Gustavus included in Princeton Review’s new Guide to 286 Green Colleges:

A description of Gustavus contained within the Guide to 286 Green Colleges:

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE
800 WEST COLLEGE AVENUE, SAINT PETER, MN 56082 • ADMISSIONS: 507-933-7676
FAX: 507-933-7474 • FINANCIAL AID: 507-933-7527 • E-MAIL: ADMISSION@GUSTAVUS.EDU
WEBSITE: WWW.GUSTAVUS.EDU

Green Highlights

Gustavus Adolphus College cites justice as one of its core values, and it has prompted the community of “Gusties” on campus to take their roles as environmental stewards seriously. An ACUPCC signatory, the college is home to the Linnaeus Arboretum, a stunning example of Minnesota’s natural history featuring three major ecosystems and over $320 million worth of vegetation. The Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation was opened in August 2008, to “lead greater campus and community sustainability.” Plans are in place for the Johnson Center to work with the Kitchen Cabinet, a new campus committee, on issues such as waste generated from to-go containers in campus dining areas and purchasing more locally-grown and organic food. Also new to campus are two electric utility vehicles for on-campus use. There is a strong institutional commitment to recycling (Gustavus has an 88 percent waste diversion rate) as well as energy conservation, and students have helped organize Gustavus’ participation in the Campus Energy Wars challenge, a competition between 14 Minnesota colleges and universities to determine which school can conserve the most energy in a month. The college is on a waiting list to purchase two 2.5 megawatt turbines which would allow Gustavus to harness renewable wind energy, thereby decreasing its reliance on nonrenewable energy sources and saving it an estimated $600,000 in energy costs per year. With strong programs in Environmental Studies and Biology, the college ensures that formal training in sustainability is readily available to students.

Green Facts

% food budget spent on local/organic food 50
School has formal sustainability committee Yes
Environmental studies degree available Yes
Environmental literacy requirement No
Public GHG inventory plan Yes
% of school energy from renewable resources 2
School employs a sustainability officer Yes
School provides guidance on green jobs No
% school cleaning products that are green-certified 50

Student Body

Total undergrad enrollment 2,515
# of applicants 3,128
% of applicants accepted 75
Average HS GPA 3.64
Range SAT Math 580-690

Cost

Annual tuition $29,990
Required fees $140
Room and board $7,460
% of students receiving need-based
scholarship or grant aid 65