University of Idaho
EN-3: Student Life

There are six student groups focused on sustainability, most notable is the Student Sustainability Cooperative.

1. In 2006, the Student Sustainability Cooperative, formerly the Sustainability Center, was established as the first student-led Sustainability Center west of the Mississippi, as part of campus-wide student movement with support from staff, community, faculty, all three student governments including the Associated Students University of Idaho (ASUI), Graduate Professional Student Association (GPSA), and the Student Bar Association (SBA), residence hall presidents, and many clubs. This effort culminated in the passing of a $5 per semester student fee that continues to support SSC activities. One professional staff advises six student coordinators who are responsible for hosting 30-50 culture change activities annually.

In addition, student staff recruit volunteers, support recycling efforts, develop electronic marketing, award up to $10,000 in student-led grant projects, and create new partnerships on campus and the community.

Our Mission—The Student Sustainability Cooperative is a student-led and funded organization designed to empower student efforts to create an active culture of sustainability at University of Idaho. The SSC is committed to creating impactful experiences and fostering connections between students and opportunities to engage in campus sustainability.

https://www.uidaho.edu/current-students/sustainability

2. THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO (ASUI)
The representative body of all undergraduate students, ASUI is comprised of three branches; executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch includes a Director of Sustainability position. This position serves as a liaison between ASUI and the UI Sustainability Center and is responsible for coordinating Fall/Spring sustainability events, and encouraging sustainable practices at the University of Idaho. In addition, the ASUI president often collaborates with the Student Sustainability Cooperative on conservation initiatives.

http://www.uidaho.edu/studentaffairs/department-of-student-involvement/asui

3. Conservation and Environment Club
The C&E club are students at the University of Idaho interested in conservation and the environment that provide opportunities for UI students and the community to learn about the relationship between humans and our environment while providing a place to connect, have fun, and be outside through volunteering, outreach, networking, and other events.

https://uidaho.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/conservation-and-environment-club

4. SOIL STEWARDS
Soil Stewards is a student organization focused on local, organic and sustainable farming - for students and the surrounding community. The Soil Stewards were founded in 2003 and for 10 years the members have operated their own farm at the University of Idaho research farms a mile from main campus. They grow starts to sell at the Farmer's Market and produce which is sold to the Moscow Food Co-op, and on-farm sales. Members gain valuable experience in farming, project development and organization.

https://uidaho.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/soilstewards

5. Society for Conservation Biology, U.I. Chapter:
The main goal of this organization is to help enhance the experience of students who are interested in conservation biology at the University of Idaho. Geared towards students interested in conservation, ecology, or environmental sciences and enjoy being outdoors, volunteering, or getting involved in the scientific community, this organization is affiliated with the international SCB community, and offers opportunities to connect with conservation leaders around the world as well as right here on the Palouse.

https://uidaho.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/society-for-conservation-biology-u-i-chapter

6. Vandal Clean Energy Club
The VCEC is dedicated to educating, promoting, and implementing clean energy and sustainable practices in and around the University of Idaho. VCEC has members from nearly every department on campus. This diversity allows VCEC to utilize and strengthen a vast array of skills and viewpoints. Club activities include hands-on engineering projects, grant writing, business modeling, fundraising, multimedia design, and many others.

https://www.uidaho.edu/engr/services/student-services/clubs-and-organizations/vcec

Soil Stewards Farm, founded in 2003, provides an opportunity for students to learn and practice the principles of sustainable, small-acreage market garden production. Our student farmers gain important hands-on experience and leadership skills through the operation of the farm. Students who work at the farm learn to apply scientific knowledge to management and receive the hands-on training to sustain the Soil Stewards Farm.

Soil Stewards goals are to promote the preservation of natural resources and sustainability through community outreach, research, and experiential learning. It’s a diverse group joined by a desire to effect change and grow healthy, organic food right here on campus. Members include students, faculty, and community members alike. Students range from undergraduate and graduate members, art majors, soil science majors, agriculture majors and environmental science majors.

https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/soil-stewards-farm

The Grand Challenge Scholars Program (GCSP) is one of the only programs of its kind in Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. The program prepares students to solve the 14 Grand Challenges of Engineering in the 21st century, as established by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Here are 5 out of 14 of the program focuses under the umbrella of sustainability.
Sustainability
 Make solar energy economical
 Provide energy from fusion
 Develop carbon sequestration methods
 Manage the nitrogen cycle
 Provide access to clean water

Website:https://www.uidaho.edu/engr/programs/grand-challenges

There is a proposed revolving fund that has not yet been implemented. More information can be found here:

https://www.uidaho.edu/governance/policy/policies/apm/40/12

The Student Sustainability hosts various speaker series and symposia.

In 2021, the SSC partnered with the Confluence Lab to host Jason Davis, creator of the Climate Stories project. Students, staff and faculty joined Jason over zoom to participate in Jason's immersive workshop.

Climate Stories Project (CSP) is an educational and artistic forum for sharing stories about personal and community responses to climate change. CSP focuses on personal oral histories, which bring an immediacy to the sometimes abstract nature of climate change communication. Some of us may recount dramatic events such as floods and wildfires, or we may address our observations of changes in seasonal patterns and our fears for the future of our families and communities. We may discuss how climate change is forcing our communities to adapt to extreme weather and sea level rise. Or we may speak about how we are getting involved in movements to build more resilient futures and to fight the fossil fuel industry through community organizing or nonviolent protest. There is no "right" way to talk about climate change as it is a vast topic that is increasingly touching every corner of our lives.

