| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.08 |
| Liaison | Andrew Horning |
| Submission Date | June 25, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Michigan
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Andrew
Horning Managing Director Graham Sustainability Institute |
Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:
Student Sustainability Initiative: Student governed- The University of Michigan Student Sustainability Initiative (SSI) is a collaborative group of leaders in campus organizations, environmental groups, and student governments interested in promoting environmental sustainability and change at the University of Michigan. We are focused on bridging the gap between student groups and the university administration by serving as a focal point for environmental action on campus.
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?:
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
The Campus Farm at Matthaei Botanical Gardens- Not student governed- The Campus Farm is a collaborative, student-led project of the University of Michigan Sustainable Food Program (UMSFP) and Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum (MBGNA). The purpose of the Campus Farm is to serve the greater University of Michigan community through formal and informal educational opportunities related to the production of sustainable food.
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)?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
180 Degrees Consulting - 180 Degrees Consulting at the University of Michigan provides organizations that are making a meaningful difference in their communities with pro-bono consulting services. We work with these organizations to develop innovative, practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges they are facing.
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?:
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
Social Venture Fund- Student governed- Launched in September 2009 by a group of MBA students, the University of Michigan Social Venture Fund (SvF) invests in and supports innovative companies that place social impact at the heart of their business model. SvF fosters the growth of enterprises responding to societal needs that traditional markets have insufficiently addressed. As the first student-run social venture fund in the country, SvF provides an unparalleled action-based learning experience, which places equal importance on maximizing financial returns and socially/environmentally-driven venture investing and entrepreneurship. The fund is organized into four investment circles - Education, Food Systems & Environment, Health, and Urban Revitalization.
Another example is the Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund: The Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund (PBSIF) offers grants of up to $50,000 annually for ambitious, student-initiated projects that reduce the university’s environmental footprint and/or promote a culture of sustainability on campus.
The website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
Does the institution have conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:
Michigan University-Wide Sustainability and Environment Conference. The annual flagship event of the MUSE Initiative, the MUSE Conference provides a unique venue for sharing research, building new connections, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among all members of the University of Michigan community engaged in the broad range of sustainability and environment-related research. We welcome the involvement of U-M graduate students, as well as University leadership, faculty, and research fellows from all disciplines, including those in arts, humanities, engineering, and natural and social sciences.
There are also Career Series talks for students in the Law School's Environmental Law and Policy Program.
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?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:
Green Opera: Associate Professor of Music and Opera Director Robert Swedberg began experimenting with green opera at U-M in 2009, and has produced a green opera every year since then. Collaborating with other U-M departments (Engineering, Environmental Science, Physics) has enabled an approach to opera production (and by extension other theatrical endeavors as well) that can be as much as 95% more efficient than traditional productions in terms of energy consumption.
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?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
Outdoor Adventures- Not student governed- Student Life’s Outdoor Adventures leads outdoor educational and recreational opportunities for all students, regardless of prior experience, including classes in wilderness medicine and outdoor skills like backcountry cooking and building outdoor shelters. For those who just want to get outside, Outdoor Adventures’ leads trips on weekends and breaks; past destinations have included dogsledding in the Upper Peninsula, canoeing and kayaking the Huron River, and backpacking the Grand Canyon.
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)?:
A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
The Sustainable Living Experience (SLE) is a U-M Residential Theme Community dedicated to providing an inclusive and immersive environment for students to develop lifelong leadership in sustainability and environmental justice. SLE welcomes students regardless of academic focus and aims to foster a culture of sustainability where it is based and across all of campus. Towards this end, SLE integrates sustainability programming and learning opportunities into the first year college experience and functions as a community of engaged learners and sustainability leaders.
The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):
Does the institution have programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
Planet Blue Ambassador Certification - Not student governed - The Planet Blue Ambassador Certification consists of five training modules directly connected to U-M’s sustainability goals in energy, food, waste, water, and community. This program trains U-M community members in sustainable culture and behavior. Each 5-10 minute module includes an interactive game with suggestions to get involved, as well as information about U-M’s goals and progress to date. Once certified, Planet Blue Ambassadors will have access to a personal online dashboard where they can track their progress and access resources about sustainable behaviors. Planet Blue Ambassadors will also be invited to bi-annual meetings to share best practices and experiences, as well as other events to receive further sustainability training, discuss issues, share ideas, and discover resources.
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
There are students employed through the Graham Sustainability Institute and Office of Campus Sustainability. Students assist with programs such as Planet Blue Ambassador program, the Graham Undergraduate Scholars Program, and Zero Waste Events Program.
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?:
A brief description of the graduation pledges:
Ginsberg Center Social Responsibility Graduation Pledge- Not student governed- Pledge: I pledge to actively work toward a more socially and environmentally responsible world. I will continue to honor these words long after graduation in my career, relationships, and all other pursuits, and encourage others to embrace this message as well.
The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
Does the institution have other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives?:
A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):
Estimated percentage of students (full-time and part-time) that participate annually in sustainability-focused co-curricular education and outreach programs (0-100):
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.