Southern Illinois University Carbondale
PAE-20: Inter-Campus Collaboration on Sustainability

sustainability.siu.edu Eco-Dawgs report Green Tour of SIU

AASHE Membership Workers Rights Consortium Illinois Campus Sustainable Compact SIU Edwardsville Sustainability Coordinator

One of the campus communities that hold significance for us in the realm of inter-campus collaboration on sustainability is SIU Edwardsville. Staff from SIU Carbondale took part in a one day seminar on the campus of SIU Edwardsville. The seminar dealt largely with how to incorporate sustainability into the curriculum, but also how to boost sustainability in general on the campus. Instead of the host campus presenting as an authority the schools present came together in collaboration, sharing their ideas, practices, and challenges. Schools present at this forum were University of Missouri, St. Louis, Merimack College, St. Louis Community College, SIU Edwardsville and SIU Carbondale. The forum was very valuable and strengthened an emerging relationship between the campus communities in regards to sustainability. In addition to presentations, talks and discussions we toured several newly built LEED certified buildings and discussed the process of getting campus administrators to support building to LEED certification. Another example of collaboration between campus communities has been with Appalachian State University in conjunction with one of our biggest green fund projects; the construction and implementation of a new vermicomposting center. Members of the campus community at Appalachian State have been instrumental in guidance and instruction as we build a state of the art sustainable system similar to their own. One of the biggest opportunities for collaboration transpired when leaders of the project for our campus traveled to Appalachian State to tour the facilities and discuss details with our campus leaders of the project. In addition to the above, SIU Carbondale is a participant in the Sustainable Living Expo which happens every other year in our region. This expo is an opportunity to connect with other colleges in the region in order to make connections and hear and see what they are doing on their campuses in regards to sustainability. Our Earth Day events have been an opportunity to showcase groups and individuals on campus that are working on behalf of sustainability. We have taken the opportunity to invite several educators and businesses to take part in Earth Day events, with the goal of fostering collaboration among educators and the larger community. One example of such a successful collaboration is with a local solar company called Advanced Energy Solutions. They have participated for years in Earth Day events as well as other sustainability initiatives. One of the leaders of the company is a primary educator in solar installation at the local community college, John A. Logan. He has mentored many students on our campus and has employed students and graduates in his company.