Santa Clara University

A new guide is available to help faculty and staff identify materials that can (and cannot) be recycled in SCU offices. Categories include paper, corrugated cardboard, beverage containers, scrap metal, electronic waste, batteries, and ink cartridges.

SCU Faculty Question: “I've been mailing used batteries to Facilities for recycling, but this hasn't been widely publicized - today my departmental AA didn't know about the possibility. Assuming that this practice is still OK, maybe it could be included in a future newsletter?"

Sustainability at SCU Answer: Great suggestion! It's illegal to throw away batteries, ink cartridges, and e-waste (anything that has an electric cord or requires batteries). Batteries and ink cartridges consumed on campus can be easily recycled: drop them in an intercampus envelope addressed to Facilities. E-waste should be set on the ground, next to your building's large waste container. Contact Facilities (x4742) to request a pick-up for large quantities and/or bulky items.

Staff members in Human Resources have been making great strides to reduce their use of energy, conserve resources, and educate others about sustainability. Staff members recently worked together to develop a Human Resources Sustainability Plan to contribute to SCU’s transformation to a more sustainable institution. Here is a small sample of action items HR staff members have agreed to do:

• Introduce sustainability in New Employee Orientations
  New employees will be given a reusable water bottle and information about easy things they can do to contribute to a more sustainable SCU.
• Turn off lights, computers, and printers when not needed
  Staff members now make sure to turn off power sources when they do not need them and when they are out of the office.
• Explore ways to increase SCU community's use of public transportation
  A free Monthly Flash Pass valid on VTA Bus and Light Rail Service is now given to new SCU employees through VTA's Welcome Aboard Pass program. Hopefully, new employees will establish a habit of using public transportation to get to work and take advantage of HR's reduced rate passes after their first month at SCU.
• Promote direct deposit as a sustainable practice
  HR dramatically decreased costs and paper usage by switching to online e-advices on ecampus for direct deposit pay checks. As more SCU employees switch to direct deposit, more paper, printing costs and labor will be saved.

For more information about Human Resources, visit their website: http://www.scu.edu/hr

Student Records and MBA Admissions recently teamed up to reduce the amount of waste they produce. MBA staff's process was to create a file folder for each applicant. Once the applicant was admitted, his or her information was sent over to Student Records where a new file folder was created according to their filing system - therefore resulting in two files for each applicant. During a conversation with the MBA office, Assistant Registrar of Student Records Carol Bonney suggested making a change. Student Records now sends folders to MBA Admissions according to Student Records’ filing system and as a result, each applicant’s information remains in the same folder throughout the admissions process. This new system saves an average of 1,000 file folders and 1,000 colored labels each year! Student Records is working on developing this procedure with other departments as well.

For more information about Student Records, visit their website: http://www.scu.edu/studentrecords