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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2011, 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 2010. 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.
School name: University of Connecticut
Date submitted: July 29, 2010
For each question, please choose the response that best represents the activities of your student organization. Some questions have additional instructions below the question. If you cannot find information for a particular question, please leave that question blank.
The response to this survey should be only in reference to one student organization. If there are multiple student organizations at a given school, each organization should complete its own survey. Only one survey should be submitted for each student organization at a particular school.
1) Contact Information
The following fields designate the main contact person for your group.
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Name: Fiona Stewart
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School Name: University of Connecticut
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Name of student organization: EcoHusky Student Group
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Your position or title: President
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2) Student Organization
Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role. If you are a member of multiple organizations, you will be able to enter information about their activities on a later page.
Active members attend meetings and help implement the organization’s initiatives. Please describe event or email-listserv attendance under “Additional Comments.”
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Number of active members:
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30
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Date of last meeting (mm/dd/yyyy):
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April 27, 2010
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Frequency of meetings:
Note: if you meet more than once a week, please select weekly.
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Weekly
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Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2009:
Use the categories below to help describe your group's initiatives in each area. In the "Describe" field, outline actions taken and elaborate on the impact and degree of success. You may want to compose your descriptions in Microsoft Word or a similar program and then paste them into the boxes provided. Please be detailed in your descriptions, and use the "Other" option to describe additional areas of involvement. You can also elaborate or add clarifying comments under "Additional Comments."
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Addressed
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Progress
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Describe
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Academics
Examples: Minor, major and concentration programs, curricular additions, research projects
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[ ]
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None
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Administration
Examples: Procurement policies, institution-wide sustainability policy, advocating for sustainability-related staff positions
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[X]
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Moderate
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Representatives met with David Clokey, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs, in order to establish what steps would need to be taken to implement a ‘sustainability fee’ on the university’s fee bill. Although information was collected and hopefully will be followed up during the course of the next year, there was not an immediate result of the meeting. We also advocated for a sustainability coordinator by completing a photo petition with over 200 ‘signees.’
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Climate
Examples: Climate action plan, greenhouse gas emissions inventory
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[X]
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Significant
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We participated in the “350 Day of Action” on October 24th. Hosting a rally with the PIRG student group, the EcoHusky group helped educate a variety of students about the importance of the 350 movement and need for immediate action to deal with global climate change. The rally drew over 100 students, who all worked to raise the attention of the greater campus. EcoHusky students also worked with Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and other student groups representative of the entire student body, to educate them about the newly completed “Climate Action Plan.” EcoHusky members attended each of the groups’ respective meetings, and presented a summary of the plan, and the importance of how it affects students. After the presentation, the group would decide whether to support the plan or not. If in favor, petitions were signed and collected by the EcoHusky representative. In the case of USG, a formal statement of position was passed supporting the Climate Action Plan and urging upper administrators to “immediately implement, prioritize, and act upon the recommendations and objectives set forth in the Climate Action Plan.”
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Endowment
Examples: Proxy voting guidelines, investment advisory committees
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[X]
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Moderate
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Every year, the EcoHusky student group holds a 5K run, which is our main fundraiser. We plan and promote the event to the campus and surrounding community. The profits are divided between the Sustainability Fund and the EcoHusky Student Group.
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Energy
Examples: Conservation/behavioral
change programs, retrofits and
efficiency improvements
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[X]
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Moderate
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In the beginning of the semester, the EcoHusky group participated in tandem with the Office of Environmental Policy in giving away CFL lightbulbs to incoming freshmen and fellow students. During our “Green Week,” we had a ‘Lights Out! Glow-in-the-Dark Frisbee Tournament.’
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Food
Examples: Advocating for local, organic, or more sustainable food, campus gardening, food purchasing and ingredient guidelines
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[X]
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Moderate
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During our “Green Week,” we held an organic bake sale. A few members organized and baked yummy goods such as pumpkin muffins, banana bread, and rolled oatmeal cookies. For our Earth Day Spring Fling, we worked with Local Routes, ,” a part of Dining Services that uses locally grown food.
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Green Building
Examples: Design or construction policy
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None
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Grounds and Maintenance
Examples: Green landscaping, non-toxic cleaners
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None
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Student Involvement
Examples: Facilitating engagement with students, speaker series, establishing EcoReps program, student guide to sustainable living on campus
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[X]
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Significant
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We hold our annual “Green Week “ in the fall, dedicated to involving and educating the campus on a variety of environmental issues through several different events. For the first time this past year we participated in UConn’s Homecoming , drawing attention to our group and goals. During the spring semester, we engaged in the Recyclemania competition. We also held a “Green Late Night” event, which is offered as an alternative weekend late night program. Our Earth Day Spring Fling is a major, and popular, event that involves multiple environmental groups on campus along with “Local Routes and several local vendors. At the end of the year, EcoHusky works with a movement on campus called “Give & Go,” where students moving out can donate household items, clothes, and school supplies, which are then given to local charities and such.
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Transportation
Examples: Promoting sustainable transportation, campus fleet improvements, connecting students with public transit
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[X]
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Moderate
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We are a sponsor of a new bike loan program on campus.
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Waste Reduction
Examples: Recycling, composting,
reducing consumption
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[X]
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Moderate
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Our group conducts activities called “Manning the Can,” where EcoHusky members stand near trash and recycling bins and encourage students to choose the proper receptacle, and “Trash Can Diving,” where our members pick out recyclables from trash cans around campus. Also, during Recyclemania, in order to urge students to recycle more and waste less, a member dressed up as Captain Planet and went throughout campus.
