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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: Abigail Butkus
Position (in student organization): Co-President, Business Without Borders
Date survey submitted: July 22, 2009
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Business Without Borders; number of active members: 50 (this is an estimate since we just became a club last semester)
Website: Coming soon!
Date of last meeting: April 29, 2009
Frequency of meetings: Board meetings every Wednesday night. General body meetings, 2 per semester.
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: Below is a list of some of our events and brief descriptions of each.
Activity 1
Name of Event: Justin Knabb, Finance Director, Water for Waslala
Description of Event: Presentation of Knabb’s career aspirations as a VSB graduate and accounting major, and how business students can get involved with Water for Waslala.
Date/Month: February 4, 2009
Activity 2
Name of Event: Careers in International Relief and Development
Description of Event: Michael Wiest, Executive Vice President of Catholic Relief Services, spoke about the requirements and qualifications for being accepted into an international development program such as the one CRS sponsors.
Date/Month: February 11, 2009
Activity 3
Name of Event: Careers in Microfinance
Description of Event: Panel discussion and question-and-answer session regarding microfinance as a tool for poverty alleviation and how undergraduates can pursue a career in this field. Included representatives from local and international microfinance organizations.
Date/Month: March 23, 2009
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[X] No
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
I don't know because I am not involved with student government.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school: We started a program promoting sustainable economic development in a rural Kenyan village. This August, a group of three students and a professor from the business school will travel to Kenya to assess the economy of this village and develop ways to grow their economy.
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): Net Impact Undergrad
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Names: Christine Simmons, Christina Radossi
Position (in student organization): Student Members, President’s Climate Commitment Core Team
Date survey submitted: July 22, 2009
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: President’s Climate Commitment Core Team
Number of active members: 35
Website: http://www.villanova.edu/sustainability/presidentsclimate/
Date of last meeting: May 20, 2009
Frequency of meetings: 2 times per month
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
1-Participated and finished calculating the school’s carbon footprint using the Cool Planet Calculator.
2-Participated in Year of Sustainability (academic year 2008–09), which focused on four issues: 1) educate students, faculty, and staff through a series of cross-campus programs; 2) provide a yearlong, focused educational experience, thus elevating our awareness of global environmental and sustainability issues; 3) find ways to infuse an emphasis on sustainability into the curriculum and thus provide students with a different prism through which to view how they fit into the global community; and 4) seek to educate our local community by informing constituents both on- and off-campus of the importance of this issue for the world as a whole, as well as for the local community.
3-Subcommittees were created after the carbon calculation was complete, including a Communications Team, Sustainability Initiatives, and Sustainability Coordinator/Office. Students chose which team they would like to be on. The first team coordinates with other groups on campus regarding environmental efforts. The second team evaluates the feasibility of employing a Sustainability Officer to head the main efforts of the committee. The third team searches for and implements ways to decrease the school’s carbon footprint in any area of campus life and development.
4-The committee also played a large part in the International SustainAbility Conference held around Earth Day ’09, which included several panels and lectures on environmentally-related topics.
5-The committee also pushed for an environmental stewardship clause within the university’s new mission statement, which was accepted.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
1-Carbon calculator completed.
2-Year of Sustainability successful, especially in regard to spreading environmental awareness around campus and showing students, faculty, and staff what has already been done and what can still be done.
3-The subcommittees were successfully created and assigned several members. The Initiatives team has several ideas set up for implementation, especially for the upcoming school year. The Sustainability Coordinator does not yet have any paid positions available.
4-Conference was very successful, especially in regard to networking and spreading environmental awareness.
5-Environmental stewardship clause accepted into new mission statement.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[X] No
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[X] No, but the Committee of Campus Improvements and the Committee of Student Ideas and Solutions have the capacity to address some sustainability issues.
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school: After signing the Commitment, the committee has agreed to construct all future buildings under the LEED Silver certification or better. An Energy Star purchasing policy has also been approved. The university also participated in the RecycleMania competition, as well as instituting several ways to reduce waste on campus. The campus has also begun purchasing wind energy.
