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Projects Updates for key objective: 33. Sustainability Public Engagement

  1. archived info - past project description additional information

    The following text was removed from this project description, with the update to the iCAP 2020:

    "The core component of co-curricular education and sustainability outreach is strong and effective communication; therefore these objectives center around communication. 

    1. Support and communicate about co-curricular student sustainability programs. 
    2. Strengthen and communicate about sustainability outreach programs.  Specifically, at least half of the full-time campus staff will be participating in the Certified Green Office Program by FY20.
    3. Organize and promote three major sustainability events on campus each year: Earth Week, Campus Sustainability Week, and the iSEE Congress."
  2. Engagement SWATeam Meeting

    Representatives of the Engagement SWATeam met on July 19 to discuss 2 working recommendations: one related to recycling bin signage (having consistent & effective signage in residential halls and offices) and one related to increasing the visibility of the iCAP on university websites. Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 
  3. Engagement Team Summer Meeting

    Representatives of the Engagement SWATeam (Ann Witmer, Alexa Smith, Sammy Yoo) met with iWG representatives (Morgan White, Meredith Moore, Ximing Cai) for a tactical discussion on the team's strategy. Specific topics discussed include:

    • University and college-specific definitions of sustainability
    • Utilization of the iCAP Portal to increase sustainability engagements
    • Resources the team can refer to when creating a strategic plan
    • Creation of an administrative advisory committee of college representatives

    Meeting minutes are also attached.

    Attached Files: 
  4. Engagement SWATeam Meeting

    The Engagement SWATeam met for their final meeting for the semester on April 30. The team contributed their ideas for definitions of sustainability and engagement to be used by the team and iSEE as a whole. These definitions will be refined over the summer. Also, the team plans to work over the summer with iWG to discuss the Engagement Mind Map to make a clear start for next semester. Meeting minutes attached below.

  5. Bike Census volunteer opportunity (4/28) and TED Talk discussion (4/29)

    Happy Friday! I hope you are having a great Earth Week/Earth Month and have been able to attend a few (of the many!) activities this April. The Bike Census Spring 2021 is next Wednesday, April 28, from 10 – 11 AM. Bike Census is a collaborative, community-wide effort between Facilities & Services (F&S) and Champaign County Bikes that began in 2013 as part of ongoing improvement efforts to support the campus’ Bicycle Friendly University status.

     

    If you are available to volunteer next Wednesday morning, please sign up here. There will be a virtual training session beforehand at 9 AM. Two Illinois coffee mugs will be raffled off for student volunteers. I hope you are able to participate and in the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Sarthak Prasad (sprasad9@illinois.edu).

     

    On another note, in celebration of Earth Month, the next iSEE TED Talk: Eco-Edition event will focus on environmental activism and individual versus corporate responsibility for climate change. On Thursday, April 29 at 7 PM, participants will view a prerecorded TED Talk presented in July 2020 by Xiye Bastida: "If you adults won't save the world, we will." Afterward, all are invited to participate in a guided discussion hosted by iSEE Communications Intern and ESES student, Maria Maring. Sign up here.

     

    As always, be sure to check out the iSEE Sustainability Calendar for upcoming events and programs and help spread the word. Have a great weekend!

     

  6. Sustainability Message from Illinois Leadership!

    To wrap up Earth Week, President Killeen, Chancellor Jones, and leadership teams sent out the following message:

    "The University of Illinois System welcomes President Biden’s publicly announced commitment to action on climate change, a serious and essential statement of the country’s resolve to lead in building a better, more sustainable future.

    President Biden’s new plan to, among other things, cut U.S. emissions in half by 2030 also represents a call to the country’s centers of research and innovation for the bold ideas needed to make these goals reality.

    The University of Illinois System and its three universities stand ready to help."

    Go Illini!

    https://massmail.illinois.edu/massmailArchive 

  7. Welcome Note for Earth Day Solar Open House

    Happy Earth Day, 2021!!! 

    Welcome to the UIUC Solar Sites Open House!

    • Nine campus solar power installations are available to visit at this virtual open house.
    • Contact people for each site are standing on the yellow stars by their facility, on Earth Day from 9-10:30 AM.
    • There are also links for further information about each solar site.

    Hints for Using Topia

    • Zoom out on your browser to see more of the campus at once.
    • Click on a destination to move your avatar to that site, or use the arrow keys to navigate
    • Send messages in Topia to people you meet here, with the mailbox icons.

    ***MAKE SURE TO USE GOOGLE CHROME AS YOUR BROWSER*** 

    Invitation - Open to All

    Ever wonder how far the university has come in solar energy use? Come out to the UIUC Solar Sites Open House hosted on Topia, an interactive online platform, to learn about different buildings and areas across campus that are producing solar energy! During the Open House, contacts for each location will be available to answer questions about the solar installations at nine locations. Learn more about the amazing solar installations on campus!

