| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 46.80 |
| Liaison | Paul Scanlon |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Slippery Rock University
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Paul
Scanlon Special Assistant to the President President's Office/Sustainability |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
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Does the institution have one or more co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that fall into the following categories?:
| Yes or No | |
| Active student groups focused on sustainability | Yes |
| Gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems | Yes |
| Student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes | Yes |
| Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills | No |
| Conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles | Yes |
| Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences | Yes |
| Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills | Yes |
| Sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution | Yes |
| Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions | No |
| Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives | Yes |
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The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
There are multiple sustainability-focused student groups at Slippery Rock University: Environmental Geosciences Society, the Sustainable Enterprise Accelerator, Slow Foods SRU, the Students for Sustainability club, and the AmeriCorps Community Fellows Environmental Team. Other groups that offer sustainability-related activities include Beta-Beta-Beta, the Outing Club, the Sea Kayaking Club, National Science Teachers Association, and the Bike Club.
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The website URL where information about student groups is available:
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A brief description of gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems:
The Macoskey Center provides an organic market garden for students and organic community gardens available to any community members to learn about and get involved in organic gardening systems. Gardening and composting workshops are offered by Macoskey Center staff in the spring, and students participate in the Slippery Rock Farmers Market as well as other CSA-related panel discussions, conferences, organizations and miscellaneous activities.
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The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
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A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
The Robert A. Macoskey Center for Sustainable Systems Education and Research runs a market garden project in which the students grow and provide food for sale at the local Farmers' Market. The Market Garden project, gypsy chicken wagon and municipal-scale composting facility provide hands-on opportunities to study sustainable food systems and their economic impacts. Run as a non-profit, the primary goals are to educate students about sustainable food production and build capacity for local organic food in the community.
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The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
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A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
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A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
- Slippery Rock holds a series of campus-wide events every year to celebrate Earth Day. In 2013 the event included over thirty activities that are intended to increase environmental and sustainability awareness and appreciation on the part of our students.
-The Office of Sustainability, the Student Enterprise Accelerator, and/or the Students for Sustainability Club host a series of speakers on sustainability each year, and co-sponsors speakers with outside community groups such as Sustainable Slippery Rock.
- The Robert A. Macoskey Center hosts screenings of sustainability-focused films, speakers, tours, gatherings, and panel discussions on topics such as organic gardenking and community supported agriculture.
-AASHE's Campus Sustainability Day is celebrated with planned events highlighting sustainability progress on campus.
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The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
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A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
During Earth week each year, a recycled art exhibit is hosted at the Macoskey Center; a similar recycled art exhibit is also held at the McKeever Environmental Education Center which is managed by SRU.
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The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
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A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The mission of Campus Recreation's Outdoor Adventures Program is to continue to create and maintain the opportunities for Slippery Rock University students, faculty/staff, and community to safely learn, enjoy and appreciate outdoor recreation while protecting our environment. This leadership program helps prepare students for future employment and is accessible to disabled and minority populations. SRU students are invited to participate in as many activities as he/she desire. An informal SRU Trails committee of students and faculty work to develop and maintain natural hiking trails using Leave No Trace principles, and have used Green Fund Grants to construct trailhead kiosk signage that illustrates the trails' layout and highlights natural features of the area.
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The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Small Steps, Big Payoff is the campus-wide theme that relates to students that they can make a difference. It follows the institution's Energy Action Campaign that encourages students to pledge to change three small things in their life that can save energy.
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The website URL where information about the theme is available:
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A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The Green Dorm Room is a model room that is open and used for tours and orientation to show prospective students what a residence hall room is like. The building itself is certified LEED-Silver, and thanks to a Green Fund Grant, the room was remodeled to promote green products and daily activities that contribute to sustainability and energy conservation. In addition, SRU hosts a sustainability website that contains energy conservation booklets ("Hot Tips" sub-page) and links to other websites promoting sustainable life skills; a sustainability facebook site is also used to engage students and provide informative articlers, blogs, and links to other sustainability sites.
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The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
The Geography, Geology and the Environment department currently employs two GIS mapping students. They have recently created SRU's Sustainable Features Campus Map. The Office of Sustainability also employs one full-time graduate assistant year-round, as does the Sustainable Enterperise Accelerator. The Macoskey Center typically employs four graduate assistants each semester.
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The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
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A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
N/A.
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The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
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A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
Additional co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives include the development of a series of short videotapes which teach the basics of energy conservation, as well as demonstrating how SRU recycles wirhin the Residence Halls. Currently under development by a student group (consisting of an Environmental Education major, a Rock Productions (public relations/communications club) group, and a videographer student), the videotapes will be used to educate Residence Hall students at their regular floor meetings with Residence Assistants.
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The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
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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.