University of Wisconsin-Platteville
PRE-2: Points of Distinction
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
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N/A |
Alan
Burr Sustainability Coordinator Facilities |
Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
As a rural institution, UW-Platteville is located within the ecologically unique Driftless Region that was bypassed by the last glacial age. We belong to a land of fertile farms and rolling hills, oak savannah, and the Mississippi River. Our students are largely arriving from rural communities, and when they come to campus, they find that we have over 200 acres of public recreational space, over 120 of which are adjacent to campus. We have 10 miles of trails connecting campus through the entire community (3 miles are paved and lit), a disc golf course, a Class 1 Trout Stream, and representation from a number of native plant communities, including tall and short-grass prairie, all on campus. A recent survey found that over 40 unique classes use this open space in their lessons and still more students, faculty, and the public enjoy the space informally.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville students contribute to the stewardship of campus lands – an important part of the university’s commitment to sustainability. They did so by participating in prescribed burns of the prairies that have been reestablished on campus. Prescribed burns have played a varying role in the university’s land management plan for the past several decades, helping to keep campus prairies and savannas in good health by promoting growth of native plant species while clearing invasive species.
Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Grounds
Website URL where more information about the accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Name of a second highlighted sustainability program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Completed in August of 2022 the UW-Platteville 2.4 MW solar array spans five acres in the university’s Memorial Park and includes 5,516 panels. The entire array is designed to produce 3,334,274 kWh of electricity per year given an average number of sunny days. In addition to energy savings, the solar array will provide valuable hands-on opportunities for students, as faculty across a variety of disciplines incorporate it into projects and curricula.
Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Energy
Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Name of a third highlighted program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
During the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s 2021 Earth Day celebration, Chancellor Dennis J. Shields furthered the university’s commitment to being a leader in sustainability by pledging to become a zero waste campus by 2035. A zero waste campus is defined as diverting 90% of unwanted items from landfills, through recycling, composting or reusing.
Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Waste
Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
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.