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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Abby Schwimmer
Position (in student organization): Director of Sustainability, IU Student Association, 2008-2009 academic year
Date survey submitted: 7/9/2009
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Indiana University Student Association (IUSA) student government (sustainability department)
Number of active members: 20-30 directors and executives
Website: http://www.indiana.edu/~iusa/
Date of last meeting: mid-April 2009 (director meeting)
Frequency of meetings: directors: 1/week
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: Departments include: health and safety, diversity, women’s issues, sustainability, legislative affairs, student services, alumni relations, volunteerism
IUSA (whole):
The Indiana University Student Association (IUSA) is the student body government of Indiana University. The purpose of IUSA is to represent the students of Indiana University, serving as the voice of the student body, to communicate their views and formulate initiatives on key issues. IUSA also serves to support the mission of the University through student advocacy. Our initiatives are founded on the ideals of:
* Promoting academic achievement and enriching student life
* Providing opportunities for personal development
* Fostering an awareness and respect for our diverse campus
* Encouraging physical and emotional wellness of students
* Protecting student rights and encouraging ethical behavior
* Providing a forum for state, national, community, and university affairs
IUSA (Department of Sustainability)
The Sustainability Department, newly created under the 2008-2009 administration, exists to facilitate campus sustainability. It serves to promote awareness of the Sustainable movement and to ensure that IUSA sets an example of responsible purchasing, energy use, and waste disposal. The IUSA office has instituted a “mugs only” policy to eliminate disposable cup waste, along with other initiatives to decrease waste, increase recycling, and cut down on electricity consumption. The Sustainability Department has also participated in a “Let’s Talk about Sustainability” panel discussion, in collaboration with the Union Board and Volunteers in Sustainability.
Ongoing initiatives include working at the forefront of the proposal to create a “Green Energy Fee” that students would have the option to participate in during online class registration. Other initiatives include organizing a bike rental program for students and finding a venue on campus for recycling “E-waste”, or old discarded appliances such as computers, printers, televisions, and cell phones.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
#2 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe: Sustainability department, composed of directors and asst. directors
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
Sustainability-related projects:
-Implementing recycling at apartment complexes (in progress)
-Passing a Green Initiative Fund (in progress)
-Presenting informational panels
-Researching short-term bike rental program (in conjunction with Department of Student Services)
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):
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Name: Nathan Bower-Bir
Position (in student organization): Coordinator, IU Volunteers in Sustainability
Date survey submitted: 7/11/2009
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: IU Volunteers in Sustainability (ViS)
Number of active members: 20
Website: https://www.indiana.edu/~sustain/vis.html
Date of last meeting: 4/22/2009
Frequency of meetings: weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
- Move-in Recycling: ViS works with the Residence Halls to recycle cardboard as students move back to the dorms in the fall. Last year this resulted in more than 20,000 pounds of cardboard diverted from the waste stream.
- “More Art – Less Trash” Outdoor Recycling Bin Program: For the past two spring semesters, ViS has held an outdoor recycling bin design competition to encourage active involvement from students in recycling on campus. Ten large bins were painted and placed at strategic locations on campus, and as a result of the conversations initiated by this effort, a plan has been approved to place permanent outdoor recycling bins on campus.
- “Prairie in the Planters” Native Gardening Program: Working with the University Landscape Architect and the IU Biology Department, ViS has been planting native prairie species in planters on campus to reduce the need for pesticides, fertilizers, and irrigation, as well as to restore Indiana’s natural heritage.
- SustainIU: Each spring, around Earth Day, the sustainability-related groups at IU work together to put on educational and service events for the IU and Bloomington community. Past events have included panel discussions on global sustainability issues and sustainability in business, and a lecture by Second Nature president Anthony Cortese. The events culminate with a large concert/celebration, Green Day, in Dunn Meadow in the center of campus.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008: See above
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition: IU Energy Challenge
Year initiated: 2008
Frequency of competition: Annual
Participants: Residents of 10 dorms on campus (the competition will spread to all dorms as new meters are added) compete against each other, while residents of 18 Greek houses held a separate competition.
Incentives: The winning dorm received $4,500 to be invested in an energy conservation demonstration project. The winning Greek house received the entry fees collected from all the Greek houses ($900). Other incentives: reduced energy and water bills for Greek houses, and peace of mind for all.
Goal of competition: To reduce energy and water use over the course of a month-long competition, while learning ways to continue to keep usage low throughout the year.
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced: Percentages unknown, but energy savings totaled 709,211 Kilowatts, and water savings 1,120,813 gallons. This amounts to approximately 1,103,532 pounds of avoided CO2 emissions and $42,000 in avoided utility costs.
Lasting effects of competition: Students learn tried-and-true methods of energy/water conservation and are encouraged to develop novel ways, too. The competition also raises general awareness of resource use and shows how each of us doing little things can have a big effect.
Website: http://energychallenge.indiana.edu/
#2 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: The Indiana University Student Association created a position, IUSA Director of Sustainability, to oversee the body’s role in university sustainability and encourage the body to push sustainability-related issues to the forefront of campus discussions.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition): We have worked with INPIRG in the past, as well as Campus Climate Challenge and the Indiana Campus Sustainability Alliance.
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Name: Emilie Rex
Position (in student organization): Founder and former chair of Sustainable Development Association (SDA)
Date survey submitted: 7/13/09
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
SDA is a graduate student organization at Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) that
*serves as a resource for prospective students navigating the sustainable development concentration at SPEA,
*informs concentration members about career opportunities and field expansion,
*connects the SPEA community with other sustainability efforts on campus and in Bloomington, and
*creates a forum for discussing policy in the field of sustainable development.
Name of organization: Sustainable Development Association
Number of active members: 15-20
Website: Not available, contact ekrex@indiana.edu
Date of last meeting: 5/11/09
Frequency of meetings: bi-weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
1. Education/awareness events surrounding sustainability
2. Sustainability assessments
3. Greening programs at IU's School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA)
4. Green building initiatives
5. Policy forums focusing on sustainability and its relevance to other content areas
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
1. Played key role in planning and implementing SustainIU events: https://www.indiana.edu/~sustain/SustainIU/SustainIU.html
2. Conducted and authored first sustainability assessment of a local brewery; fostered ongoing relationship between SPEA and brewery to continue developing student skills in sustainability assessment and policy analysis, while improving sustainability at brewery.
3. Greening incoming student orientation for SPEA; Committed to helping school create more carbon neutral events.
4. Working with IU real estate to green their properties; Working on proposal to increase local/organic purchasing in SPEA cafe.
5. Planning policy forum for upcoming school year.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[X] No
[ ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe: IU Student Association Director of Sustainability
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
SustainIU was our biggest, campus-wide event: https://www.indiana.edu/~sustain/SustainIU/SustainIU.html
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible: There is a student-run campus organization that's creating cooperative living opportunities. You can contact Alex Smith for more information:
The IU Graduate and Professional Student Organization also has an environmental director now. Her name is Jenna Morrison, email:
The president of the IU Student Association is interested in beginning a bike sharing program.
Our interns at the Office of Sustainability do amazing work. It's a highly competitive program, and all research is conducted by students. For more info, see: https://www.indiana.edu/~sustain/sustainabilityiu/academic-year-08-09/
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition): N/A
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