| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.20 |
| Liaison | Kimberly Reeves |
| Submission Date | June 21, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Agnes Scott College
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Elizabeth
Rowe Sustainability Fellow Center for Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Student Groups
Yes
A brief description of active student groups focused on sustainability:
The Environmental Residents are the Center for Sustainability’s liaisons to the student body. They are also the main environmental interest group on campus and function as a club that promotes sustainability and environmental awareness on the greater campus community.
The website URL where information about the student groups is available (optional):
Gardens and Farms
Yes
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
Through the Center for Sustainability, the college has an organic demonstration garden where students can volunteer. They are welcome to take home any vegetables and herbs harvested. Additionally, the Center for Sustainability manages the greenhouse that is part of the Bullock Science Center, which allows the organic gardening efforts to continue through the winter months. The college's part-time organic gardener maintains a contact list of all interested students and she contacts them on a regular basis for work days and other learning activities. The garden has become a recognized educator for the campus community.
The website URL where information about the gardens, farms or agriculture projects is available (optional):
Student-Run Enterprises
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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Sustainable Investment and Finance
Yes
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
Agnes Scott’s Green Revolving Fund is overseen by a committee of faculty, staff, consultants, and students. Through their participation on the Green Revolving Fund, students are directly involved in energy efficiency and retrofitting projects on campus, and gain first-hand experience on green investments.
Students also have the opportunity to engage in investing in new initiatives through our Students Green Fee Fund (SGFF), which allows students to manage and allocate funds for sustainability related projects. The SGFF has supported a number of projects, including the installation of water bottle refill stations in five buildings and the purchase of six outdoor recycling units. Students have also received grants from the SGFF for on campus sustainability research and education activities.
The website URL where information about the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives is available (optional):
Events
Yes
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability:
Every school year the Center for Sustainability co-hosts at least one major national speaker. In early 2017 this was David Orr of Oberlin College. Also in fall of 2017, in partnership with the Dalton Gallery’s exhibition weatherwise/otherwise, the Center for Sustainability hosted a larger speaker series on climate leadership. These speakers not only presented to the campus community, they also attended and co-taught ESS-related courses during their visits to campus. This series was done to mark the tenth anniversary of the college’s commitment to carbon neutrality.
The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):
Cultural Arts
Yes
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability:
The Agnes Scott Dalton Gallery hosted the exhibition weatherwise/otherwise: artists respond to climate change as its fall 2017 exhibition. The exhibit featured artists who observe varied facets of the weather and climate picture, and its impact on our planet, the human race, and other living things.
The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):
Wilderness and Outdoors Programs
No
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
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The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors programs is available (optional):
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Sustainability-Related Themes
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
As part of the college’s signature curriculum, SUMMIT, each student is required to take an introductory course on global studies during the fall semester of their first-year. This course prepares students for their international trip during their spring semester. For the past two years, this GBL 101 course has been focused on global food systems. The course is taught by 6 to 8 different faculty, which allows students to engage on this sustainability topic from an interdisciplinary perspective. In the first year of this course all students read "Diet for a Hot Planet" by Anna Lappe.
The website URL where information about the sustainability-related themes is available (optional):
Sustainable Life Skills
Yes
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
During the 2017-2018 academic year, the college’s three ‘theme houses’ focused on issues related to sustainability. Each year, students pick a topic of shared interest, and host programming specific to their topic, while also living in a living/learning community with their peers. These three houses hosted a variety of programming, including launching a hydroponics project, farm to table dinners, and farmer’s market tours.
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills programs is available (optional):
Student Employment Opportunities
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Students have the option to either work in the Center for Sustainability through work-study, for credit internships or volunteer positions. Through their work in the Center for Sustainability, students are able to complete projects that foster their individual interests in sustainability. Each semester the Center hosts between 3-6 working students.
The website URL where information about the student employment opportunities is available:
Graduation Pledge
Yes
A brief description of the graduation pledges:
Every senior is given the opportunity to sign a sustainability graduation pledge that reads: "I pledge to continue my role as a global citizen by carrying on the Agnes Scott College mission of thinking deeply, living honorably, and engaging the intellectual and social challenges of my time. In doing this, I will explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of my actions and will try to improve these aspects in organizations for which I work and communities within which I live."
These signatories receive a ribbon to wear on their robes and recognized during the commencement ceremony. In 2018, 132 seniors committed themselves to this sustainability pledge.
The website URL where information about the graduation pledges is available (optional):
Other Programs and Initiatives
Yes
A brief description of the other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
As part of Agnes Scott College’s signature program, SUMMIT, every student, no matter their major, completes co-curricular programming in addition to the core curriculum focused on global learning and leadership development. There is the opportunity for students to participate in a week-long conference style event, focusing on life skills students would not normally have the chance to learn in the classroom. Each year, there has been emphasis placed on sustainability programming, recognizing the value of sustainability beyond the classroom. Examples of programs include:
- Meet the Farmer: Emory@Oxford
- How to Lose 5,000 lbs of Carbon
- Introduction to Beekeeping
- Trees Atlanta Invasive Ivy Pull
- Meet the Farmer: Gaia Gardens
- Southface Energy Institute Career Trek
- Tree Inventory
- Tree Talk
- Sustainability and Food Panel
The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available (optional):
Optional Fields
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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.