. They host tables at events and have even sent students to South America to get a full look at what fair trade means on both ends.
4) Feminist Collective: Men and women who support equal treatment and protection, by providing resources and events to the community.
5) Holocaust and Genocide Awareness:Dedicated to spreading awareness and teaching the lessons of the Holocaust and genocide. Involved in various fund raising activities, discussions, movie nights and rallies.
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:
Campus grounds are maintained organically and students intern with the grounds program. Also 6 raised beds between the library and the child development center are maintained by a student-staff collaboration.
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:
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:
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:
The Environmental Studies Department sponsors a speakers series each academic year. Also, the entire KSC community is invited to participate in the Keene is Reading program which chooses a book each semester for reading, group discussion, and events.The books cover social justice and/or environmental sustainability themes. The KSC Office of Diversity and Multiculturalism sponsors frequent speakers and/or movies. The KSC American Democracy Project and Department of Holocaust and Genocide Studies also sponsor sustainability related speakers, workshops, and films on social and economic justice and peace-building.
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:
KSC Redfern Arts Center engages performances about place, social justice and sustainability each year often in collaboration with the Office of Multiculturalism and Diversity.
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 Environmental Outing Club is a student organization that organizes and promotes hiking, camping, climbing and other outdoor activities. Their mission statement:
"Helps students actively engage in outdoor activities, while promoting a clean environment and a sustainable future."
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:
Keene is Reading is an optional book reading program for the KSC Community. One book is chosen each semester. The books usually have a social justice and/or sustainability theme. All entering Freshmen and Transfer students also participate in a Community Service Day which predominantly focuses on sustainability projects (e.g., storm drain stenciling for the City, tree plantings, gardening, trash and river clean ups).
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:
Residential life provides students with the opportunity to live and learn with others who share similar interests. These communities practice life skills. Several of these living and learning communities focus on sustainable living, equity, diversity, social justice and community service.
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:
Two student employment opportunities exist within the Office of Sustainability: Eco-Reps and ROCKS. These programs were described in detail earlier, but comprise peer-to-peer education on sustainability topics as well as running food waste and trash audits, campus clean ups, the campus re-use room, and campus recycling program. These employment opportunities are sponsored by the Office of Sustainability. Students also can be employed by the Sustainability Office as assistants in our green bike lending program.
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:
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:
The Environmental Studies Department has a robust co-curricular program with the Harris Center for Conservation Education where students work as interns and student research assistants. See: http://www.keene.edu/news/stories/detail/1476824701196/
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.