Marquette University – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
http://www.marquette.edu/

Contact
Mike Whittow, Sustainability Officer, Marquette University, Office of Administration
707 Building, 422; Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881; 414-288-1463; michael.whittow@marquette.edu ; http://www.marquette.edu/sustainability/index.shtml

In the spring of 2008, Marquette University (MU) assembled an eight-member Sustainability Task Force to help encourage the implementation of more sustainable practices on campus. The members include the vice president of administration, the budget director, the vice president of student affairs, the MU Student Government president, a faculty member, the director of auxiliary services, the sustainability officer, and a dean. This group helps generate new initiatives and drives MU in a more sustainable direction. The task force currently has four working groups: recycling, natural resources and utilities, new buildings, and suppliers. These working groups help brainstorm topics and initiatives to advance sustainability at Marquette. Each task force is comprised of the sustainability officer, three faculty members, a Committee on Staff representative, Committee on Administrators representative, an administrative co-chair, a student co-chair, and any other students who wish to participate.

Two new construction projects and a residence hall renovation at Marquette University (MU) will seek LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and will take advantage of water efficiency and energy efficient technologies. Polluted storm water runoff is minimized at MU through the development and planting of a rain garden designed by engineering students in 2007. It was just recently replanted. A campus native tree policy for new landscaping is being developed that will reduce the need for irrigation water now required for exotic plants.

MU participates in the State of Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy Program, which deals with energy efficiency and renewable energy. MU has been very active in including energy efficiency into new building design and retrofits reducing electricity consumption and the MU carbon footprint. MU has upgraded to more energy efficient chillers to help cool and dehumidify air and to certain HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems, enabled power management setting by on computers, and purchased ENERGY STAR or EPEAT certified products. MU is switching from incandescent lighting to CFL (compact fluorescent light bulbs) lighting and LED (light emitting diode) lighting.

The policy at MU is to choose environmentally responsible materials for construction which includes locally sourced materials. MU has agreements with several suppliers which require them to take packaging waste with them and to dispose of it properly. The Purchasing Department also offers a furniture reuse program enabling second lives to most furniture on campus. Marquette has also recently partnered with OfficeMax to host an office supply swap where each department has the opportunity to trade excess supplies for other supplies they need. Students have also contributed through hosting an end-of-the-term yard sale helping reduce landfill waste even further.

Indoor environmental quality is especially relevant to MU’s new buildings and renovation projects. MU Facility Services Department uses Green Seal certified cleaning materials. MU’s new buildings are designed to take advantage of natural daylight and include low-emitting materials.

MU utilizes campus operations and grounds in experiential learning. For example, an ARSC 11 Concepts and Modern Science course engaged students to increase recycling on campus. The MU Biology Department and students are developing and will implement the native tree and landscaping policy. MU engineering students have formed a relationship with Milwaukee Area Technical College and are working together to build an electric L.I.M.O. shuttle for campus use. Other classes looked at greening MU’s Alumni Memorial Union and Real Estate classes take advantage of new construction and renovation projects. A Models of Sustainability graduate course also takes advantage of campus and other Milwaukee locations for hands-on experience.

Since devoting emphasis to sustainability and encouraging student involvement, MU students and especially student organizations, have shown an increased desire to work more closely with campus operations. They have been active in seeking out administrators to learn more about day-to-day operations. These operations have been discussed both in the classrooms, in the form of group projects, and outside, in the form of our working groups and general sustainability discussion. The University has many courses that have sustainability elements to them and this number will only continue to grow. MU makes the connection between the operation of the facility and Catholic social teaching through as part of its ongoing mission. Since 1881 MU, as a Catholic and Jesuit university, has been a proponent of the "mutually illuminating powers of human intelligence and Christian faith" and together for "the greater glory of God and the common benefit of the human community." MU introduces students to ways to help advance social welfare on campus, in its local community, and later the world. MU offers an Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Ethics.

MU tries as much as possible to include parents, alumni and the local community in its sustainability initiatives. MU is part of the Metro Milwaukee Green Council which is helping to drive sustainability in Milwaukee as well as engage Milwaukee companies in following similar paths. Our website offers a suggestion box which allows anyone to help spur sustainability at the university. Parents are encouraged to attend MU’s Living Green at Marquette orientation session as well as to contact the Sustainability Office at any time.

A campus-wide recycling program has been a part of the university since 1992. Currently, MU’s diversion rate is 19.3%. By switching to single stream recycling it is hoped MU can increase this rate to 30% by 2011 while engaging more students, faculty and staff.

Sodexo is their food service provider and they have done an excellent job in advancing sustainability on campus. During Earth Week, they ran a trayless pilot program and will see if it can be replicated campus-wide. Local food is purchased when available. Low-flow water sprayers are used, biodegradable silverware is offered for catering, 100% recycled content napkins are used, reusable china is used in dining halls, and reusable mugs are offered for sale to receive discounted refills.

Transportation-related emissions are reduced by providing each undergraduate student, through tuition, a U-PASS which gives them unlimited access to the Milwaukee County Transit System. Faculty and staff are offered an Easy Pass which offers public transportation discounts. The L.I.M.O. program provides free shuttles around campus during late hours and free transportation is offered to MU basketball games which are played off campus. Carpoolers are given preferred parking. Subsidized 24/7 car-sharing options are being considered for campus.

For more information about Marquette University and its sustainability initiatives, visit http://www.greenreportcard.org/report-card-2009/schools/marquette-university