Overall Rating Platinum - expired
Overall Score 85.51
Liaison Jennifer Andrews
Submission Date July 27, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of New Hampshire
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Colleen Flaherty
Communications and Information Coordinator
Sustainability Institute
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Does the institution have one or more active student groups focused on sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:

Students have a tremendous selection of sustainability student organizations on campus: http://www.sustainableunh.unh.edu/studentorgs.

Examples include but are not limited to the following: Organic Garden Club, Artists Circle, ChildVoice International, Circle K, Diversity Support Coalition, Earth Science Club, Eaton House, Energy Club, Forestry Club, Habitat for Humanity, Mask and Dagger Dramatic Society, Model UN, NH Outing Club, Oxfam UNH, Peace and Justice League, Project Sunshine, Real Food UNH, Relay for Life, STAND, Student Arts Association, Student Environmental Action Council (SEAC), Student Nutrition Association, Students Advocating Gender Equality, Students Without Borders, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Club, UNH for ONE, UNH Slow Food, WildACTS Social Change Theatre Troupe, Trash-2-Treasure, and the Wildlife Society.


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:

The UNH Organic Garden Club (OGC) is a student-run organization established in 2003. The OGC maintains a two-acre farm on the Campus-Community Farm, a 30-acre USDA certified organic site. In the winter of 2004, OGC collaborated with UNH's Students Without Borders to secure a $10,000 grant from the UNH Parent’s Association to create the “built” components of the farm site, including drip irrigation and a shed.

The first growing season was the spring/summer of 2004. Crops harvested at the site are purchased by UNH Dining Services and sold at a weekly UNH Durham campus farm stand during the growing season. In 2007, OGC was voted Student Organization of the Year, and the Durham Community Dinners won Best Community Project of the Year.

OGC also hosts free community dinners at the Waysmeet Center every 2nd Friday of the month with produce while in season and with produce from local farms at other times of the year.


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)?:
No

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
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The website URL where information about the student-run enterprises is available (optional):
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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?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:

The Atkins Investment Group is a completely student-managed investment fund at UNH's Peter T Paul College of Business & Economics, overseeing approximately $100,000 in long-equity positions. The group, which is open to all majors and concentrations, is comprised of thirty-five students ranging from sophomores to seniors that are responsible for making all investment decisions. Student members are provided with a unique opportunity to learn about active investing and portfolio management. In 2013, the Group began managing a Socially Responsible Fund.


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?:
Yes

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

UNH houses many sustainability events.

Examples include:

The Student Environmental Action Coalition holds a number of events every year around various topics, including SolarFest in the spring.

PLAN's Zero Waste Conference: UNH has been the host of the PostLandfill Action Network's annual conference for two years. The Zero Waste Conference brings faculty, staff, and students from around the country who are interested in sustainability. More information can be found here: http://www.postlandfill.org/

Local Harvest Feast: Held each September, the Local Harvest Feast is a day of fine dining on mouth-watering creations served at all three dining halls and produced from local foods. Open to the public and students alike, this hugely popular event is a chance for attendees to learn why supporting local agriculture and food producers is so important. Attendees have the opportunity to meet various local producers and browse their presentation tables before or after dinner: http://www.unh.edu/dining/community/local-harvest.html

Environmental Sciences Seminar Series. The Environmental Sciences Seminar Series is sponsored by the NRESS Ph.D. Program, the Department of Earth Sciences, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Environmental Research Group, the Institute for the Study of Earth Oceans and Space (EOS), and often the Sustainability Institute. http://www.unh.edu/nressphd/environmental-sciences-seminar-series

Organic Agriculture Seminar Series. The College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA) each spring hosts lectures focused on sustainable agriculture. Seminars range from “Wheat for Local and Sustainable Systems” to “Sustainable Agriculture in a Post-Industrial World.” https://colsa.unh.edu/nhaes/article/2017/02/seminarseries


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:

The Dept. of Theatre and Dance, the Museum of Art, the Sustainability Institute, and the Discovery Program, often collaborate to sponsor sustainability-related cultural events. Examples include "Rise: Climate Change in Our World," a collaborative exhibition devoted to the theme of climate change and “Land, Sea, and Space, " a student designed and created mural in Dimond Library.

Links to examples:
http://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2016/10/climate-change-show-features-art-faculty-staff-students-and-alumni

http://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2017/04/picture-worth-150-years


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:

All UNH outdoor programs are grounded in “Leave No Trace” principles. Student leaders are trained in these principles through the Outdoor Education department. They then practice the principles and educate their peers in best practices.

The New Hampshire Outing Club (NHOC) is the oldest and largest club at UNH and is run by UNH students. NHOC practices sustainability and follows “Leave No Trace” principles. NHOC typically offers 2-5 trips each weekend throughout the year including hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, trail maintenance, cross country/downhill skiing, canoeing, biking, ice climbing, kayaking, road trips, and extreme sledding.
https://wildcatlink.unh.edu/organization/nhoc

UNH’s Outdoor Education Program follows Leave No Trace guidelines and has for the past 20+ years. There is 1 Leave No Trace trainer on the staff and Outdoor Education students take a LNT course as part of the KIN 682 course. UNH offers undergraduate, masters, and Ph.D. programs in outdoor education. A Leave No Trace statement is on the Outdoor Education homepage: http://chhs.unh.edu/kin_oe


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)?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:

The UNH Discovery Program facilitates a theme throughout the year to focus community events and conversations on an area of broad interest a big question or an enduring problem requiring the efforts and knowledge of multiple disciplines and perspectives.
Topics have included globalization, energy, health, democracy, poverty, water and more. All events are held on campus and open to the public.


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?:
Yes

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

UNHSI offers sustainability tips for students: http://sustainableunh.unh.edu/sites/sustainableunh.unh.edu/files/images/UNHSI_Flyer_students_revised_2.pdf

Students are also encouraged to take classes like Sustainability Living and Systems Thinking.


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:

Students can work on sustainability across UNH - from research opportunities with faculty to internships at the Sustainability Institute. UNHSI often hires 4-6 student interns per year to helps with data collection and reporting, communications, etc., including three outreach interns that work as a cohort.

The Sustainability Institute is also home to a national sustainability fellows program, a competitive program that has students from UNH and across the country working on climate solutions at municipalities, non-profits, government agencies, and more each summer. http://www.sustainableunh.unh.edu/sustainability-fellows.

The Carsey Institute Social Innovation Internships give students the opportunity work for organizations on and off campus on social responsibility and innovation projects. http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/csif/social-innovation-internship


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:

UNHSI partners with a number of on and off campus offices on curricular activities. Many of these activities vary depending upon current events and campus initiatives. One co-curriuclar activity is the Social Venture Innovation Challenge, for which UNHSI is a co-host.


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):
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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.