Indiana University Bloomington
EN-1: Student Educators Program

Through internships co-mentored by staff in operations and faculty members, interns conduct research and develop programming focused on general sustainability outreach and education or in specific topic areas such as food, transportation or resource use. Although here we list only the number of interns themselves who have come through the program, the actual number of students served by the peer-to-peer projects of these interns approaches all students on campus. Virtually all internships involve an education and outreach component. The interns impact students and community members through the following programs (although this list is not completely exhaustive): 1. Greek Sustainability Chairs: An initiative to involved the large IU Greek system in making smarter, more sustainable choices 2. IU Energy Challenge: A campus wide energy challenge held once per semester 3. Big Red Eats Green: A local and sustainable food festival at IU 4. Crimson Cruisers: A campus bike share program at IU 5. Hoosier to Hoosier Community Sale: A reuse program that helps divert waste from student move-out, while raising money for local charities 6. Campus Garden Initiative: A program that helps foster environmental and social sustainability, while teaching students and community members in edible gardening spaces on campus 7. Greening Cream & Crimson: An initiative helping to make IU Athletics & game day events more sustainable 8. Million Gallon Challenge: A campus event to promote water savings More programs managed by these interns can be found at: http://sustain.indiana.edu/programs/index.php

Interns go through an application and interview process to be selected for available positions. Academic year interns work throughout both semesters on items such as creating a 'green team bag lunch series', or an analysis of the feasibility of implementing alternatively fueled buses on campus. The research and findings of the interns is then made available to others through the Office of Sustainability website.

Interns attend weekly seminars to enhance knowledge related to sustainability. An example of such a seminar includes touring the Central Heating Plant on campus.

All internships for the Office of Sustainability are funded positions, where graduate students earn $12 per hour for 10-15 hours over a 16 week period, and undergraduate interns are awarded $10 an hour for the same time period. Each intern has mentor(s) that he or she works with throughout the duration of their internship.

The Sustainability Peer Educator Program (SPEP) trains undergraduate student leaders to deliver sustainability lessons and workshops to their peers in the residence halls and the Greek community. Peer educators support sustainability education by: 1) drawing on student feedback to design and teach lessons and workshops that provide peers a basic understanding of sustainability and its importance as well as tools for adopting sustainable behaviors, 2) coordinating with peers and campus partners to identify and remove barriers to adopting sustainable behaviors in each specific living environment, and 3) connecting students to other sustainability initiatives on campus. Sustainability Peer Educator Program URLs: http://sustain.indiana.edu/programs/sustainability-peer-educator-program/learn-about-the-program.php https://www.facebook.com/SPEPatIU?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

The IU Office of Sustainability solicits applications for the Sustainability Peer Educator Program in February of each year, and students commit to serve for the following academic year. They apply by completing the application form, submitting their resume, writing a cover letter, and providing a letter of reference. IUOS staff then interviews top candidates to investigate their passion for sustainability, enthusiasm for teaching, and communication skills.

All peer educators complete a training course in the second half of the spring semester, before their academic year commitment begins. This training covers strategic communications, pedagogical tools, and the community-based social marketing framework for behavior change campaigns. The training objectives are as follows. Peer educators will be able to: • Demonstrate basic knowledge of sustainability topics that would facilitate long-term, self-directed learning • Deliver dynamic lessons/workshops aimed at providing students basic sustainability information, tools for adopting sustainable behaviors, and built in accountability to aid them in shifting behavior • Critique and improve their own teaching/facilitation through self-reflection, peer feedback and evaluations • Cultivate a community of students interested in sustainability and provide them opportunities to engage beyond the lessons

Sustainability Peer Educators earn $10 an hour for 5-10 hours of work per week, paid directly by IU's Office of Sustainability. The Sustainability Peer Educator Program would not be possible, however, without financial support from the IU Physical Plant and Residential Programs and Services.

*These 9,000 students are also served by the Sustainability Peer Educator Program (above)* The RPS Eco Reps are members of in-center Residence Hall Association student governments. While their exact responsibilities may vary from center-to-center, they are in general responsible for providing a sustainable perspective to operations and programming, being connected with the Residence Hall Association Director of Sustainability and assisting with programming planing and implementation. Examples of activities include programming themed around environmental issues, particularly the IU Energy Challenge. Popular programs include documentary screenings and outdoor activities.

Eco Reps are appointed by the in-center executive board. The executive board is elected by residents in each residence hall in the Spring semester.

Eco Reps attend the Residence Hall Association training sessions in the Fall and Spring semesters. These include leadership, professional development, and organizational planning components as well as more specialized break-out workshops.

The Eco Reps are part of the Residence Hall Association and therefore receive institutional funding through the $12 Student Activity Fee, billed to each student living in the residence halls (as part of room and board). Each residence hall student government allocates these funds in a formal budget meeting in the Fall semester, so individual Eco Reps have differing budgets, by hall.

The IU Student Sustainability Council (IU SSC) is a group of graduate and undergraduate students who represent a diverse group of IU clubs and organizations and work to make IU a happier, healthier, and cleaner place to live, work, and learn. Their main efforts include raising/distributing money for sustainability initiatives at IU, like the revamping of Ballantine Hall's light system in 2013, a rain garden project, and solar electricity at the IU Art Museum in 2015. Additionally, they organize the SustainIU Week every February, which just finished its 7th Annual Week this past February (http://www.indiana.edu/~iubssc/calendar/sustainiu15.php). This week impacts the entire student body, faculty, and campus, along with the initiatives the IU SCC has funded so far. More information on the Student Sustainability Council: http://www.indiana.edu/~iubssc/

Any group that is an IU Bloomington organization is allowed membership to this program through one representative chosen by their respective group. Currently, the IU SSC is made up of over 17 organizations.

Members can come to board meetings and/or choose to be on a committee - no formal training is required.

The IU SSC provides financial support for sustainable initiatives at IU, rather than receiving funding for the council. This past December 2014, the IU SSC invested nearly $30,000 on sustainable projects (http://www.indiana.edu/~iubssc/).