University of Saskatchewan
EN-3: Student Life

Environmental Studies Student Association (ESSA): The Environmental Studies Students' Association (ESSA) is one of the largest multi-disciplinary undergraduate student associations at the University of Saskatchewan... ESSA's goal is to promote concern for the environment, through various academic and recreational activities. School of Environment and Sustainability Students’ Association (SENSSA): Students' Association (SENSSA) is made up of students from the University of Saskatchewan's School of Environment and Sustainability. Some of SENSSA's objectives include: promoting unity and welfare of SENSAA students and sustainability in all of its endeavours. Green Legal: Green Legal is a student club that aims to increase environmental awareness and involvement within the College of Law, build environmental law and policy analysis skills among members, and support community-based non-governmental organizations through law and policy research. Environmental and Bioresources Students Association (EBSA): EBSA is a student group for majors of Renewable Resource Management and Environmental Science, and other students in environment related fields. Its mission is to create social, educational and experiential opportunities for Environmental Science, Soil Science, and Renewable Resource Management students. Other Groups with Sustainability Interests: Engineers Without Borders (EWB): The University of Saskatchewan is home to one of the 36 Engineers Without Borders chapters across Canada. It focuses on development issues across the globe and work to make a difference both overseas and here in Canada. U of S Innovative Energy Team (USIET): USIET is an engineering students group open to students of any major. It seeks to develop students passions for energy innovation through project development, professional networking, and informational events. ENACTUS: Enactus University of Saskatchewan is a student-run, nonprofit organization based in the Edwards School of Business that creates positive impact in the community, while developing members' skills through real-world experiences. Western Canadian Veterinary Students' Association (WCVSA): The Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s student body is organized through the Western Canadian Veterinary Students’ Association (WCVSA). Objectives include promoting the interests and welfare of veterinary students with regard to educational, social and athletic life. Just Youth (St. Thomas More College):Just Youth aims to engage students in issues of global disparity in incomes and access to essential services.

The University of Saskatchewan now has several student and staff community gardens: the McEown Community Garden, the Aboriginal Students Center Community Garden, the Facilities Management Division Community Garden, the SENSSA Community Garden, and the U of S Horticulture Club garden. MCEOWN COMMUNITY GARDEN: The McEown Community Garden is our largest and longest-standing community garden on campus. It serves over 100 gardeners living in the residences at McEown Park, College Quarter, and Grad House. The garden operates as an allotment garden: parcels are allocated to individuals who cultivate them individually. The Office of Sustainability's Community Garden Coordinator supports operational logistics, acts as a liaison for gardeners, and helps to plan events or workshops throughout the season. CHEP (Child Health Education Program) provide seeds and gardening advice and instruction to students. The University Residence department provides all of the gardening tools at no cost. The University provides the water at no cost. There is a community compost pile. Pest control is also up to the individual gardeners and because of close proximity to other plots, this is usually very organic in nature. ABORIGINAL STUDENTS CENTRE COMMUNITY GARDEN: The Aboriginal Students Centre Community Garden located at St. Andrew's College is an independent community garden, managed by a garden coordinator who works in close contact with the Office of Sustainability Community Garden Coordinator to facilitate partnerships, support gardeners, and offer educational workshops and experiences. FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DIVISION COMMUNITY GARDEN: The FMD Community Garden is located outside the University Services Building and serves the employees of Facilities Management Division (FMD). The garden is a constant source of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs for the staff of FMD. Planting is a shared process in the spring time, with a coordinated planting party to help plant produce that has been started in the Grounds greenhouses. At a harvest party in the fall, employees are invited to help reap the bountiful harvest of the garden to share amongst themselves and to contribute to a communal potluck. SENSSA COMMUNITY GARDEN: The SENSSA Community Garden is a garden open to students of the School of Environment and Sustainability. Located outside the Biology Building alongside some research plots, the garden was started in 2015 as an initiative of the School of Environment and Sustainability Students' Association (SENSSA). COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND BIORESOURCES ROOFTOP GARDEN: Started in Spring 2016, this rooftop garden is the first closed-loop food production system on campus. The garden is planted by Soil Science and Plant Science students and is fertilized with compost from the Grounds Compost Centre. Food grown at the garden is then sold at market rate to the Marquis Culinary Centre and used in preparing large scale meals at the campus dining hall. In the near future food waste or scraps will be put through a dehydrator to be turned into dry, compostable material and subsequently sent to the Grounds Compost Centre to be fully composted. HORTICULTURE CLUB PROJECT: The U of S Horticulture Club is open to all students on campus who want to learn more about horticulture. One of its major projects is the vegetable garden project which involves approximately 25 students responsible for starting transplants in the greenhouse, field seeding, transplanting, maintaining (weeding), harvesting and storing of produce. Some produce is designated for sale to cover the cost of inputs, however the students consume the majority of produce and some produce is donated to charity. A faculty adviser and student coordinators assist the students in learning more about vegetable production techniques and strategies. Decisions regarding choice of crops to be grown, pest management methods, plus sale of produce are by group consensus.

