Overall Rating Reporter
Overall Score
Liaison Lindsey Van Zile
Submission Date Feb. 28, 2023

STARS v2.2

Randolph College
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete Reporter Lindsey Van Zile
Sustainability Coordinator & Campus Projects
Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Campus Engagement

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:
Many courses have community engagement projects built into the coursework. These have resulted in a number of campus engagement projects. Our College may be small, but the student and faculty work within our community generates impactful campus engagement.

Public Engagement 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Public Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:
We are incorporating signage across campus that details what sustainability projects are occurring on campus. For example, this year we added three signs for our rain gardens on campus. The signs detail what the gardens are, how they work, plants used, and how the public can help reduce storm water contamination. Our campus is a popular walking destination and these signs have resulted in a number of connections to the local community including presentations within City community groups.

Randolph College is also a certified Bee Campus and is an active participant in the City of Lynchburg's Bee City committee. Members of all different local colleges and organizations come together to meet during each season to discuss local environmental issues, ways to increase pollinator gardens and promote no-mow zones in town.

Air & Climate 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Air & Climate?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:
The College's Climate Action Plan was developed from a student summer research project in 2011.

Buildings  

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Buildings?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:
From education courses hosting Kids in College to physics students conducting infrastructure assessments, the entire campus is heavily utilized as a living laboratory. The more traditional applications in the environmental studies and sciences department include climate resilience planning, cost-benefit analysis, and independent research.

Energy 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Energy?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Energy:
The Energy & Society and Green Engineering & Design classes often conduct class projects on campus energy issues.

Randolph College entered into an agreement to buy electricity coming from Landfill Gas. Randolph College is also in a 3 year grant with the Department of Energy to research solar feasibility on campus and ways to reduce soft cost of solar. Students have the opportunity to participate in the purchase process and in the research for solar. The company selling the College electricity produced from landfill gas has also opened its doors for facilities visit.

Currently, there is a student employee who is analyzing the campus' energy usage and looking at our energy costs.

Food & Dining 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Food & Dining?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:
Students have the opportunity to work in the organic garden and grow some of the food offered in the dining hall. Students are also able to participate in internships and summer research through that avenue. There are two organic gardening courses each year that maintain high enrollment. Additionally, Students and faculty have participated in multiple summer research and class projects addressing the food insecurity issues in Lynchburg. Randolph College has a food pantry that is restocked by a local food pantry each week. The Sustainability Coordinator has been working with our Dean of Students office to supply fresh organic eggs, herbs, and vegetables from our organic garden. Food waste such as fruits and vegetables from the food pantry is collected and given to the chickens at the organic garden.

Grounds 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:
A student independent project resulted in Randolph becoming a Bee Campus. Another student internship is continuing the Bee Campus commitments this year. The back campus forest is the site of multiple ecology labs, museum and heritage studies exploration projects, and botany projects.

Purchasing 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:
Economics and business students explore this topic in great detail culminating in a project focused on a community project. There are frequent student internships exploring sustainable purchasing and efficient product replacement.

Transportation 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:
There is a student work-study opportunity for a student to promote the college's Bike Share program. This student position tracks the usage of bikes in our free bike rental program and promotes the use of sustainable transportation.

Waste 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Waste?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:
Annual events exploring waste reduction highlight the learning aspect of waste reduction. The numbers generated by students are used in planning future efforts. This spring, students in the Environmental Club will be conducting a composting workshop to educate their peers on how to compost. The Environmental Club will be helping the Sustainability Coordinator revamp our compost bins at the organic garden to help turn food waste into nutrient rich compost to use in the organic garden plots.

Water 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:
In addition to campus evaluations in coursework, summer research projects have been exploring stormwater quality coming off our roofs and rainwater catchment projects. In the organic gardening course, students learn about how to collect rainwater and use it for chicken care as well as gardening.

Coordination & Planning 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:
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Diversity & Affordability 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
Students are encouraged to develop their own projects to improve diversity. The most recent, and most successful, project determined the feasibility and then developed a step team that facilitates peer-peer learning.

Investment & Finance 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance:
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Wellbeing & Work 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:
There is a student internship that is managing the Randolph Thrive program which is centered on creating spaces in nature on campus to promote well-being and stress reduction. The student intern created field guides to exploring nature on campus and often leads walks and meditation sessions with students.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:
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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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