Editing American University (section)

==Campus life==
AU has over 150 recognized organizations on campus, ranging from political to social.

American has a Model United Nations team, ranked 1st in North America since the 2021–2022 academic year.<ref>{{Cite news |title=2021-2022 North American College Model U.N. Final Rankings (World Division) - Best Delegate Model United Nations |language=en-US |work=Best Delegate Model United Nations |url=https://bestdelegate.com/2021-2022-north-american-college-model-u-n-final-rankings-world-division/ |access-date=October 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lawrence |first=Toni |date=2024-05-31 |title=2023-2024 North American College Model U.N. Final Rankings (World Division) |url=https://bestdelegate.com/2023-2024-north-american-college-model-u-n-final-rankings-world-division/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Best Delegate Model United Nations |language=en-US}}</ref> The team competes actively at intercollegiate tournaments, and also hosts "AmeriMUNC" (American Model United Nations Conference) a yearly High School Model UN competition on campus.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fall 2018 North American College Model UN Rankings and Recognition |url=https://bestdelegate.com/fall-2018-north-american-college-model-un-rankings-and-recognition/ |website=bestdelegate.com |date=December 18, 2018 |publisher=Best Delegate |access-date=March 6, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=AmeriMUNC|url=https://www.amerimunc.com/amerimunc|access-date=August 20, 2020|website=AmeriMUNC VIII|language=en-US}}</ref>

American University Student Government (AUSG) is the governing body of the student population and has been ranked as the most active student government in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American University ranks No. 1 for most politically active students |url=https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2018/08/american-university-ranks-number-1-for-most-politically-active-students |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=The Eagle |language=en}}</ref> It comprises the Undergraduate Senate and the Executive Branch. AUSG promotes advocacy and launches initiatives on campus supported by the student body.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American University Student Government |url=https://www.ausg.org/ |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=American University Student Government |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Colleges with Most Active Student Governments {{!}} The Princeton Review |url=https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=most-active-student-government |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=www.princetonreview.com |language=en}}</ref>

AU has eight student-run university-recognized media organizations, including ''The Eagle'' newspaper, radio station [[WAMU#WVAU|WVAU]], the Second District Records record label, the American Literary Magazine (AmLit), and several magazines. These media organizations are governed by a Student Media Board and are funded through the university's undergraduate student activity fee.<ref>{{cite web|title=Student Media|url=http://www.american.edu/ocl/activities/Student-Media.cfm|publisher=American University|access-date=October 6, 2011}}</ref>

The university also owns [[National Public Radio]]'s flagship capital affiliate, [[WAMU]], which has been a source of nationally and internationally distributed programming such as ''[[The Diane Rehm Show]]'' and ''[[1A (radio program)|1A]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WAMU &#124; American University Radio |url=https://wamu.org/ |website=WAMU}}</ref>

===Religious life===
While AU is affiliated with the [[United Methodist Church]] and hosts the AU United Methodist Community,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aumethodists.org/about/ |title=AU United Methodist Community: About Us |publisher=AU United Methodist Chaplaincy |access-date=June 13, 2013 |archive-date=April 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426082606/http://www.aumethodists.org/about/ }}</ref> AU has a variety of other religious life groups, including Catholic,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://aucatholicdc.org |title=Home |website=aucatholicdc.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008090213/https://aucatholicdc.org/ |archive-date=October 8, 2019}}</ref> Chabad Lubavitch of the AU Community,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chabadau.com/about|title=About Us|last1=Hecht|first1=Yehoshua|last2=Hecht|first2=Esti|website=ChabadAU.org|access-date=February 15, 2018}}</ref> American University Hillel,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://au.hillel.org/about-us|title=About Us|website=AU.Hillel.org|access-date=February 15, 2018|archive-date=February 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216025934/http://au.hillel.org/about-us}}</ref> and the Jewish Student Association.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sites.google.com/a/student.american.edu/au-jewish-student-association/about-jsa |title=About JSA |publisher=American University Jewish Student Association |access-date=June 13, 2013}}</ref>

