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About SSI

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SSI General Information Brochure (*.PDF)

Our Mission

We support student efforts to create a sustainable community at OSU through action, education, and opportunity.

Our objectives

• Reduce the ecological footprint of the OSU community.
• Connect students' innovation and energy with the resources and skills need for them to succeed.
  
• Identify and help implement best practices through collaboration and research with OSU and the greater community.
• Manage student funds responsibly.
• Diversify and integrate with the OSU sustainability community.
• Model a transition toward sustainable practices through renovations on the Student Sustainability Center

We implement these objectives through:

• Volunteer opportunities
• Project leadership opportunities
  
• Community building events
• Experiential learning
• Strategic investments
• Grassroots organizing training
• Relationships with faculty, staff, and administration

At the SSI we work to comply with our mission statement through the financing of internships, grants, activities, projects, and work parties.

The SSI has helped fund:

• Interns on the restoration of Oak Creek
• The renovation of the Student Sustainability Center
• The Green Roof Project
• Composting on campus
• Energy efficiency studies
• Implementing occupancy sensors for lights
• Permaculture learning garden
• Sustainable food projects
• Green roof on Kelly Engineering Center
• Corvallis/OSU Bicycle Coop

In addition, SSI staff are providing support for these student projects:

• Endowment Transparency
• Energy Conservation Outreach Society (ECOS)
• OSU Permaculture Alliance
• Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)
• Corvallis Bicycle Co-op
• Sustain your Residence Hall
  
• Environmental citizenship Bac Core Requirement

See our Current Projects section for more information on these groups and activities.

 

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History

During April 2003 student Justin Fleming submitted a proposal decision package to the Student Incidental Fees Committee (SIFC), with intentions of greatly advancing recycling and waste reduction efforts at OSU. After considerable debate in both the Graduate and Undergraduate Senates, the fee proposal went to mediation, where it was eventually approved at $1.85 per student, per term. In February 2006 Justin developed a student advisory board to help manage both the budget and the growing list of sustainability related projects. The newly named Student Sustainability Initiative (SSI) is currently working with Justin on several projects developed to reduce the ecological footprint of OSU and advance sustainability awareness. In April 2007 Oregon State students voted to increase student fees by $8.50 per student per term to fund 100% renewable energy for the university. SSI will be the group in charge of overseeing the offsets as part of our larger budget.

Contact Us

Email the Program Facilitator or another staff person here.

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Last Updated 7.8.09