Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.18
Liaison Allie Schwartz
Submission Date Nov. 30, 2012
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.1

Columbia University
ER-1: Student Sustainability Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.00 / 5.00 Cathy Resler
Manager
Office of Environmental Stewardship
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total number of degree-seeking students enrolled at the institution:
23,218

Program name (1st program):
EcoReps

Number of students served by the program to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (1st program):
5,576

A brief description of how the student educators are selected (1st program):

Eco-Reps operate in a similar manner to the RA program; students apply to become an Eco-Rep and commit to a set of responsibilities and to work a set number of hours each week to fulfill them. The Eco-Reps are a group of students working in partnership with Columbia’s department of Housing and Dining in order to make Columbia’s campus more environmentally sustainable. Undergraduate Eco-Reps supervise and encourage a sustainable lifestyle in their residence halls by monitoring recycling, encouraging students to save energy, and creating educational events for their halls. Their work entails publicizing available environmental services, serving as a bridge of communication between students and the administration, facilitating campus projects for a reduced university ecological footprint. This year Eco-Reps will be working on a Green Licensing Program for dorms/campus buildings as well as continuing work with campus recycling, energy consumption, and purchasing of organic/local foods.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (1st program):

EcoReps from the previous year conduct training to the new EcoReps. Additionally on going guidance and training is provided by Housing with support from the Office of Environmental Stewardship.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (1st program):

Eco-Reps are supported by Housing Services, much like RAs. While being a Columbia EcoRep was once a paid position, the Eco-Reps themselves chose to operate on a volunteer basis and put their salaries into a programming fund for them to use on green initiatives totaling approximately $15,000. At the beginning of the academic year, the EcoReps host a used goods Green Sale, where they sell lightly used room furnishings and other household and office goods – most of which are donations from the Give + Go Green event at the end of the school year. Earnings from the Green Sale also help to fund the EcoReps program for the academic year.


The website URL for 1st Program:
Program name (2nd program):
Green Umbrella

Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (2nd program):
23,218

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

Any student interested in participating is welcomed. Students advocate and program events on campus independently with guidance from relevant administrative and academic departments on campus. The Green Umbrella is a network of environmental student groups on the Columbia and Barnard campuses. Representatives from each group come together to network and improve communication, collaborate on campaigns, attend conferences and summits, and meet with administrative departments including the Office of Environmental Stewardship. The coordinators of the Green Umbrella connect people and projects, serve as a nexus for information distribution, compile a comprehensive weekly email with green events and opportunities on campus and beyond, and facilitate large, multi-group event planning. Groups in the Green Umbrella include: EarthCo, Barnard EcoReps, Columbia EcoReps, Students for Environmental and Economic Justice, Food Sustainability Project, Columbia University Environmental Biology Society, Core Foods, Columbia Students for Animal Protection, Jewish Theological Seminary EcoReps, and Consilience.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (2nd program):

The students receive peer-to-peer training and education from fellow members through meetings and events.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (2nd program):

Regular meetings are held between the Green Umbrella leadership team and the Office of Environmental Stewardship. Green Umbrella has a club advisor and received funding as an extracurricular group.


The website URL for 2nd program:
Program name (3rd program):
Earth Co.

Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (3rd program):
7,277

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

Any student interested in participating is welcomed.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (3rd program):

The students receive peer-to-peer training and education from fellow members through meetings and events. Students advocate and program events on campus independently with guidance from relevant administrative and academic departments on campus. A Columbia/Barnard student coalition working to improve the local environment by promoting recycling on campus, organizing gardening and clean-ups in local parks, sponsoring environmental forums, and coordinating Earth Week activities on the Columbia campus. Earth Coalition also gets involved with local and national environmental issues with other environmental organizations, letter writing campaigns, and trips to environmental impact sites in the area. EarthCo promotes environmental consciousness through outreach and service to the community. On-going campaigns include Earth Tutors (teaching environmental education in a South Bronx elementary school), community gardening, and peer education about recycling.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (3rd program):

Students advocate and program events on campus independently with guidance from relevant administrative and academic departments on campus. Meetings are held between the Earth Co. leadership team and the Earth Institute, Office of Environmental Stewardship as well with other administrative departments as needed. Earth Co. receives funding as an extracurricular organization and has an adviser.


The website URL for 3rd program:
Program name (All other programs):
Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), School of International Affairs and Public Administration, Columbia Business School and the Jewish Theological Seminary also have their own versions of the EcoRep programs

Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (All other programs):
6,537

A brief description of how the student educators are selected (All other programs):

Any student interested in participating is welcomed.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (All other programs):

Similar to the general EcoReps program, students are educated from the previous year’s participants.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (All other programs):

The EcoReps are a group of students working in partnership with Columbia’s academic and administrative departments in order to make Columbia’s campus more environmentally sustainable. School affiliated EcoRep groups receive funding from those schools for programming and education.


The website URL for all other programs:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Recycling education video created by members of Earth Co. http://vimeo.com/13273311

Listing of other sustainability student groups: http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/31


Recycling education video created by members of Earth Co. http://vimeo.com/13273311

Listing of other sustainability student groups: http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/31

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