    This event will take place online from 9-10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 22 (Earth Day!), at https://topia.io/uiuc-solar-sites.*

    ***MAKE SURE TO USE GOOGLE CHROME AS YOUR BROWSER*** 

    Attached Files: 
  8. Engagement SWATeam Meeting

    The Engagement SWATeam met on Friday, March 26 to refine current proposed recommendations, including a General Education Board Sustainability Task Force and Code of Conduct revision. The team plans to submit its General Education Board recommendation by Tuesday, March 30 in time for the next iWG meeting. Additional information on the meeting is included in the attached meeting minutes.

    Attached Files: 
  9. Engagement SWATeam Meeting

    On February 1, 2021, the Engagement SWATeam met to discuss updates on initiatives assigned at our last meeting. Topics of discussed include:

    • Metrics on sustainability engagement
    • ISG Gen-Ed initiative
    • Sustainability Scholars Program
    • Mandatory Sustainability Workshop
    • Code of Conduct revisions

    Meeting minutes are also attached below.

    Attached Files: 
  10. Engagement SWATeam Meeting

    On December 10, the Engagement SWATeam met to discuss progress within each of its subteams:

    1. Sustainability education and training requirements for new students and faculty

    2. Creating a roadmap of sustainability infrastructure at UIUC and researching initiatives of other universities which have been successful in sustainability engagement

    3. Creating and implementing a GivePulse channel for iSEE under the UIUC account

    4. Promoting the Green Events program at the Illini Union

    Meeting minutes are attached below.

  11. Engagement SWATeam Meeting

    The Engagement SWATeam members met on November 20 with Eric Green (Education SWATeam) to discuss first-year sustainability education recommendations. Topics discussed included working recommendations for a sustainability module in college 100-level courses, a mandatory sustainability training, and a sustainability general education requirement, all of which are currently being investigated by the Education SWATeam. Additionally, discussion of successful sustainability engagement principles led to a forming of two sub-teams to work towards recommendations within our committee:

    1) Led by co-chair Ann Witmer: Creating a roadmap of current sustainability-focused projects that are going on and connections we can utilize to make future recommendations more effective 

    2) Led by co-chair Robert McKim: Creating a sustainability 100 for individual colleges or one-size fits all model 

    Meeting minutes are also attached below.

  12. Engagement Team Meeting 3

    The Engagement SWATeam met on Friday, November 6 to formulate and condense potential recommendations in addressing Chapter 7 Objectives. Below are a list of current proposed objectives and the associated meeting minutes:

    • New ways to support student environmental organizations
    • Using Sustainability Training (https://mediaspace.illinois.edu/media/1_poty17ok) as a way to get feedback from students, staff, and faculty about their views on sustainability on our campus and to promote engagement
    • Creating sustainability-focused GivePulse channel
    • Routine and regular (quarterly) Massmail by campus leaders at all levels in support of sustainability initiatives
    • Ensure all professionally focused degree programs provide students with an understanding of the consequences of climate change and the goal of living sustainably, as these matters pertain to the profession in question
    • Sustainability book of the month 
    Attached Files: 
  13. Engagement SWATeam Meeting

    The Engagement SWATeam met on October 7th to continue its discussion on the iCAP Objective Assessment. Team members were tasked with researching and assessing particular objectives in the previous meeting. During this meeting, members presented their findings and initiated discussion on potential launch points. Meeting minutes are attached outlining discussion surrounding each of the six objectives in Chapter 7 of the iCAP 2020. 

    Attached Files: 
  14. eweek announcement

    The Crochet Coral Reef: Intersections of Math, Science and Art

    Margaret Wertheim is a writer, artist and curator whose work brings together art, math and science as evidenced in her Crochet Coral Reef, created through hyperbolic crochet. This talk launches the Urbana-Champaign Satellite Reef, Part of the worldwide Crochet Coral Reef project by Christine and Margaret Wertheim. Visit the project website https://uiucsatellitecrochetcoralreef.wordpress.com/

    September 17, 5:30 pm • Map

    Jennifer Bergmark • School of Art and Design

  15. Check out the I-Pollinate citizen science research initiative

    I-Pollinate is a citizen science research initiative, through the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, designed to collect state-wide pollinator data. I-Pollinate enlists citizen scientists to participate in three research projects and collect data on monarch egg and caterpillar abundance, pollinator visitation to ornamental flowers, and state bee demographics. If you are interested in participating and want more information, visit the website site at https://ipollinate.illinois.edu/.

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