You are here

Projects Updates for Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

Search tips:
  • This form will search for words in the title OR the description. If you would like to search for the same term(s) across both the title and description, enter the same search term(s) in both fields.
  • This form will search for any of the words you enter in a field, not the exact phrase you enter. If you would like to search for an exact phrase, put double quotes (") around the phrase. For example, if you search for Bike Path you will get results containing either the word Bike OR the word Path, but if you search for "Bike Path" you will get results containing the exact phrase Bike Path.

Pages

  1. Zero Waste Event at State Farm Center

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    RecycleMania
    Zero Waste Gameday Challenge Spring 2014
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    “Zero Waste” is a common term that refers to the desired outcome rather than any expectation. The goal of the Zero Waste Event at State Farm Center as stated to the SSC was to change to the habits of fans, starting with a single basketball game as part of the national Recyclemania competition. The desired outcome is for the State Farm Center to move from a single bin system to dual bin system. The new system will be accompanied with new signage for clarification.

    Attached Files: 

  2. Sustainable Agriculture Food System Tomato Processing

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Agricultural Food System
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Attached Files: 

  3. Composites in Aviation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Reduce Emissions from Transportation
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Student Aircraft Builders (SAB) is an organization dedicated to teaching students from all across campus how to work together as a team to successfully construct a flyable airplane. The goal of the Composites in Aviation project has two phases. The first phase constructs a quarter scale glider powered by alternative energy. The second phase graduates from a model to a full-sized glider. Through the use of composite materials and an innovate design from an aerospace engineer, the finished glider will exemplify the future of more fuel-efficient long-range flight.

    Attached Files: 

  4. Archived web info - CSE SSC page

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Student Sustainability Committee

    SSC Chair, Suhail Barot

    The Student Sustainability Committee'spurpose is to:

    1) explore the options for the use of the student fees for sustainability and alternative energy generation, and 2) evaluate the feasibility of projects being discussed with the professional assistance of engineers in the Division of Facilities and Services. The committee reviews and recommends projects to be funded from two student fees, the $14.00 Sustainable Campus Environment fee and the $2.00 Cleaner Energy Technologies fee.

    In Spring 2003, a $2.00 per semester non-refundable student fee for Cleaner Energy Technologies was approved by a student referendum. The intent of the fee is to "provide pollution-free renewable energy as a portion of the campus energy portfolio and reduce campus energy consumption." In Spring 2010, students passed a referendum that raised the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee from $5 to $14. The measure passed by 77% approval, and established University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as having the largest funding pool of its kind in the United States. The Student Sustainability Committee, is a joint student, faculty and staff committee, though students are the only voting members on the Committee.

    The projects approved by the Student Sustainability Committee undergo approval by the Office of Sustainability.

    To become a member of the Student Sustainability Committee, visit the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs website for application information and application deadlines.


    Student Sustainability Committee Members

    Students - 2012-2013
    Kathryn Kinley - (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
    Marika Nell - (Civil and Environmental Engineering) - Treasurer
    Suharsh Sivakumar - (Computer Science)
    Emily Cross - (Earth Systems, Society and Environment)
    Olivia Webb - (Agricultural and Biological Engineering)
    Jordan Jessop - (Graduate Student, Natural Resources and Environmental Science)
    Marcus Ricce - (Graduate Student, Urban and Regional Planning)
    Felicia Speranske - (Natural Resouces and Environmental Science)
    Sean Sullivan - (Earth Systems, Society, and Environment)
    Teresa Tousignant - (Graduate Student, Architecture) 

    Faculty Advisors - 2012-2013
    Brenda Coble Lindsey- Social Work
    Brian Deal- Urban and Regional Planning
    Praveen Kumar- Civil and Environmental Engineering
    Robert Pahre- Political Science
    Madhu Viswanathan- Business
    Michelle Wander- Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences

    Staff Advisors - 2012-2013
    Stephanie Lage- Office of Sustainability
    Betsy Jo Liggett- Environmental Compliance, Facilities and Services
    Morgan Johnston- Sustainability Coordinator, Facilities and Services
    John Prince- Deferred Maintenance, Facilities and Services
    Ed Slazinik- Illini Union

    Program Advisor
    Mckenzie Beverage – Student Programs and Activities

     

    ssc_logo.png

  5. notes from SSLC presentation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    • Structure
      • 10 students, 6 faculty, 6 staff
      • $1.1 million to distribute among student and faculty projects
        • Cleaner Energy Technologies fee
        • Sustainable Campus Environment fee
      • 4 Subcommittees
        • Executive
        •  Bylaws
        • Fines
        • Marketing
      • 6 topics – include more community input
        • Land
        • Energy
        • Food and waste
        • Education
        • Water
        • Transportation
    • Strategic Impact
      • ICAP concerns  - fund projects that help UIUC reach ICAP goals
      • Projects that have no other method of funding.
    • Process
      • Step 1: ideas get turned into specific requests and goals, submitted to SSC in application with project abstract and approximate funding needed.
      • Applications are reviewed and selected based on strategic impact goals, get invited to step 2…
      • Step 2: Specific logistics figured out, feasibility reports made
      • Step 3: Entire SSC votes
    • SSC allocations
    • Future goals
      • More student engagement
      • Expand outreach efforts
      • Get more student-driven project applications
    • Some projects/organizations SSC has funded…
      • Green Observer
      • Bike Shop
      • Solar decathlon house

  7. Working Group kickoff meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The SSC Working Group kickoff meeting we held today.  All the working group chairs gave a quick overview of the project types they handle. The chair gave an overview of the process and the workload for the working groups.  

