Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 75.93
Liaison Merry Rankin
Submission Date Aug. 30, 2013
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

Iowa State University
SD-1: New Student Orientation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete N/A Merry Rankin
ISU Director of Sustainability
Facilities Planning & Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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Does new student orientation include presentations, speakers, or skits that address sustainability and take place in large venues that most or all first-year students attend?:
Yes

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Provide a brief description of the presentations, speakers or skits:
New student orientation at Iowa State University includes a resource fair. The Live Green! initiative sponsors one of the booths, and educates all students that stop by about sustainability programs and resources on campus. At the fair new students can also sign up for the Live Green! email list, which allows them to receive the monthly Live Green! newsletter, highlighting various sustainability-related news and events on campus.

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Does new student orientation incorporate sustainability information into presentations (e.g., made by Residential Advisors to individual dorm floors)?:
Yes

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Provide a brief description of the presentations:
In the Department of Residence (DOR) there is a house meeting during summer orientation where the recycling program is explained to all new residents. Community Advisors (CAs) lead each house, and after attending summer training on sustainability, they discuss sustainability with residents as well as describe the Recycling Chair and Sustainability Coordinator positions that residents can apply for. A staff member in the Department of Residence and a leader in the GreenHouse Group, which is the DOR’s liaison student group promoting sustainability in university residences, provide the training.

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Does new student orientation actively engage students in activities that raise awareness about sustainability, highlight how sustainability plays out on campus, or allows students to take part in a productive green activity?:
Yes

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Provide a brief description of the activities:
New students are taken on campus tours, which highlight the Live Green! sustainability initiative on campus as well as several sustainable features. In addition, Destination Iowa State, an orientation event right before the start of fall classes, includes a volunteering event for all new students. Projects are often related to the environment, such as mulching on campus.

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Does the institution make new student orientation more sustainable via efforts such as a zero-waste meal or carbon offsets?:
Yes

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Provide a brief description of the efforts:
Iowa State University’s orientation aims to limit the number of printed materials. In addition, new student meals at ISU’s dining centers incorporate trayless dining and composting.

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Does the institution incorporate sustainability into new student orientation in other ways?:
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Provide a brief description:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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