Stanford University
SD-1: New Student Orientation

Held at Memorial Auditorium and organized by the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) and Undergraduate Advising and Research, the Beginnings panel during New Student Orientation featured sustainability as its central theme in 2009. Offered each year, Beginnings provides an opportunity for new and returning students to hear from alumni and faculty about creating value and meaning during their Stanford experience and beyond. The panel, moderated by President Hennessy, included guest speakers Vinod Khosla, MBA ’80, founder of venture capital firm Khosla Ventures, which funds clean-tech efforts; Jeffrey Koseff, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford; Jeff Orlowski, ’06, filmmaker; and Jane Woodward, Consulting Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and CEO of Mineral Acquisition Partners (MAP). This event also served as the kick-off for the first-ever ASSU Sustainability Chair position.

In addition, New Graduate Student Orientation featured a "Sustainability @ Stanford" presentation open to all incoming graduate students. Sustainability staff presented current campus initiatives, resources, and simple behavior-based ways to reduce individual environmental impact.

For more information, please visit the following websites:
http://woods.stanford.edu/
http://ual.stanford.edu/pdf/uar_StudentEventsCalendar_0910.pdf
http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/glo/gsic/welcome

Peer-to-peer educators, Green Living Coordinators, serve Stanford's residences. The students educate housemates on environmental issues and promote sustainable behaviors in everyday student life at Stanford. The role includes a wide range of responsibilities, from organizing residential programming and activities to bringing sustainability-related concerns of their residents to the attention of the Green Living Council. Presentations are held throughout New Student Orientation to educate incoming students about how to lead a sustainable residential life at Stanford.

For more information, please visit the following website:
http://glc.stanford.edu/

Stanford Pre-Orientation Trips (SPOT) provide opportunities for students to engage in sustainability. Incoming students may select wilderness backpacking trips, sustainable farming trips, or a public lands service project.

As described on the SPOT overview website(https://www.stanford.edu/dept/pe/cgi-bin/services/outdoor-education/spot/):

SUSTAINABLE FARMING TRIP:
Join us to explore the life of organic farmers in the emerging California sustainable agriculture movement. We will spend five days at a small innovative production and education farm situated just about an hour from Stanford. We will camp on farm property and participate in the many tasks that go into making a farm run: harvesting and weeding crops, caring for animals, and helping with general farm upkeep. A typical day might begin when we emerge from our tents and prepare a breakfast of pancakes, granola, oatmeal or omelets. After eating, we’ll head out for a morning of farm work, conversation, and games. We might harvest and sort tomatoes, pick kale, or build chicken coops. Time in the field offers a great opportunity for SPOT participants to get to know fellow frosh and to ask leaders questions about life at Stanford. At midday, we might break for a lunch of freshly picked produce from the farm and then head out for a hike. As the day winds down, we’ll prepare delicious dinners outdoors and fall asleep under the stars. This trip will provide an invaluable chance for incoming freshmen to learn about sustainable agriculture in California, enjoy the outdoors, and make friends before the start of their time at Stanford.

EASTERN SIERRA WILDLAND STEWARDSHIP AND EXPLORATION TRIP:
The Eastern Sierra is a fantasyland for the outdoor enthusiast. Encompassing the area east of Yosemite National Park south to Mount Whitney and beyond there is a lifetime of exploration, learning and fun to be had there. Another name for the region is the Inyo, a Paiute Indian word meaning “home of the great spirit” and we’ll be joined on this trip by the local group “Friends of the Inyo” which works to help protect and preserve the public lands of the Eastern Sierra. Well-known landmarks of the area include Mono Lake, the John Muir and Ansel Adams Wilderness, Mammoth Mountain (an active volcano) and countless peaks and streams. Hiking trails abound and we will spend some time day-hiking a selection of local favorites. The Inyo National Forest administers much of the public land in the Eastern Sierra and, working with Friends of the Inyo, one of our goals on the trip is to lend a hand on a variety of community service projects for the National Forest – after a busy summer tourist season they can surely use the help! This trip will be a great introduction to the area – we’ll spend equal time exploring and working on interesting stewardship projects such as trail and campsite maintenance.

SPOT WILDERNESS TRIPS:
The SPOT wilderness trips will take you out into the beautiful California wilderness for a five-day backpacking trip. Many of our participants are first time backpackers, and our leaders are excited to teach you everything you need to know to have an enjoyable experience. Your group of 7-12 new students and 2-3 trip leaders will be entirely self-sufficient, carrying everything you need for the week in your backpacks. You will spend each day hiking about 4-7 miles with plenty of rest breaks. You will take in the amazing views as you cross mountain passes, feel refreshed as you swim in alpine lakes, and have lots of time to interact with the people in your group. The focus of these trips is on sharing a wilderness experience, getting to know each other, and getting ready for the year ahead. In the evening, at the campsite for that night, you will play games, share stories, and discuss life at Stanford with your leaders. At the end of the trip, you’ll return to campus energized, with a fresh perspective and a new group of friends, ready to begin New Student Orientation.
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All freshmen participate in a zero waste lunch during New Student Orientation. Boxed lunches that
are 100% compostable and recyclable are prepared for all students. Each boxed lunch contains an insert developed by the Office of Sustainability which highlights campus programs and opportunities for students to engage in sustainability at Stanford. At the zero waste lunch students learn details
about waste reduction efforts at Stanford, including how to compost and recycle on campus. Student volunteers
station themselves at each compost and recycle bin to ensure waste is sorted and disposed of properly.

As part of “Approaching Stanford,” a set of materials and activities sent to first-year and transfer students as they prepare for their time at Stanford, all students are emailed a digital copy of “Sustainability on the Farm,” a student's guide to sustainable living on campus. The guide is accompanied by a letter from the Office of Sustainability describing why Stanford considers sustainability to be a key component of the university’s mission and the Stanford experience.

For more information, please visit the following website:
http://sustainable.stanford.edu/sites/sem.stanford.edu/files/documents/oos_student_guide_081211.pdf