Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 62.57
Liaison Kylee Singh
Submission Date Feb. 16, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

California Polytechnic State University
EN-1: Student Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.48 / 4.00 Kylee Singh
Sustainability Coordinator
Energy Utilities and Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Number of students enrolled for credit (headcount):
20,186

Total number of students enrolled for credit that are served (i.e. directly targeted) by a student peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education program (avoid double-counting to the extent feasible):
12,500

Percentage of students served by a peer-to-peer educator program:
61.92

Name of the student educators program:
Facilities Management and Development Green Campus Team

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (headcount):
6,000

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities:

Green Campus is a group of students who work to promote sustainability at Cal Poly. Working with campus stakeholders Green Campus find creative ways to conserve energy, save the university money, and protect the environment through outreach and education initiatives. Each year, Green Campus implements energy and water-saving projects on campus and encourages student and staff involvement with an Annual Conservation and Diversion Challenge (ACDC), Eco Reps Program and various engagement events.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected:

Green Campus team members are selected through a competitive application process managed by the Cal Poly Energy, Utilities, and Sustainability team.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach:

Green Campus team members are provided with an initial orientation training and ongoing programmatic trainings throughout the academic year.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination):

The Green Campus program is funded through the Cal Poly Facilities Management and Development department and has an annual budget of $35,000 which provides stipends for up to six team members and additional funding for materials and supply purchasing. This budget does not include the additional staff management and coordination time by the Energy, Utilities, and Sustainability supervisors.


Name of the student educators program (2nd program):
CAFES Center for Sustainability, Sustainable Stewards

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (2nd program):
1,500

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):

The Sustainable Stewardship interns work with faculty, staff, Agricultural Operations, and Facilities Management and Development departments to conserve water and energy resources to protect the environment. Cal Poly's College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) manages over 9,000 acres dedicated to agricultural instruction. These include rangeland, orchards, vineyards, vegetable field crop production, agroforestry, horticulture, food processing and turf management. The extensive acreage and facilities offer many possibilities for students to become involved in assessing, implementing and monitoring improvements designed to enhance the sustainability of Cal Poly's vast natural and physical resources. The goal of the Sustainable Stewardship Program is to identify these opportunities and to coordinate a corps of students capable of taking an active part in the continued improvement of sustainability on the campus farm. 


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):

Applicants must be enrolled at Cal Poly and show a working knowledge of and/or demonstrated interest in agriculture and the environment. Sustainable Stewards interns are paid (part-time) students who work under the general direction of Center for Sustainability staff throughout the academic year. Interns are involved in the overall stewardship of the program in aspects such as program development, administration, project implementation, volunteer recruitment, and outreach. 


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (2nd program):

Interns receive formal training and supervision by the Director of the Center.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination) (2nd program):

The interns receive hourly pay and programmatic budget for events.


Name of the student educators program (3rd program):
Cal Poly Eco Reps

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (3rd program):
5,000

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):

Eco Reps are a group of forty students committed to creating a culture of environmental stewardship on the Cal Poly campus through peer education, sustainability-focused projects, and outreach events. Managed by the Green Campus Team within Facilities, Eco-Reps get to exemplify the "learn by doing" motto, all while having a direct role in Cal Poly's advancement to a fully sustainable future.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):

Eco Reps are required to fill out an application form demonstrating their interest and experience in peer to peer sustainability initiatives. To be an Eco Rep it is necessary to be committed to volunteering in education and outreach events, planning and implementing local community events in residence halls, and helping to make Cal Poly a more sustainable place through creation and implementation of campus-scale projects/events.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (3rd program):

Eco Reps are expected to attend an initial training, a mandatory monthly trainings, scheduled meetings with smaller groups, and assist with move out at the end of the school year all meetings have training and professional development components.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination) (3rd program):

The Eco Rep program receives a programmatic budget for events and materials needed throughout the year.


A brief description of all other student peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education programs, including the number of students served and how student educators are selected, trained, and supported by the institution:
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Total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually (all programs):
12,000

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.