What We Do - Departments

Encouraging responsible stewardship of our resources on and off campus.

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Business Services

• admin.mnsu.edu/business-services
• Direct Deposit of Student Payroll Checks (99.5%)
• Paperless Student Tax Documents (Tax Form 1098-T Tuition Statement and Tax Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement) via Student e-Services
• Recycling/Shredding
• Email correspondence vs paper
• Web accounting vs Minnesota State printed reports
• 90% Energy Efficient PSU computers
• Printers - power save/sleep modes
• Recycle toners

Campus Computer Store

• Sell Apple Computers - Environment
• Sell Dell Optiplex - efficient PSU

Campus Hub/Student Financial Services

• mnsu.edu/campushub
• Direct Deposit of Financial Aid Overages vs printed checks
• Recycling/Shredding
• Email correspondence vs paper
• 90% Energy Efficient PSU computers
• Printers - power save/sleep modes
• Recycle Toners

Centennial Student Union

• csu.mnsu.edu
• Elkay Water Bottle Refill Stations
• Ballroom Renovation - March - October 2011
  • Low VOC Paint and Sealants
  • LED Lighting
  • Reuse of Existing Woods and Hardware
  • Reduced HVAC Loads
  • Poster Signs (PDF)

Facilities Management

• admin.mnsu.edu/facilities-management
• Elkay Water Bottle Refill Stations
• GESP
• Plug-in Vehicle station
• Solar Panels on Bus Shelters
• Lighting
  • Fluorescent T8 electronic ballast
    • Campus-wide retrofit 1994-1998
    • Lighting levels adjusted to Illumination Engineering Standards
  • LED Exit signs - from as much as 40W to 5W (on 24/7)
  • Occupancy Sensors
    • Hallways
    • Bathrooms
    • Classrooms
  • Daylight Sensors
  • Some digital lighting controls
• Windows
  • Replace with Low-E where possible
  • UV Film (Wigley Administration)
  • Natural lighting (Ford Hall)
• HVAC
  • Direct Digital Controls
  • Fan Scheduling
  • Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems with Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) on fan motors
  • High efficiency motors (part of Minnesota Energy Code)
  • CO2 Sensor for outdoor air settings in selected zones
  • Pool heat recovery unit
• Water Conservation
  • Reduced flow fixtures - selected buildings
  • Computer controlled irrigation - Evapotranspiration (temp, wind, solar, rainfall)
• Ford Hall examples – construction techniques
  • Article - Helping environment, saving money
  • Buildings, Benchmarks & Beyond Project
  • Waste material produced
• Preska Residence Hall
• Clinical Science Building
• University Dining Hall
• Windows, natural lighting, etc.
• Hazard Waste Management
• Recycling of old computers and equipment
• E-85 Vehicles
• State-Car replacement cycles
• Electric Vehicles
• Waste Stream Management (PDF)
• Recycling
• Campus Beautification
  • Carefully selected blend of more sustainable, less water consumptive perennials will replace a portion of the shorter-lived, water and labor intensive annuals.  The blooming period will be extended and water will be conserved through this initiative.
  • Old growth will be composted and returned to the earth to help fertilize future plantings.
• Earth Day
• Gardens
• Bike Racks

Information & Technology Services

• mnsu.edu/it-solutions
• Virtual Servers (less equipment, power, heat)
• Computer replacement cycles
• All-in-one machines (labs)
• Toner usage
• Printers startup/sleep times
• Duplex printing
• Display replacements cycle
• LCD & LED Displays
• Electric delivery vehicles

Intercollegiate Athletics

• Converted its pool to a sphagnum moss prefiltration system, <cwsnaturally.com> reducing chlorine use by up to 2/3rds

Memorial Library

• lib.mnsu.edu
• Revolving Doors
• Elkay Water Bottle Refill Stations

Parking & Transporation Services

• mnsu.edu/parking
• Bike Racks
• Buses and Shuttles

Printing Services - Copy Shoppes

• mnsu.edu/printing-services
• Recycling - We recycle all of our toner/drums/waste containers through the Xerox Green World Alliance
• Green Paper - 50% less tree utilization, less processing of
• Solid ink printing - about a dozen multi-function devices that use solid ink and produce very little waste. 
• Promote the use of MFP (Multi-function printers) to save electricity (copier/printer/fax/scanner)  One device drawing power, rather than four. 
• Computer to plate - no longer use any chemicals.

Residential Life

• mnsu.edu/reslife
• New Residence Hall - 2010, Low-flow toilets
• Recycling - Recycling efforts include aluminum cans, tin cans, plastic, cardboard, glass, and paper (all types). Recycling containers are located throughout the resident communities.
• Residential Life is Living Green!
• Dumpster Diversion Program - The Dumpster Diversion Program collects useful items you would otherwise throw away and diverts them to area thrift stores so they can be used by others. This popular program is a joint venture of the Department of Residential Life and several non-profits including Habitat for Humanity ReStore and MVAC Again Thrift & More Store. Last week of school in May.
• New University Dining Hall officially christened at ceremony (02.07.2017) MSU Reporter
  • The building’s sustainability features, which include composting, LED lighting, daylight harvesting, heat reclaiming systems, variable speed fans and overhead hoods, and the reusing of gray water. She highlighted food waste and composting as one of the areas where the new building has already seen vast improvements in just the first month of operation.
  • “Last year, the old resident dining operation produced 26 bags of trash each day. Big bags of trash, the stuff that would go into the dumpster,” she said. “This university dining center has reduced that daily stream to two bags of trash, plus two bins of pulp organic materials that will get composted.”
  • https://mnsu.sodexomyway.com/explore/sustainability

Security

• mnsu.edu/security
• Walking Patrols
• Electric Vehicle Patrol

Student Financial Services

• mnsu.edu/campushub
• Direct Deposit of Financial Aid (82.8%) (reduction of paper and toner usage)
• Online Response Forms
• Email communication vs paper letters
• Online FAFSA applications

University Dining

• Composting
• Cutting waste Sodexo helps MSU become more environmentally conscious (MSU Reporter 12.01.2010)
• Spring 2010 - Trayless Tuesdays
• Replaced Styrofoam containers with compostable papers in Retail Areas in the Centennial Student Union, Wissink Hall and Myers Field Market Place.
• An eco-friendly option for the CSU (MSU Reporter 12.01.2009)
• Making a Difference - Once Cup at a Time (MSU Reporter 1.28.2010)
• Sustainability
• Stopwastingfood.org
• Ecotainers
• Reusable Mugs