| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.82 |
| Liaison | Konrad Schlarbaum |
| Submission Date | Feb. 20, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Does the institution have one or more co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that fall into the following categories?:
| Yes or No | |
| Active student groups focused on sustainability | Yes |
| Gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems | Yes |
| Student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes | Yes |
| Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills | Yes |
| Conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles | Yes |
| Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences | No |
| Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills | Yes |
| Sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution | Yes |
| Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions | No |
| Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives | --- |
The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
There are several groups.The Students for Environmental Awareness and Sustainability (SEAS) was founded in 2003 and continues to "work toward creating a more conscientious campus community with regard to conservation of resources and creative, efficient ways of using them. The goal is to educate the campus about the meaning of sustainability, take steps toward making the campus more efficient and conscientious, and save resources and money." This group is student governed.
The UCCS Office of Sustainability unites the efforts of faculty, staff and students to support development and lifestyles on campus and in the community that sustain natural resources and protect the environment, ultimately ensuring the ability of future generations to meet their needs too. The Office of Sustainability is not student-governed.
Green Action Fund. The aim of the Green Action Fund is to reduce the ecological footprint of UCCS and promote sustainable environmental, social and economic values through a variety of student-sponsored projects. It manages a fund that is provided by a $5 per semester fee paid by all students. The Green Action Fund is student governed.
The website URL where information about student groups is available:
A brief description of gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems:
Led by the club, Students for Environmental Awareness and Sustainability (SEAS), UCCS students, faculty, and staff established an organic vegetable garden at the Heller Center. This is student-governed and the group has established a market for their produce on the campus. http://www.uccs.edu/~seas/.
UCCS also has a commercial greenhouse that is supported by the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance. The purpose of the garden and the greenhouse is to provide high quality, organically-grown produce to UCCS's food service outlets as well as to educate the campus community about new gardening methods and sustainable growing solutions. Through researching a variety of avenues of organic gardening, the Greenhouse and Garden seeks to use innovative as well as traditional gardening practices. Our hope is that through education and outreach, the Greenhouse and Garden can become a resource center for sustainable organic gardening methods while producing delicious, nutritious organic fruits and vegetables for the UCCS community. There are student employees and volunteers working at the Greenhouse. The Greenhouse and Garden are not student-governed.
The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
The Students for Environmental Awareness and Sustainability (SEAS)- To create a community of involved students, faculty, staff and administration to implement sustainable practices at UCCS. Students volunteer and are employed to work in the campus garden. In the summertime, students sell produce from the garden on campus. SEAS is student-governed.
The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
Green Action Fund- The aim of the Green Action Fund is to reduce the ecological footprint of UCCS and promote sustainable environmental, social and economic values through a variety of student-sponsored projects. Green Action Fund is student-governed: students can submit project proposals along with faculty and staff, students determine which projects will be funded, and students manage many of the projects to completion.
The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
Jason Lewis (guest speaker)- First person to circumnavigate the globe by human power gave a speech directed toward students in 2013. This event was not student-governed.
The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
Sustainnovation debuted last year and will be repeated this year and in the future. The focus of the event is on students, though faculty, staff, and the community are invited. The Office of Sustainability is holding a contest for students, faculty or staff of UCCS to create art from what would normally just be thrown away. Participants at the event will have an opportunity to view artwork and vote on which ones they feel are the best from the show. Sustainnovation also includes research posters and student clubs are encouraged to participate. Students run portions of the event, are involved in planning, and serve on panels during the event.
UCCS Unplugged- An evening of unplugged entertainment--music, poetry, spoken word--and learn about saving energy. The event is designed to engage students in Residence Life and is used as a launch event for Campus Conservation Nationals. This event is entirely student-run.
The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The University of Colorado Outdoor Program – Student Outdoor Leadership Expeditions (SOLE) seeks to provide the university community with outdoor recreation opportunities. Programs will emphasize skill acquisition, leadership development, team building, environmental awareness, safety, and fun. Furthermore, all programs will be inclusive to all levels and abilities and will contribute to the holistic well-being and the academic experience of the university. S.O.L.E. offers numerous trips throughout the year to UCCS students and affiliates such as fly fishing, backpacking, and mountain biking. All S.O.L.E. trips follow and teach No Trace protocol. This program is not student-governed.
The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
The book No Impact Man with a very specific sustainability theme was selected for the 2011/2012 academic year. There were a number of sustainability-related events including a keynote from Doug Fine, author of Farewell my Subaru.
The website URL where information about the theme is available:
A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
Sustainable Me is a Freshman Seminar course. Explore your relationship to the planet and to one another with an overnight camping trip in the Pikes Peak area, and continue learning about sustainability through film, field trips, a service project and other outdoor activities that will round out this innovative, new course.This is not a student-governed program
Changing Place- This course allows students to translate what they have learned about sustainability into campus action. Students identify a campus sustainability issue to address, draft an appropriate initiative to place on the student ballot, and campaign for passage of the measure. This is not a student-governed program
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
The Office of Sustainability currently has seven student employees. This is not a student-governed office.
Green Action Fund currently has one student employee. This is a student-governed program.
There is one sustainable transportation position filled by a student.
The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives 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.