| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 81.34 |
| Liaison | Mary Whitney |
| Submission Date | Nov. 26, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Chatham University
EN-1: Student Educators Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Mary
Whitney University Sustainability Coordinator Office of Sustainability |
Number of students enrolled for credit (headcount):
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):
Percentage of students served by a peer-to-peer educator program:
Name of the student educators program:
Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (headcount):
A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities:
This is a group of sustainability graduate students that work on creating a more sustainable Eden Hall campus. A major project of the group has been to create signage on campus that educates peers on sustainability initiatives around campus. The group also tracks their travel carbon footprint as individuals and as a group, and has been working to support each other in finding lower-carbon alternatives.
A brief description of how the student educators are selected:
This group is self-convened and self selected; anyone who wants to get involved may do so. The founders are from one cohort of Falk School of Sustainability students.
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach:
The students train themselves and each other as they each bring a graduate/professional expertise to the table. They bring in on-campus experts to answer specific campus questions such as the Dean of Eden Hall and the Director of Sustainability.
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 group has access to use the Chatham Green Fund to enact projects on campus.
Name of the student educators program (2nd program):
Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (2nd program):
A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):
Grads Go Green Program is coordinated by a health science faculty member and encompasses all the enrolled health science and interior architecture students. The program identifies sustainability-related issues on Chatham Eastside Campus and works on finding solutions to combat said issues. For example, the program determines the need for more recycling stations and develops signage to educate students, faculty, and staff on how to dispose of differing waste properly. To improve the indoor air quality, the program requested an increased presence of plants to be placed inside of the building. Students, together with the program coordinator, recently developed signs for each of the rooms to remind people to turn off the lights, computers and air conditioners when leaving classrooms and offices. The volunteer students conduct research about sustainability and every three months they send an email with sustainability tips.
A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):
At the beginning of each year, an email is sent to all of the new health science and IA students inviting volunteers for the Go Grads Program. The students who respond participate directly in the organization of the program activities.
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (2nd program):
At the beginning of each year, the faculty sponsor organizes a meeting with the volunteer students, where they receive information about the Grads Go Green Program and next steps and goals. They also meet regularly with the Director of University Sustainability for training and assistance with their events and activities.
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 student organization has access to Chatham Student Government funding, and also has been a steady user of the Student Green Fund ($500 in 2017 for the acquisition of more plants). The organization also received faculty donations for the new plants.
Name of the student educators program (3rd program):
Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (3rd program):
A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):
The Eco-Reps work as a team with the Office of Sustainability to engage campus peers with sustainable living. By being completely part of the student community, the Eco-Reps function as a bridge between the students and the Office of Sustainability. Eco-Reps help to identify possible sustainability issues on campus, bring them to the Office of Sustainability and help to disseminate the sustainability culture. The team organizes and conduct activities and events for other Chatham students and sustainable living while supporting the university sustainability initiatives and commitments. For example, Eco-Reps participate in the Orientation Week Activities Fair, together with the Office of Sustainability, teaching new students how to compost and recycle.
A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):
Four Eco-Reps are selected at the beginning of each year. The positions are exclusively for undergraduates and are posted on Handshake, Chatham's platform for on-campus employment. Candidates should be comfortable interacting with others in person and by media, have planning and organization skills, and be willing to learn and share their knowledge publicly.
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (3rd program):
The Eco-Reps receive training from the Sustainability Director and learn about the sustainability-related initiatives of the university. The Eco-Reps have direct and free access to the Sustainability Director and the graduate assistants of the Office of Sustainability to support the development of their activities.
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):
Funded through the Student Employment program
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:
Total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually (all programs):
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.