    The individual working groups met at various tables and discussed their plans for the year.

  8. Positions determined for FY14

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Working Group Formation and Chair Selection

    a.       Energy

    Chair: Jessica DeWitt

    b.       Water

    Chair: Amy Liu

    c.        Food/Waste

    Chair: Maria Jones

    d.       Land

    Chair: Amy Liu

    e.       Transportation

    Chair: Katie Kinley

    f.        Education

    Chair: Nishant Makhijani

     Subcommittee Formation and Chair Selection

    a.       Executive

    Chair: Marika

    b.       Finance

    Chair: Katie

    c.        Bylaws

    Chair: Nishant

    d.       Marketing

    Chair: Marlon

  9. Solar Farm Funding Award and Acceptance Letter

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The 5.87 megawatt (MW) Solar Farm will increase the generation of renewable energy on campus and help meet goals outlined in the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP). The Solar Farm will produce an estimated 7.86 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) the first year or approximately 2% of the electrical demand for the Urbana campus based upon usage projections for fiscal year 2015.

    Attached Files: 

  10. Perennial Polyculture Production_Funding Award and Acceptance

    Associated Project(s): 
    Woody Perennial Polyculture (WPP) Research Site
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Attached Files: 

  11. TBH Lighting Controls_Funding Award and Acceptance

    Associated Project(s): 
    TBH Lighting Project
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    $62,900 was awarded to instill occupancy sensors and lighting timers in various locations within Temple Buell Hall. This was intended to encourage awareness of energy use among design students and faculty, and to reduce lighting and cooling energy use in the building.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Sustainable Agricultural Food System_Funding Award and Acceptance

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Agricultural Food System
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Attached Files: 

  14. Orchard Downs Sustainable Landscape_Funding Award and Acceptance

    Associated Project(s): 
    Orchard Downs Multifunctional Landscape (ODMFL) [ARCHIVED]
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Attached Files: 

  16. Medicine Take-Back Program_Funding Award and Acceptance

    Associated Project(s): 
    Medicine Take-Back Program [ARCHIVED]
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Background: Pharmaceutical chemicals have been documented in rivers, lakes, groundwater, soil, and treated drinking water across the country. Despite occurring at very low levels, the chemicals are known to cause changes in behavior, reproduction, and growth in fish, frogs, mussels, and other aquatic wildlife. Unused medications stored in the home may also be sources for drug misuse and abuse.

    Goal: To help tackle these environmental and social issues, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) is working to establish a medicine collection program for the University of Illinois Campus and the C-U community that would properly dispose of expired or unused medications via EPA-recommended incineration.

    Attached Files: 

  19. Educating Future Leaders_Funding Award and Acceptance

    Associated Project(s): 
    Teaching Sustainability Workshop aka Prairie Project [ARCHIVED]
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    This is a two-part project. Part 1 is the development of a K-12 sustainability education online resource, probably in the form of a website. There are many existing online educational resources for teaching about sustainability in K-12 education, but they are scattered and some of the information is poor quality and some is difficult to find. Part 2 is a proposal for funding “new” course development and delivery. The course would cover both content information related to sustainability and methods for teaching it. Students would complete a major project that could involve either K-12 education or on-campus UI student education.

    Attached Files: 

  20. Don't ditch Diesel Yet

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI)
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    When most people think about clean energy, many just think wind and solar. However, the truth is that with the rapid increase in technology and innovation within the last few decades, the possibilities for renewable energy have increased exponentially. Biodiesel, for instance, is one that many people are not familiar with but should be because it is leading the way in clean fuel production. Biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement that can be made from a diverse mix of feedstocks including recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, and animal fats.


    In addition to the club, the team working on this project found that an education component would be very beneficial to spreading their overarching goals of sustainability across the campus. Because of that, they created a class that students from all disciplines can take and piloted it this semester. The objective of the class competent is to educate students on the project and hopefully increase student and campus involvement in sustainability. I had the opportunity to check out the class earlier this week. I got to see the entire progress that the oil goes through first hand, and it was incredible. The SSC plans to follow up again after they are moved into their permanent location so stay tuned for further progress and innovation updates.UIUC is participating in the development and expansion of biodiesel in many ways. On campus, there is a registered student organization dedicated to it called The Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI). Their primary mission is to produce biodiesel and soap from waste vegetable oil (WVO) collected from campus dining halls in an effort to reduce emissions and promote sustainability on campus. The Student Sustainability Committee initially voted to fund the Illinois Biodiesel Initiative during its 2012-13 funding cycle; however, due IBI being forced out of their old site at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, SSC funding was put on hold. While they wait for their permanent site in the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory, IBI is currently running scaled-down production in a space in Roger Adams Laboratory.

    In the meantime, aside from the class, there are several other opportunities to get involved with the initiative and in the club. Students can join any of the four subgroups which include production/testing, Soap (production or research), Finance, and Special Projects. They are always looking for new members from all grade levels.

    Attached Files: 

Pages