Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 49.76
Liaison Aurora Sharrard
Submission Date Feb. 28, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Pittsburgh
EN-2: Student Orientation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Erika Ninos
Sustainability Program Coordinator
PittServes
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Are the following students provided an opportunity to participate in orientation activities and programming that prominently include sustainability?:
Yes or No
First-year students Yes
Transfer students Yes
Entering graduate students Yes

Percentage of all entering (i.e. new) students (including transfers and graduate students) that are provided an opportunity to participate in orientation activities and programming that prominently include sustainability (0-100):
100

A brief description of how sustainability is included prominently in new student orientation (including how multiple dimensions of sustainability are addressed):

Sustainability is infused into both the programming and operational aspects of the University of Pittsburgh's Arrival Survival and new and transfer student orientation in the following ways:

1) During Arrival Survival all incoming students are offered assistance with recycling packaging materials and information on sustainability in the residence halls through the Pitt Green Team program.

2) Our Orientation Week featured a number of sustainability education efforts including a Zero Waste Ice Cream Social for first year and transfer students and food waste composting /near-zero waste events including Global Carnivale and Discover Pittsburgh. These events are staffed by the Pitt Green team and featured compostable items and information on zero waste events across campus.

3) First year students are offered a "Discover U" tour of sustainable highlights on campus, including LEED Gold Certified facilities, green roofs, dining hall food composting, the campus student "Plant to Plate" garden, and even a view of Pitt's resident Peregrine falcon nesting site on the iconic Cathedral of Learning.

4) The Student Office of Sustainability hosts a SOOS Meet and Greet open house for incoming first year, transfer and graduate students who are interested in learning more about campus sustainability efforts.

5) The University of Thriftsburgh, Pitt's student run thrift store, holds a welcome back dollar sale for all students. The theme of the sale is to encourage to reuse and re-purpose instead of purchasing new items at the start of the school year. It serves as a practical introduction to on-campus sustainability efforts and utilizes items harvested during Pitt's spring move out Clutter for a Cause campaign.

6) At Commuter & Transfer Student Orientations Parking, Transportation & Services (PT&S) presents on sustainable commuting options, provides information about biking laws in PA, and answers student questions.

7) The Pitt Bike Co-Op (Bike Cave) hosts an open house event for all new and returning students that focuses on bike safety, bike mechanics and and alternative transportation resources on Pitt's campus.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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