Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 53.78
Liaison Lisa Mitten
Submission Date March 8, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

State University of New York at New Paltz
EN-1: Student Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Lisa Mitten
Campus Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Campus Sustainability
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Number of students enrolled for credit (headcount):
9,506

Total number of students enrolled for credit that are served (i.e. directly targeted) by a student peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education program (avoid double-counting to the extent feasible):
9,506

Percentage of students served by a peer-to-peer educator program:
100

Name of the student educators program:
Sustainability Ambassadors

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (headcount):
9,506

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities:

The Office of Campus Sustainability employs student Sustainability Ambassadors to conduct to outreach to fellow students and educate them about sustainability opportunities and programs on campus, in the community, in New York State, in the United States and in the world.

Sustainability Ambassadors table at the weekly farmers' market on campus and inform students about how they can integrate sustainability into their college experience through joining sustainability student organizations, enrolling in sustainability GE courses, adding an environmental studies minor, and/or majoring in a sustainability program. The Sustainability Ambassadors give away stainless steel water bottles (we don't sell bottles of water on campus) and canvas bags (we don't use plastic bags on campus) in exchange for sharing information about sustainability opportunities on campus and collecting their contact information to include students on sustainability listserves and text messaging lists. Sustainability updates, opportunities and events are disseminated via these lists.

The Sustainability Ambassadors lead or support programs targeting all students including the National Day of Unplugging, Repair Cafe, Kale Day, and documentary films on sustainability. They support Resident Assistants in offering sustainability-themed residence hall events and activities.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected:

Job announcements for Sustainability Ambassadors are released each spring for a fall start date. Students apply for the position and are selected based on their knowledge of sustainability issues and their ability to succeed in an outreach/engagement position.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach:

Prior to the beginning of the fall semester, Sustainabiltiy Ambassadors are expected to study all materials about SUNY New Paltz sustainability including our STARS reports, the Campus Sustainability Plan, and the campus sustainability website. The Office of Campus Sustainability hold an in-person training program just before the fall semester begins to orient students to the semester. Additional group meetings throughout the semester to prepare for specific peer-to-peer outreach initiatives.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination):

The Campus Sustainability Coordinator facilitates this group and funding from the general sustainability budget supports this program. Additional funds pay student salaries.


Name of the student educators program (2nd program):
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Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (2nd program):
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (2nd program):
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A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination) (2nd program):
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Name of the student educators program (3rd program):
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Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (3rd program):
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (3rd program):
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A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination) (3rd program):
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A brief description of all other student peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education programs, including the number of students served and how student educators are selected, trained, and supported by the institution:
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Total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually (all programs):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.