Sustainability Initiatives for Student Activities (College OSA memo)

OM2407-0220
20 February 2024

Aligned with Ateneo de Manila University's commitment to prioritize Integral Ecology and its aspiration to become a Laudato Si University, alongside the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, the Office of Student Activities within the Undergraduate Higher Education sector is set to launch a new program titled

"Enabling Strategies for Sustainable Lifestyles in Student Activities and Organizations."

This initiative seeks to instill sustainable living practices among student organizations by embedding sustainability into their activities and events. The program will offer resources and assistance to student organizations in conceptualizing and executing sustainable initiatives. Additionally, it aims to educate students on the significance of sustainability and empower them to contribute positively to environmental preservation efforts.

The program is a 5 year sustainability development program divided into 5 phases.

Phase 1: Foundation Building (Year 1)
Phase 2: Initial Implementation of Sustainability Strategies (Year 2)
Phase 3: Pilot Implementation and Initial Assessment (Year 3)
Phase 4: Scaling Up (Year 4)
Phase 5: Evaluation and Sustainability (Year 5)
 

For Year 1 - Foundation Building, activities will include:

• Formation of Sustainability Audit Team, Development of Audit Criteria and Tools, Coordination with Student Organizations for Participation

• Sustainability Design Thinking Workshops for Student Organizations

• Identification of Sustainability Focal Preferences for the next school year

• Development of Ateneo Student Activities Sustainability Solidarity Statement

• Action Plan Formulation: Develop comprehensive action plans outlining specific objectives, activities, timelines, responsibilities, and resource requirements for implementing sustainability initiatives within student organizations.

Coordinating Core Team

In 2023, the Office of Student Activities of the Undergraduate Higher Education sent a select group of students to New Taipei City, Taiwan to represent the Ateneo at the 13th Global Leadership Program (GLP) for Jesuit Universities in East Asia, hosted by Fu Jen Catholic University. The GLP brought together students from Jesuit universities across Asia under the theme "Our Blue Planet - Ocean and Sustainability." The annual GLP is a transformative program that equips young leaders with the skills and competencies needed to address pressing societal challenges. OSA sent six students from Ateneo de Manila University. The team was mentored by OSA Director, Mr. Ralph Jacinto Quiblat.

The Office of Student Activities (OSA) has engaged the GLP Team 2023 to contribute to its Laudato Si’ initiatives, recognizing their extensive involvement in Sustainability Efforts through active participation in the GLP program. In alignment with their commitment to translating lessons and resolutions from the GLP into tangible actions and fulfilling the expectation of giving back to the Ateneo Community, the GLP 2023 Team will be the main Coordinating Team for Enabling Strategies for Sustainable Lifestyles in Student Activities and Student Organizations. This initiative fulfills the goals of Laudato Si’ Goal 4 (LS4) – Adopting Sustainable Lifestyles.

In this regard, I am enjoining all student groups and organizations to participate in the following activities:

A. Sustainability Design Thinking Workshops

1. The workshops will run from February 26 - March 12.

2. This is a 1 hour session aimed at:

   • equipping student organizations with the tools and mindset of design thinking to address sustainability challenges within their organizations;

   • Identify gaps in the current sustainability efforts of each organization;

   • Design actionable sustainability strategies tailored to the identified gaps for implementation within the respective organizations.

3. Please nominate 5 members of your respective organizations to sign up for the Sustainability Design Thinking Workshops.

4.  Please sign up here: (bit.ly/GLP23_SDTW)

B. EcoEngage: Empowering Ateneans for Sustainable Lifestyles

1. All these workshops will culminate with EcoEngage: Empowering Ateneans for Sustainable Lifestyles – this is a 2 hour conference aimed at:

   • To promote sustainable living practices among students and student activities in student organizations;

   • To educate students about the importance of integrating sustainability in their activities and aid them in creating strategies that will have a direct positive impact on the environment;

   • To provide resources and support for student organizations to plan and implement sustainable initiatives.

2. Participants of this conference will be the representatives who attended the Sustainability Design Thinking Workshops

3. This will be on 15 March 2024, 500pm - 700pm at the CTC 413.

In preparation for the upcoming workshops, please follow this link for the Sustainability Audit Sensing Survey. The data from this survey will be reported back to the student organizations. Please access the survey here (bit.ly/OSAGLPSustainabilitySurvey2324).

As we embark on this journey towards sustainability, let us remember the profound impact we can collectively make through our actions. The Enabling Strategies for Sustainable Lifestyles in Student Activities and Organizations program stands as a testament to our commitment to fostering a culture of sustainability within our community. I urge each of you to embrace this opportunity to contribute to a greener, more resilient future. Together, let us take meaningful steps towards realizing our shared vision of a Laudato Si University.

I extend my gratitude to the Global Leadership Program (GLP) Team 2023 for their invaluable contributions and dedication to sustainability. Their engagement exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and service to our community.

I urge all student groups and organizations to actively participate in the upcoming Sustainability Design Thinking Workshops and EcoEngage conference. Let us seize this opportunity to cultivate a culture of sustainability within our campus and beyond.

Thank you for your commitment to creating a more sustainable future for Ateneo de Manila University and our planet.