===Greek life===
American University has a Panhellenic Association (PHA), Interfraternity Council (IFC), [[National Pan-Hellenic Council]] (NPHC), and Multicultural Greek Council (MGC).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cCcJOX27Qpii2UQlKxJ8PYl27iHCtyMF1C5t0jD33xU/edit#gid=1069094639|title=FSL Chapter Conduct Status.xlsx|website=Google Docs|access-date=February 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-jvHsgyK_cUyQd_4o6tXLqAz9MlicL4rrb7cgq2BGto/edit#gid=0|title=Fraternity and Sorority Life - Fall 2017|website=Google Docs|access-date=February 15, 2018}}</ref> There are also several independent organizations.

===Sustainability===
An environmental science class at American conducted a study from February to April 2009 to measure the amount of [[food waste]] avoided by eliminating trays from one of the college's dining halls. The class found that trayless dinners resulted in 47.1% less solid waste than dinners during which trays were used, spurring a student-driven campaign to go trayless across campus.<ref name="News Release">{{cite web| title =News Release: American University Environmental Science Department Finds Cafeteria Waste Reduction in Trayless Study| publisher =American University Department of Environmental Science
| url =http://academic3.american.edu/~hayesd7/AU_Food_Waste_Research_Press_Release.htm | access-date = June 8, 2009 }}</ref>

In 2011, the [[Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education]] (AASHE) awarded American University a gold rating, the highest possible, on their STARS scale for sustainability. Since then, American University has earned five consecutive gold ratings, the most recent in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=American University {{!}} Institutions {{!}} STARS Reports|url=https://reports.aashe.org/institutions/american-university-dc/report/|access-date=September 1, 2020|language=en-US}}</ref>

Also in 2011, American University's School of International Service building earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for its 70,000 square foot building renowned for sustainable design and "cradle-to-cradle" philosophy.<ref>[https://stars.aashe.org/institutions/american-university-dc/report/2011-01-31/ American University | Scorecard | Institutions | AASHE STARS]. Stars.aashe.org (January 31, 2011). Retrieved on November 22, 2011.</ref>

In 2014, American University ranked #2 in the [[Sierra Club]]'s list of the 'Top 10 Greenest Colleges'.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andrews|first1=Avital|title=America's Greenest Colleges: The Top 10 |date=July 25, 2014|url=http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/slideshow/top-ten-coolest-schools-2014|publisher=Sierra Club|access-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref>

In 2014, the university announced an ambitious project to build a solar farm in partnership with George Washington University.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Fall 2014 Board of Trustees Meeting -- Sustainability & Fossil Free Discussion and Decision |date=November 21, 2014 |publisher=American University |url=https://www.american.edu/trustees/November-21-2014.cfm |last1=Sine |first1=Jeffrey A. |access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> {{as of|2016|January}}, the completed solar farm provides an equivalent of 50% of the university's electricity.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.american.edu/media/news/20160328-Solar-Energy-Half-AU-Power.cfm |title=American University Achieves Energy Milestone: Solar Energy Now Comprises Half of AU's Power |last=Alexander |first=Kelly |date=March 28, 2016 |website=American University |access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref>

In 2018, American University became the first university in the United States to achieve carbon-neutral status.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carbon-neutrality-is-now-reality-at-american-university-300636317.html |title=Carbon Neutrality is Now Reality at American University |publisher=American University |via=PR Newswire |access-date=April 25, 2018}}</ref> In 2020, AU announced that it had eliminated all public fossil fuel investments from its endowment.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 22, 2020|title=American University Eliminates All Public Fossil Fuel Investments from Its Endowment|url=https://www.american.edu/media/news/20200422-divestment.cfm|access-date=September 1, 2020|website=American University|language=en}}</ref>