This is a list of projects that need students to work on.  It will be updated periodically by sustainability staff members, the last update was 8/30/21:

• The campus MS4 stormwater permit currently has 49 Best Management Practices (BMPs) that have to be completed annually https://fs.illinois.edu/services/safety-and-compliance/about-the-program . One of the 49 BMPs is a Public Education and Outreach requirement to broadcast or publish one stormwater Public Service Announcement (PSA) on social media, radio, television and/or internet. We currently have a couple on our website and would like to keep it up to date with new materials whenever possible.  https://fs.illinois.edu/services/safety-and-compliance/about-the-program/events-and-outreach. Another opportunity is for a Public Participation and Involvement BMP to discuss and provide opportunity for public input on the Storm Water Program (permit BMPs), climate change and environmental justice topics. This could be met by webinars, PSAs, posters, etc. Contact is Betsy Liggett.
• Develop informational messaging about SmartWay, get more UIUC departments aware of the program, and coordinate a related student event.  Contact Morgan White at mbwhite at illinois.edu.
• Support the Champaign County Design and Conservation Foundation (CCDCF) Board with their county-wide efforts for conservation and design.
• Conduct a campus poll (fall semester 2021) regarding the Top 10 most iconic/significant/impressive trees on campus (including the arboretum). Develop an online survey tool (i.e., an online poll) whereby students and campus employees can nominate their favorite campus trees. Upon conclusion of the survey, work with Jay Hayek to tabulate and rank the results and create a publicly viewable ArcGIS Online StoryMap showcasing campuses Top Ten Trees. Prepare a presentation of results for the annual Arbor Day Celebration. Contact Jay Hayek at jhayek at illinois.edu.
• Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: Illini Union.
• Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: Huff Hall.
• Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: ECE Building.
• Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: Armory.
• Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: Bevier Hall.
• CCNet Website: Work with the Champaign County Sustainability Network (CCNet) leadership team to redesign and publish the CCNet website (old version is online at http://www.champaigncountynet.org/). There is a monthly brown bag sustainability networking event on the Third Thursday of each month, but the website hasn't been updated since 2016. Contact Morgan White at mbwhite at illinois.edu.
• We are seeking a student volunteer who can do tree identification for a series of trees in the Arboretum, and work with the University Landscape Architect, Brent Lewis, and the Superintendent of Grounds, Ryan Welch, to compare the tree identification to the draft tree inventory. Contact Morgan White at mbwhite at illinois.edu.
• Work on outlining sustainable initiatives that DIA can take in support of the Green Sports Alliance. Contact Meredith Moore, mkm0078 at llinois.edu.
• Help iSEE develop a Sustainability Literacy Assessment. Contact Meredith Moore, mkm007 at illinois.edu. 
• Help identify and develop opportunities for intersecting sustainability and the arts (sustainability murals, utility box artwork, etc.). Contact Meredith Moore, mkm0078 at illinois.edu. 
• Develop permanent posters for the Solar Farm 2.0, to guide tour participants at the site. Contact Morgan White at mbwhite at illinois.edu.
• Help iSEE work with Student Sustainability Committee grant to expand small scale campus composting. Contact Meredith Moore at mkm0078 at illinois.edu.
• If you have a project idea, please contact us at sustainability@illinois.edu, or submit it through the iCAP Portal Suggestions page.

The Walkability Audit FY 2021-22 commences with designing a system to study the Walkability Index of the campus of UIUC and its neighboring areas. The site of intervention is divided into 29 divisions. A 2-level survey is chosen in order to generate an in-depth analysis, the survey questionnaire and a detailed study per division. The questionnaire takes care of overall parameters like pedestrian facilities, maintenance, crosswalks, aesthetics, path size, universal accessibility, shade, buffers etc (more to be added later) and is scored using 0-5 pts. The detailed study identifies and locates existing problems relevant to each division/subdivision individually.

By mid-September 2021, all the walkability parameters and the survey questionnaire will be finalized and the training manual for volunteers will be developed. Volunteers will be provided with maps of their respective subdivisions and trained to correctly observe each parameter and take reference pictures if need be. The data will be collected in the month of October after the training is complete. Volunteers will work in teams and a single division will be documented by 3 different volunteers after which an average of the scores will be generated. This average score is believed to best represent each parameter. Volunteer groups will be kept the same throughout each study level for consistency of scores. The database with scores should be generated at the end of October 2021 after which the Analysis phase of the Walkability Audit will commence.

Joyce Mast is working with Patricia Franke to refine the ECE energy displays to include the effect of local weather on the solar panels. F&S Utilities and Energy Services is connecting Joyce with the contact people at Hawkeye Energy Solutions, who incorporated real-time energy data in the ECE energy dashboard, using campus data provided by F&S.

EPA is pleased to launch its 10th annual Campus RainWorks Challenge (Links to an external site.), a green infrastructure design competition for American colleges and universities that seeks to engage with the next generation of environmental professionals and showcase the environmental, economic, and social benefits of green infrastructure practices. Stormwater pollution is a problem that impacts public health and water quality in communities across the country. The Campus RainWorks Challenge invites today’s students to become part of the solution.

To learn more about Campus RainWorks check out the official 2021 Campus RainWorks Challenge Competition Brief (Links to an external site.). The brief contains details on the challenge's design categories, submission requirements, and rules for participation.

Calendar

Registration: September 1 – October 1, 2021

Deadline for Entries: December 10, 2021

Winners Announced: Spring 2022

Please share this announcement with college students and faculty in your networks. If you have questions about the Campus RainWorks Challenge please direct them to RainWorks@epa.gov.

Please note that the Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS) meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 25th at 6:30 in the Channing Murray building parking lot. The address is 1209 W. Oregon Street. Disregard any previous date/time as it was incorrectly listed. 

Reservations are again being accepted for UI Ride, the convenient University of Illinois System shuttle service. This service connects the Urbana-Champaign and Chicago universities and the Discovery Partners Institute. For fall 2021, UI Ride makes two daily round trips, three days a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays). The comfortable 18-seat buses offer onboard Wi-Fi and work stations.

Reservations available for UI Ride shuttle service

Kirsten Ruby • Office for University Relations