Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS)
The University is engaged in the Pilot Phase of a self-reporting program to gauge relative progress toward sustainability.  It is designed to:

-          Provide a guide for advancing sustainability in all sectors of higher education, from education and research to operations and administration.

-          Enable meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions by establishing a common standard of measurement for sustainability in higher education

-          Create incentives for continual improvement toward sustainability

-          Facilitate information sharing about higher education sustainability practices and performance

-          Build a stronger, more diverse campus sustainability community and promote a comprehensive understanding of sustainability that includes its social, economic and environmental dimensions

This fellowship proposal would involve:

-          Collecting data and working with numerous entities on and off campus to compile and assemble this data in a specified format.  Working with contractors, Architect, Engineers, all facets of the University, collaboration with other Universities working on the STARS program

-          Assist in analyzing data prior to submission of data

-          Assembling spread sheets on utility consumption for trending

-          Involved in research, analytical evaluating and coordinating

Contact Person:
Dave Kohler
Director Facilities Management
X7380
kohlerdl@plu.edu

As the University is moving toward reducing its environmental impact the Construction Management and Facilities Management groups in Finance and Operations (FIOPS) is working toward compiling specifications and standards to ensure we are providing the best possible building practices in construction and maintenance and repair.  This fellowship proposal would involve:

-          Working with Construction Management and Facilities Management to document material and equipment standards

-          Compile standards in a prescribed construction specification format that will be provided

-          Conduct research in equipment and materials and detailed information on all requirements

-          Contact suppliers and vendors on materials and equipment

o        Provide recommendations based on those items researched

o        Correlate these materials and equipment with LEED standards

-          If time permits identify local suppliers of materials and equipment specified

Long-term sustainability of the PLU Organic Community Garden is dependent upon integration into the PLU and Parkland community.  We propose a research fellowship around visibility of the garden, in order to increase awareness and involvement over a broader range of people. Fellowship work would be two-fold: conducting research through community-wide surveying and interviewing, and through research of other garden projects; and then developing a marketing strategy for stream-lining PR efforts.  It would be helpful if interested applicants have skills in public relations, marketing, and/or design, as well as an interest in environmental issues or sustainable agriculture. More information

Bike Co-op

ASPLU’s Outdoor Rec in collaboration with Residential Life will be incorporating a new Bike Co-Op program over the summer, to kick off in the fall. The Co-Op will be a hub for cycling promotion and support for the campus. It would rent out cycles to students, faculty, and staff as well as provide services for the upkeep of rented cycles. This fellowship proposal would involve working to collect bike, gear, and tool donations or other forms of support to get the program up and running. Bike maintenance experience is a must, as the fellow would work to prepare all donated bikes for rental in the fall. The fellow would also develop a business plan for the program, recruit and train volunteers, and establish the Co-op into the broader OR program. It would involve researching other universities and incorporating best practices into the Bike Co-Op program at PLU.

Contact Person:
Jeff Olsen Krengel
Director of Residential Programs
x7597
krengel@plu.edu
and
Brian Naasz
Chemistry Department
X8104
naaszbm@plu.edu

“Can the Can” Public Relations and Marketing Campaign

We propose a sustainability fellowship oriented around continuing the 2006 “Can the Can” campaign. This fellowship proposal challenges a student to come up with strategies for perpetuating the valuable awareness about recycling that was generated by the campaign. Specifically, the student would (1) Design and execute an office-by-office survey of participants and non-participants and (2) using the survey results, come up with a marketing/public relations strategy. This project is primarily a public relations, marketing and communications project, but it is based in an awareness of and commitment to the principles of sustainability and recycling. Applicants should be interested in public relations AND environmental issues. An academic background in both areas is desirable, but not required. More information.

Contact Persons:
Barb McConathy
Environmental Services, Facilities
X7385
mcconabj@plu.edu
and
Megan Haley
University Communications
X8691
haleymk@plu.edu
and
Susan Harmon
Business Department
X7253
harmonsk@plu.edu