State University of New York at New Paltz
EN-2: Student Orientation

2013 Orientation Activities - Campus Sustainability Coordinator Lisa Mitten, Sociology professor Brian Obach, and former sustainability committee co-chair kt Tobin presented to all of the incoming freshmen during summer orientation about campus sustainability initiatives. - At the welcome back BBQ, Campus Sustainability Coordinator Lisa Mitten, Campus Auxiliary Services, Sodexo, and Facilities worked together to pilot zero waste stations featuring landfill, recycling, and composting bins. Compostable serving ware was used at the event. 2014 Orientation Activities - Campus Sustainability Coordinator Lisa Mitten introduced past, present, and future sustainability initiatives during "Jump Start Your Semester," an event that all incoming freshman were required to attend. - As part of the Farm-to-SUNY initiative, local, seasonal watermelon was served at the Welcome Back BBQ for on campus residents. Watermelon was the local food of the month for August. - Sustainability Student Worker Erika Popolla and Residence Hall Student Association President Kristina Virgil worked together to educate on campus residents about the new water bottle refill stations across campus during the RHSA-sponsored welcome back BBQ.

In August of 2014, SUNY New Paltz had a total of 1767 incoming students. Of these students, 1079 or 61% of the total incoming students, were required to attend the "Jump Start Your Semester" event. Transfers, 668 students, did not attend this particular event. A total of 110 transfer students, or 6% of the total incoming population moved into the residence halls on campus, so those students were exposed to the other residence life-oriented activities described above. Thus, 67% of incoming students were exposed to sustainability during their orientation activities and programming.