Find more about the Climate Stories Project here: https://www.climatestoriesproject.org/about.html

In 2023, the Student Sustainability Cooperative partnered with local conservation organization, Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute, to host a Sustainability Series. Each event had speakers and hands-on activities, as well as handouts and items for participants to take home and use. Topics included xeriscaping, clothing mending/textile waste, and pollinator conservation. The series cumulated in the Salmon Restoration Panel, where experts from all sides of the issue came together to talk about dam removal, salmon health, and general ecosystem restoration in a community forum.

In Fall 2021, the Student Sustainability Cooperative hosted an art exhibit in the Idaho Student Union Building in the Reflections Gallery. The art exhibit featured student and staff art that related to sustainability and eco-consciousness. The exhibit was displayed for two weeks.

Submissions included hand-woven textiles from local angora, repurposed plastic sculpture, repurposed broken ceramic mosaics, paintings with hand-made natural paints and several conservation-themed submissions.

The University of Idaho Outdoor Program is a non-profit service organization providing the university community with education and resources for wilderness-based, human-powered, and environmentally sound activities. We promote teamwork, leadership, and growth through outdoor adventure experiences. The UI Outdoor Program runs over 60 field-based trips per year, totaling over 6000 contact hours with participants. Trips are run in four western states and include a wide variety of activities for individuals with varying experience levels. All UI Outdoor Program trips incorporate Leave No Trace education and principles.

University of Idaho has chosen “The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative” by Florence Williams, a contributing editor at Outside magazine, as its Common Read for 2023-24.

The Common Read committee, composed of students, faculty and community members, felt this selection was a perfect choice to accentuate the scholastic strengths of the institution, surrounding beauty of the Palouse, and a need for balance and health in the post-pandemic world.

From forest trails in Korea to groves of eucalyptus in California, Williams investigates the science behind the environment, mood, health and creativity. Delving into new research, she uncovers the natural world’s powers to improve health, strengthen relationships and promote reflection and innovation. As modern lives shift indoors, these ideas — and the answers they yield — are more urgent than ever, Williams said.

Now in its 16th year, the Common Read is designed to engage the university and Moscow community in a unified intellectual activity. First-year students will be assigned to read the book as part of their studies courses and first-year writing composition sequence, all part of the General Education program.

In 2022 and 2023, the Student Sustainability Cooperative revamped a partnership with Vandal Health education to host a series of free cooking classes for students.

These classes featured healthy recipes that were able to be executed in a shared kitchen space. The classes featured trivia questions about food sources, discussion based questions about sustainable food substitutes, and questions designed to get participants to think about how health and sustainability relate to one another and how to incorporate both into purchasing decisions at the local grocery stores while maintaining a tight budget.

A selection of course topics included "Pickling the Palouse", where students learned how to extend the shelf life of fresh vegetables, "Scrappy Cooking", where students learned new recipes that utilize common food scraps, and "Zero Waste Snacks", where students learn how to use whole foods to create healthy snacks.

Student Leadership employment opportunities are offered at the Student Sustainability Cooperative (SSC). SSC employs six student staff positions responsible for coordinating events, volunteers, recycling, marketing, grant projects, website, and social marketing. Students receive training, support, and mentorship from the Sustainability Coordinator.

The SSC does not have a webpage describing student employment opportunities. Each spring we announce employment opportunities through an all-student email, social media, and the student employment portal, Handshake.

Student staff profiles and contact information are posted on the Department of Student Involvement website: https://www.uidaho.edu/current-students/student-involvement/about-us/student-staff

The Office of the President also employs two part-time student positions within the Office of Sustainability. These positions work to develop literacy surveys and cultural surveys, write grants, conduct course and research audits, and assist in creating Greenhouse Gas inventories.

The Vandal Sustainability Pledge is available for all Vandals to motivate themselves to create lasting, positive change. Students, staff and faculty are invited to take the Vandal Sustainability Pledge and help our campuses reduce emissions, conserve energy and water, promote healthy food systems and manage our waste responsibly.

Find the pledge here: https://www.uidaho.edu/sustainability/get-involved/pledge

Additionally, the Graduation Pledge of Social & Environmental Responsibility states:

“I pledge to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which I work.”

http://www.graduationpledge.org/

The Confluence Lab:
The Confluence Lab is a unit within the English Department that incubates and implements creative interdisciplinary research projects that bring together scholars in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, and community members, to engage environmental issues in the state of Idaho. The primary goal is to facilitate idea exchange, and the central premise is that the tools of the humanities—especially those related to storytelling, representation, emotions and communication—can help develop holistic approaches to these issues from the ground up. The projects investigate conceptual and communication barriers that underlie debates about controversial issues especially relevant to rural communities, such as public land use, natural resource management, wildfires, drought, energy infrastructure and the causes and effects of climate change.

https://www.uidaho.edu/class/english/confluence

Student groups, garden/farm, enterprise, finance and investments, events, cultural arts, theme, life skills, employment, graduation pledge and other: Olivia Wiebe, Sustainability Manager, Office of the President

Wilderness program: Trevor Fulton, Executive Director of Recreation and Wellbeing

Events like the Climate Stories Project and Sustainability Series did not have active URLs, only marketing and event photos.