UA hosts sustainability contest for campus
Students could win up to $15,000 in prizes
Bailey McBride
Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: News
Students who want their "go green" ideas heard now have an on-campus opportunity to do so - student teams can win up to $15,000 in prizes from the Students First Sustainability Competition for submitting the winning plan in the spring to make the university more sustainable.
Students will "form teams to develop practical innovations that will provide the UA campus with financial and energy savings, reduce the negative environmental impacts of campus activities, and develop policies and business plans that will improve UA's energy and environmental performance," according to the contest rules.
"I am very excited about the sustainability competition," said Jong Shin, vice president of Associated Student Government. "It puts the responsibility of sustainability on our campus in the hands of our students. The administration has been very proactive in promoting sustainability, but this gives us, the students, a chance to shape what sustainability will look like on our campus."
Students are encouraged to form teams that involve students from departments across campus, not just students all from the same department. Though faculty cannot participate as team members, they can advise students and provide critique as students develop proposals. Teams must have two to eight members.
"The University of Arkansas is rapidly moving to the forefront of sustainability in higher education," said Nick Brown, the UA campus executive assistant for sustainability, according to the press release. "The Students First Sustainability Competition will engage students in our sustainability efforts; harvest their knowledge about energy conservation, water conservation, recycling and pollution prevention; and reveal ways that we can save money on campus utility bills."
The competition, according to the press release, is focused on "challenging students to devise innovations to address the environmental and energy problems of the 21st century by greatly reducing their campus' negative environmental impacts, especially our carbon footprint."
Students will "form teams to develop practical innovations that will provide the UA campus with financial and energy savings, reduce the negative environmental impacts of campus activities, and develop policies and business plans that will improve UA's energy and environmental performance," according to the contest rules.
"I am very excited about the sustainability competition," said Jong Shin, vice president of Associated Student Government. "It puts the responsibility of sustainability on our campus in the hands of our students. The administration has been very proactive in promoting sustainability, but this gives us, the students, a chance to shape what sustainability will look like on our campus."
Students are encouraged to form teams that involve students from departments across campus, not just students all from the same department. Though faculty cannot participate as team members, they can advise students and provide critique as students develop proposals. Teams must have two to eight members.
"The University of Arkansas is rapidly moving to the forefront of sustainability in higher education," said Nick Brown, the UA campus executive assistant for sustainability, according to the press release. "The Students First Sustainability Competition will engage students in our sustainability efforts; harvest their knowledge about energy conservation, water conservation, recycling and pollution prevention; and reveal ways that we can save money on campus utility bills."
The competition, according to the press release, is focused on "challenging students to devise innovations to address the environmental and energy problems of the 21st century by greatly reducing their campus' negative environmental impacts, especially our carbon footprint."
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