| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.07 |
| Liaison | Yumiko Jakobcic |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Grand Valley State University
EN-1: Student Educators Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Amanda
Rodgers Graduate Assistant Sustainable Community Development Initiative |
Does the institution coordinate one or more ongoing student, peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education programs that meet the criteria for this credit?:
Number of degree-seeking students enrolled at the institution:
Name of the student educators program (1st program):
Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (1st program):
A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (1st program):
Eco-reps educate the residential housing community about why contaminated pizza boxes need to be removed from the general waste stream. They also facilitate the collection and diversion to the compost dumpsters.
A brief description of how the student educators are selected (1st program):
Eco-reps are selected on a volunteer basis. They work with the Sustainable Community Development Initiative Graduate Assistant to create a collection schedule for their respected living center and to report their weekly diversion rate.
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (1st program):
The SCDI office offers a variety of training accommodations on a case-by-case basis for each Eco-Rep, depending upon their specific needs. Trainings can range from in-person meetings and instructional time to email communication with resourceful links attached.
A brief description of the financial or other support the institution provides to the program (1st program):
GVSU Facilities staff ultimately supports the overall composting program at the university.
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):
Similar to the Sustainable Office Awards, the How Green R U? program seeks to educate on- and off-campus students in sustainability recommended practices by providing a survey that can be filled out. Ranging from water and energy usage, sustainable social involvement, and food purchasing practices, students learn what they are doing well in terms of sustainability, as well as practices that could use some improvement. Through this, students are able to work with each other on making their living center, living center floor/building, and/or apartment as sustainable as possible.
A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):
How Green R U? participants are not selected, but can voluntarily complete the online survey.
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (2nd program):
No formal training takes place.
A brief description of the financial or other support the institution provides to the program (2nd program):
While there is no specific funding sources available to students who complete the survey, a pilot competition is currently underway in three living centers. The floor with the most survey participants wins a sustainable party at the end of the semester.
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 Campus Dining Green Team is made up of students and interdisciplinary staff who work together to make the campus more sustainable through campus dining. Students and staff collaborate on yearly academic plans, as well as provide learning opportunities for peers to learn which bin (compost, recycle, landfill) campus dining containers, cutlery, food waste, etc. should be appropriately placed.
A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):
Green team members are selected on a volunteer basis.
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (3rd program):
Green team members are provided education and subsequent materials in order to feel comfortable conversing with their peers about campus dining sustainability efforts.
A brief description of the financial or other support the institution provides to the program (3rd program):
The Green Team is led by a member of the Campus Dining staff. Several other Campus Dining staff members are on the Green Team along with about a dozen student volunteers. Financial support is provided by Campus Dining.
Name(s) of the student educator program(s) (all other programs):
Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by all other student educator programs:
A brief description of the program(s), including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (all other programs):
Zero-Waste Ambassadors monitored waste sorting stations at the 2012 Homecoming football game as well as during every home game in the 2013 season. They instructed attendees how to sort their waste into the proper stream (i.e. landfill, recycling, or compost).
A brief description of how the student educators are selected (all other programs):
Student educators from a variety of sources were asked to volunteer, including sustainability related classes, living centers and student groups.
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (all other programs):
Student educators received comprehensive verbal training and physical handouts on what composting is, what can be composted, and how to successfully encourage attendees to sort their waste properly.
A brief description of the financial or other support the institution provides to the program (all other programs):
The Facilities department coordinated the physical sorting stations, including any cost that was incurred to purchase or place them within the stadium. The SCDI office provided all training materials and name-tag lanyards.
Total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually:
The website URL for the peer-to-peer student outreach and education program(s):
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.