| Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 37.76 |
| Liaison | Diane Fout |
| Submission Date | Dec. 13, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Transylvania University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.80 / 4.00 |
Samuel
Crankshaw Student Sustainability Coordinator Office of Sustainability |
Is the institution utilizing the campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in the following areas?:
| Yes or No | |
| Air & Climate | No |
| Buildings | No |
| Dining Services/Food | Yes |
| Energy | Yes |
| Grounds | No |
| Purchasing | No |
| Transportation | No |
| Waste | No |
| Water | No |
| Coordination, Planning & Governance | Yes |
| Diversity & Affordability | Yes |
| Health, Wellbeing & Work | Yes |
| Investment | Yes |
| Public Engagement | Yes |
| Other | No |
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Air & Climate and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Buildings and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Dining Services/Food and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Sodexo Inc. employs student interns who learn about Sodexo's influence on campus and its efforts to support Kentucky proud farmers, reduce waste, compost waste, and more.
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Energy and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Energy usage (purchased electricity, water, and gas) for each building on campus is posted on a monthly basis to show the Transylvania community how many kWhs of electricity, MMBTUs of natural gas, and gallons of water each building uses each month. This reporting is completed by a Student Sustainability Coordinator working with the Energy Manager in Physical Plant Department and Sustainability Director in the Office of Sustainability. The Student Sustainability Coordinator learns how energy usage is measured, how it managed and billed building by building, what the Office of Sustainability and the Physical Plant Department are doing to reduce energy usage, and how to promote sustainability issues to the community.
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Grounds and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Purchasing and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Transportation and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Waste and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Water and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Coordination, Planning & Governance and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Student employees and interns work with the Office of Sustainability to help teach students about sustainable practices through educational experiences. These students also work with the administration to learn about how sustainable goals are met through administrative change. These employed positions and internships are valuable learning experiences for students because they learn how to navigate institutions to make meaningful changes through policy and hands on work.
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Diversity & Affordability and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Students are involved in Diversity and Affordability on a work-study and volunteer basis. Project One, Transylvania's most extensive diversity project, involves the President's Office, the Office of Sustainability, the Center for Community, Awareness, Responsibility, and Engagement, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the campus at large. The mission of Project One includes many goals: intentionally foster and build a diverse and inclusive Transylvania community, sustain and enhance existing University systems and structures, including lectures and speakers series, curriculum, recruitment and retention in order to heighten awareness and sensitivity around issues of diversity, provide counsel to the University on diversity planning and implementation efforts, provide input into how Transylvania can continue to strengthen its ties with its surrounding community, and review and recommend policies so that all student groups reflect our commitment to the values of inclusion and respect.
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Health, Wellbeing & Work and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Students work with Transy Bikes!, one of the most active health and environment focused programs on campus. As a 100% student run university program, Transy Bikes! allows students to learn how to navigate institutions to make meaningful changes, work with students, faculty, and staff to promote health, and work with one another to maintain one of the most successful student-led university programs on campus.
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Investment and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Students sit on the Green-Revolving Loan Fun Board as well as the Transportation Committee. Both groups work to invest in long-term sustainable infrastructure. Working with faculty and staff, these students learn how to use institutional money responsibly, learning the needed skills for navigating institutions, while also employing the three pillars of sustainability.
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Public Engagement and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Students work on a regular basis with the Center for Community, Awareness, Responsibility, and Engagement, the Office of Sustainability, and various other Offices, Departments, clubs, and organizations to promote civic engagement in community gardens, homeless shelters, food banks, community development firms, and more. Most student-led organizations require a certain number of hours per semester devoted to civic engagement, while several work-study, work, and volunteer positions require varying degrees of community involvement. As 80% of Transylvania students are involved in a club or other organization, community engagement is an integral aspect to the Transylvania education outside of work related requirements, and is a core component of several work-study and work positions.
A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory in Other areas and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
The website URL where information about the institution’s campus as a living laboratory program or projects is available:
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.