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Water
Examples: Water conservation, reducing campus pollution, bottled water campaigns
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[X]
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Moderate
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In the spring, we collected water bottles, and built a display in the library to showcase and educate the student body about the amount of waste, particularly on campus.
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Other
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[ ]
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Additional Comments
3) Sustainability Competitions and Challenges
This information should describe a campus challenge or competition organized by your group to promote sustainability. To add general information about your group, return to the previous questions.
First competition
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Name of competition
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EcoMadness
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Frequency of competition
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Annually
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Year initiated
Even if the competition has not been held continually each year, enter the year it began.
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2007
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Groups involved in coordinating
If your group conducted the competition alone enter your group's name. Otherwise, enter other student groups, administrative offices, or faculty departments that assisted in implementation.
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EcoHusky and Office of Environmental Policy
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Participants:
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Students
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[X]
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Faculty
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[ ]
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Staff
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[ ]
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Other. Please describe.
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Incentives/Rewards:
Describe how students, faculty, and/or staff were encouraged to participate in the competition. How were they notified and enticed to join the competition? What was the “prize” or reward for which they were competing?
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Free Ice Cream from the "Dairy Bar," UConn-made ice cream
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Goals of competition:
Describe the sustainability-related goal of the competition (e.g. conserve electricity, water, reduce waste, increase recycling rates).
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Energy conservation
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[X]
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Waste reduction
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Water conservation
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[X]
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Other. Please describe
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Percent of energy/water/waste reduced (describe):
Describe both the raw savings, and the savings as compared to use before the competition. For example, an electricity-saving competition may have encouraged a dorm to conserve 6,000 kW/h of electricity for the month of April, a savings of 5% from the same month last year.
Lasting effects of competition:
Describe other impacts and effects. What are observable changes in campus behavior even after the competition’s completion? Have other efforts towards sustainability been given added momentum? Has the competition inspired other campaigns or initiatives?
Website:
Second competition
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Name of competition
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Frequency of competition
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Year initiated
Even if the competition has not been held continually each year, enter the year it began.
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Groups involved in coordinating
If your group conducted the competition alone enter your group's name. Otherwise, enter other student groups, administrative offices, or faculty departments that assisted in implementation.
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Participants:
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Students
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[ ]
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Faculty
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[ ]
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Staff
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[ ]
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Other. Please describe.
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Incentives/Rewards:
Describe how students, faculty, and/or staff were encouraged to participate in the competition. How were they notified and enticed to join the competition? What was the “prize” or reward for which they were competing?
Goals of competition:
Describe the sustainability-related goal of the competition (e.g. conserve electricity, water, reduce waste, increase recycling rates).
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Energy conservation
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[ ]
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Waste reduction
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[ ]
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Water conservation
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[ ]
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Other. Please describe
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Percent of energy/water/waste reduced (describe):
Describe both the raw savings, and the savings as compared to use before the competition. For example, an electricity-saving competition may have encouraged a dorm to conserve 6,000 kW/h of electricity for the month of April, a savings of 5% from the same month last year.
Lasting effects of competition:
Describe other impacts and effects. What are observable changes in campus behavior even after the competition’s completion? Have other efforts towards sustainability been given added momentum? Has the competition inspired other campaigns or initiatives?
Website:
Third competition
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Name of competition
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Frequency of competition
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Year initiated
Even if the competition has not been held continually each year, enter the year it began.
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Groups involved in coordinating
If your group conducted the competition alone enter your group's name. Otherwise, enter other student groups, administrative offices, or faculty departments that assisted in implementation.
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Participants:
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Students
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[ ]
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Faculty
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[ ]
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Staff
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[ ]
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Other. Please describe.
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Incentives/Rewards:
Describe how students, faculty, and/or staff were encouraged to participate in the competition. How were they notified and enticed to join the competition? What was the “prize” or reward for which they were competing?
Goals of competition:
Describe the sustainability-related goal of the competition (e.g. conserve electricity, water, reduce waste, increase recycling rates).
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Energy conservation
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[ ]
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Waste reduction
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[ ]
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Water conservation
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[ ]
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Other. Please describe
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Percent of energy/water/waste reduced (describe):
Describe both the raw savings, and the savings as compared to use before the competition. For example, an electricity-saving competition may have encouraged a dorm to conserve 6,000 kW/h of electricity for the month of April, a savings of 5% from the same month last year.
Lasting effects of competition:
Describe other impacts and effects. What are observable changes in campus behavior even after the competition’s completion? Have other efforts towards sustainability been given added momentum? Has the competition inspired other campaigns or initiatives?
Website:
4) Sustainability in Student Government and Other Activities
Please describe the role of Student Government and other groups.
Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
If yes. Please describe below:
Include the following: How many students are active in the committee? How often does it meet? What kinds of power and decision-making ability does it have? What impacts and initiatives has it undertaken? What kind of working relationship does it have with other student groups and the administration?
Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
Describe any activities that your group or yourself, as a leader on campus, have undertaken that are not already included in your survey responses. If applicable, also describe off-campus and community efforts that relate to institutional sustainability at your school.
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Green Week, Earth Day Spring Fling (since 2008), EcoHusky 5K
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Please Note: The following is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
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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