Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 37.70
Liaison Karen Marin-Hines
Submission Date Feb. 28, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Texas Tech University
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Harley Puett
Sustainability Intern
Operations
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:

US Green Building Council Student Organization at Tech, Tech Future Leaders in Transportation, Student Association For The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Range, Wildlife, and Fisheries Club, Association of Natural Resource Scientists, Student American Society of Landscape Architects, Society for Conservation Biology, Solar Racing Team, Clean Up The Environment (CUTE), Engineers Without Borders, Engineers for a Sustainable World, Environmental Law Society, Heart of Lubbock Community Garden, Student Government Association Green Initiatives Committee, Society of Environmental Professionals. These are all student-governed organizations, and there are likely more sustainability-focused events/activities held by other organizations listed on the student organization website.


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?:
Yes

A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:

Heart of Lubbock Community Garden is run by a student group from Natural Resource Management. They manage a local CSA. The project is completely student governed.


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)?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:

Texas Tech Housing Services employs students and student interns in all aspects of their operation, including meal vending locations and trade shops. Housing Services actively practices sustainable operations and management, passing these mindsets and skills on to the students as part of their training and employment. Housing also runs the recycling center and participates in RecycleMania.


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?:
No

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
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Does the institution have conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:

Texas Tech's Student Activities Board Annually throws an Arbor Day celebration in which students and their organizations are encouraged to beautify campus by planting. This celebration is an all-day outdoor event which includes food, drink, music, and games as part of eco-week.

The Climate Science Center has monthly seminars where researchers present climate, environment, or sustainable research to students in quick, layperson level discussions.


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?:
Yes

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:

Texas Tech University Student Housing and the Student Government Association are calling for submissions from students, student organizations, staff and faculty members for the annual Recycled Art Contest.

The contest requires entries to be at least 75 percent recyclable materials. The event serves as a precursor to Arbor Day and attendees who bring two or more plastic bottles for recycling can receive a free T-shirt from Hospitality Services.


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?:
Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:

TTU has many such programs. Texas Tech University's Outdoor Pursuits program provides outdoor student activity opportunities while also teaching leadership and responsibility through student run canoeing, climbing, backpacking,etc. We have our Junction, TX facility where students take classes. We have an internship program through the Climate Science Center that takes students from other universities and teaches them about the South Central climate region.


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)?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
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The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):
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Does the institution have programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
Yes

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:

All of the student rooms have either LED or CFL lamps in them. Most of the residence halls have low flow/auto flushers installed in the restrooms. We use .05gpm aerators on all faucets. We have put low flow showerheads or reducers on all showers in the residence halls. Most of our cleaning chemicals are green sealed certified except where there is not a green seal certified product available, i.e. disinfectants and mold removers. The majority of our machines CRI certified (reducing water usage, HEPA filters, etc.)


The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:

Texas Tech University Student Housing employs students and Community Advisors and Student Assistants. A large part of their job is educating residents about on-campus resources such as recycling centers and on sustainable living habits.


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?:
No

A brief description of the graduation pledges:
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
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Does the institution have other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives?:
Yes

A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:

The Honors college runs semester long projects where students focus on environmental issues. University Studies has a semester project built around the environment and sustainable communities where each student connects these issues back to their personal disciplines. University Studies is where the students do not have a major, but instead pick three minors. The Honors college also runs semester long projects where students focus on environmental issues.


The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):
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Estimated percentage of students (full-time and part-time) that participate annually in sustainability-focused co-curricular education and outreach programs (0-100):
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.