The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union strives to be a leader in enhancing the student experience while keeping in line with our values of environmental responsibility. One of a number of ways the USSU ensures we stay accountable to our environmental commitment is through our Sustainability Committee (link found below) Our Vision The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union strives to be the recognized leader in enhancing the student experience. Our Mission The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union exists to represent, serve and support the academic and non-academic needs of undergraduate students of the University of Saskatchewan through accountable, dynamic and unified leadership. It also serves to protect and maintain the integrity of quality, accessible public education. Our Values The following principles shall guide the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union in all of its endeavours: innovation, integrity, mutual respect, professionalism, service, social, economic and environmental responsibility, teamwork, and trust.

The USSU Sustainability Committee offers student sustainability grants. USSU Executives, student representatives, and members-at-large sit on the committee and allocate funds (jointly provided by the USSU and Office of Sustainability) to students or student groups who submit applications for sustainability initiatives around campus. The Committee is also partly funded through the vendor fees associated with the USSU Farmer's Market. The Campus Sustainability Revolving Fund (CSRF) is also open to student applications for larger, institutional projects that deliver utility savings. The CSRF funds these projects and pays itself back 150% from the utility savings. While mostly applicable to staff and faculty, students are able to submit applications to the CSRF Committee to help fund their projects. See: http://sustainability.usask.ca/get-involved/campus-sustainability-revolving-fund.php

The Office of Sustainability hosts a "green space" during Welcome Week every year to introduce students to sustainability initiatives. This includes introducing students to the campus recycling program, advertising student funding opportunities such as the USSU Sustainability Committee and the CSRF, recruiting members for the Green Pack volunteer group or the Sustainability Living Lab, and many other things that inject sustainability into the lives of students. See: Link associated with this entry. Every year the Office of Sustainability hosts a station during "Bike to Work Day" and helps organize the annual Hike, Bike, and Roll event. These two cycling related events occur in late summer and help to encourage cycling and active transportation on campus. They educate the campus community on cycling, and facilitate collaboration with community cycling groups through a used bike sale, wherein used or abandoned bikes on campus are donated to the local Bridge City Bicycle Co-op that repairs them and sell them to students at a discounted rate. See: http://sustainability.usask.ca/initiatives-and-events/cycling.php Each year, the Office of Sustainability hosts Campus Sustainability Week in October. This week features a sustainability expo to showcase sustainability-related student groups, speakers, film screenings, workshops, and many other events. Student groups are encouraged to take part and host their own events during the week with the help of funding through the Office of Sustainability. See: http://sustainability.usask.ca/initiatives-and-events/campus-sustainability-week.php A variety of student group work in partnership with the Office of Sustainability to hold events throughout the year. One particularly successful annual event is ESSA's EcoBash, which features a carbonless concert segment, showcases local environmental speakers and activists, and raises funds for local groups such as the Saskatchewan Environmental Society's Solar Co-op. Other student-led events such as movie screenings, workshops, and guest lectures, receive funding and organizational/administrative support from the Office of Sustainability. See: https://www.facebook.com/events/1663008183958030/ The Planning Students Association partnered with the Office of Sustainability to host MOMENTUM 2016, an urban planning conference held at the University of Saskatchewan in March of 2016. The conference brought in over 50 students, faculty members, and planning professionals from across Western Canada. In addition to many learning sessions, the conference also included networking receptions, a film night, and walking tours of the city. Following the success of this year's conference, MOMENTUM 2017 is already being planned. See: https://planningmomentum.usask.ca/ An annual student symposium showcases the projects completed through the Sustainability Living Lab. Faculty members, facility and departmental managers, and local professionals attend to see the results of projects that use the university campus and surrounding community as a living laboratory for learning about sustainability issues and solutions. See: http://sustainability.usask.ca/study-and-development/living-lab.php#SustainabilityLivingLabSchedulesandProjects

In 2014 a University of Saskatchewan travelling theater production took audience members (including students) through an exercise in decision making related to flooding and drought events. The play, Downstream, used forum theater style to invite audience members to make decisions as the story progressed. The cast was students from the Department of Drama. Following the performance, audience members were invited to give feedback about research results and also the drama production as a communications format. In October, 2016 during Campus Sustainability Week, a group of sculpture students partnered with the Office of Sustainability to produce ART*Cycled, an installation or reclaimed and upcycled art. Students were able to select university surplus assets destined for the landfill to incorporate into sculpture or conceptual art projects. The event was a popular hit and will be reproduced in years to come. http://sustainability.usask.ca/initiatives-and-events/artcycled

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The Office of Sustainability believes that students play a critical part in sustainability. As such, it offers a number of student intern positions every year. Student positions range from assisting with operations projects to conserve energy and water to engagement activities such as planning sustainability-related events and campaigns on campus.

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