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:
-The Villanova Environmental Group (VEG): Spreads awareness of environmental causes on campus, including energy-saving CFLs and recently LEED certified buildings on campus, among other political issues. This group plays a large part in the setup and participation of the Earth Day Conference. Contact: Christine Simmons at christine.k.simmons@gmail.com http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/peaceandjustice/studentorgs/environgroup.htm
-Ecological Society of Villanova: Group that appreciates the environment via aesthetic means, such as hiking, canoeing, bird watching, owl banding, etc. trips. Contact: Angela Bagnasco at angela.bagnasco@villanova.edu
-Just Food: Spreads awareness of locally and organically grown food products. Contact: Emily Fero at emily.fero@villanova.edu
-Department of Geography and the Environment: An administrative unit that offers undergraduate degrees in Environmental Science, Geography, and Environmental Studies. This department helps bridge and effectively integrates the social sciences and the natural/physical sciences. Contact: Dr. Francis Galgano at francis.galgano@villanova.edu
http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/geoenv/
Environmental Leadership Learning Community: A residential community for first-year students who take the freshmen seminar course, Augustine and Culture Seminar (ACS), but with emphasis on the environment. Students attend lectures, films, and/or community service focused on environmental concerns, and are taught by ACS professors who are working, through their class material, to focus on environmental issues as they relate to science, engineering, business, politics, activism, and religious thought of the ancient and modern worlds. Contact: Nancy Kelley at nancy.kelley@villanova.edu
http://www.villanova.edu/studentlife/learningcommunities/resident/environmental.htm
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): Power Shift, RecycleMania, Campus Climate Challenge, National Wildlife Federation (Campus Ecology Yearbook)
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Name: Christine Simmons, Caitlin Green
Position (in student organization): Co-Presidents, Villanova Environmental Group (VEG)
Date survey submitted: July 22, 2009
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Villanova Environmental Group (VEG)
Number of active members: 15
Website: http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/peaceandjustice/studentorgs/environgroup.htm
Date of last meeting: April 25, 2009
Frequency of meetings: Once a week
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
1-Participated in service projects such as cleaning and volunteering at local parks and zoos.
2-Participated in Year of Sustainability (academic year 2008–09), which focused on four issues: 1) educate students, faculty, and staff through a series of cross-campus programs; 2) provide a yearlong, focused educational experience, thus elevating our awareness of global environmental and sustainability issues; 3) find ways to infuse an emphasis on sustainability into the curriculum and thus provide students with a different prism through which to view how they fit into the global community; and 4) seek to educate our local community by informing constituents both on- and off-campus of the importance of this issue for the world as a whole, as well as for the local community.
3-Participated and helped plan the International Sustainability Conference held around Earth Day ’09, which included several panels and lectures on environmentally-related topics.
4-Held a light bulb exchange, where students could bring their incandescent light bulbs and replace them with fluorescent light bulbs.
5-Held a ‘Make your own Recycling Bin’ event, where students could make and decorate their own recycling bin for their dormitory rooms.
6-Held an Earth Day BBQ that included live music and free food for the student body.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
1-Volunteering successful.
2-Year of Sustainability successful, especially in regard to spreading environmental awareness around campus and showing students, faculty, and staff what has already been done and what can still be done.
3-Conference was very successful, especially in regard to networking and spreading environmental awareness.
4-Light bulb exchange successful.
5-Recycling Bin event successful.
6-BBQ successful.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[X] No
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[X] No, but the Committee of Campus Improvements and the Committee of Student Ideas and Solutions have the capacity to address some sustainability issues.
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school: After signing the Commitment, the committee has agreed to construct all future buildings under the LEED Silver certification or better. An Energy Star purchasing policy has also been approved. The university also participated in the RecycleMania competition, as well as instituting several ways to reduce waste on campus. The campus has also begun purchasing wind energy.
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:
-The Villanova Environmental Group (VEG): Spreads awareness of environmental causes on campus, including energy-saving CFLs and recently LEED certified buildings on campus, among other political issues. This group plays a large part in the setup and participation of the Earth Day Conference. Contact: Christine Simmons at christine.k.simmons@gmail.com http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/peaceandjustice/studentorgs/environgroup.htm
-Ecological Society of Villanova: Group that appreciates the environment via aesthetic means, such as hiking, canoeing, bird watching, owl banding, etc. trips. Contact: Angela Bagnasco at angela.bagnasco@villanova.edu
-Just Food: Spreads awareness of locally and organically grown food products. Contact: Emily Fero at emily.fero@villanova.edu
-Department of Geography and the Environment: An administrative unit that offers undergraduate degrees in Environmental Science, Geography, and Environmental Studies. This department helps bridge and effectively integrates the social sciences and the natural/physical sciences. Contact: Dr. Francis Galgano at francis.galgano@villanova.edu
http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/geoenv/
Environmental Leadership Learning Community: A residential community for first-year students who take the freshmen seminar course, Augustine and Culture Seminar (ACS), but with emphasis on the environment. Students attend lectures, films, and/or community service focused on environmental concerns, and are taught by ACS professors who are working, through their class material, to focus on environmental issues as they relate to science, engineering, business, politics, activism, and religious thought of the ancient and modern worlds. Contact: Nancy Kelley at nancy.kelley@villanova.edu
http://www.villanova.edu/studentlife/learningcommunities/resident/environmental.htm
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): Power Shift, RecycleMania, Campus Climate Challenge, National Wildlife Federation (Campus Ecology Yearbook), Just Food, Bread for the World
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