Office of Sustainability

The Service Learning Program team tours the UO Power Plant. Photo: Steve Mital

Student Sustainability Fund (SSF)

The Student Sustainability Fund (SSF) is an approximately $36,000 annual student fund used to support student-initiated campus sustainability projects. The VP of Student Affairs ultimately makes the final decision on disbursment of SSF monies, under the advisement of the Student Sustainability Advisory Committee (SSAC).  The funds come from a $0.60 per student per term energy fee, which was approved in 2005 by the student body during the ASUO student election and authorized by the University Administration. The fund is designed to buy wind energy for the EMU and support student projects recommended to the VP of Student Affairs by SSAC.  Staffing for the SSF is provided by the Office of Sustainability.

In funding student projects, the SSAC has five primary objectives it attempts to fulfill with SSF awards:

• Resource/Energy Conservation: Reduce resource and/or energy consumption on campus.
• Renewable Resource Development: Move the University of Oregon towards development and utilization of renewable energy and other resources.
• Emissions and Waste Reduction: Reduce various emissions generated by the campus, including greenhouse gases, other air pollutants, and solid and liquid wastes.
• Sustainable Transportation: Encourage more efficient modes of transportation, reduce reliance on private automobiles and fossil fuel-powered vehicles, and increase use of non-motorized transport options by campus community members.
• Campus Sustainability Education: Educate the campus community on sustainability related issues. These should be exciting, creative programs that celebrate the value of sustainability efforts on and around campus and encourage actions to further realize campus sustainability.