Sterling College (VT)
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

The Self-Sufficiency Task Force: Developing and adhering to balanced principles of consumption and sustainability reinforces Sterling's mission, creates a healthier environment for all members of our community and ensures that we are doing our part to address the critical environmental issues confronting humanity today. A successful program of consumption and sustainability must also balance desired outcomes with the human and financial resources necessary to implement and sustain them. It is with respect for the expertise and experience of the faculty, staff, and students that the College submits this charge to complete a comprehensive study and to make recommendations for changes in the operations of Sterling College that will facilitate a reduction in consumption and encourage the efficient and ecological use of our community’s resources.

Adrian Owens (faculty) Gwyneth Harris (staff) Leah Bayens (faculty) Tony VanWinkle (faculty) Elizabeth Chadwick (alumni and staff) Ed Frederickson (faculty) Azsa Greiner (staff) Peter Merrill (staff) Jeff Richardson (faculty) Allison Van Akkeren (faculty)

The Self Sufficiency Task Force is an extension of the long-standing Land & Energy Committee with the adoption of Sterling's ten-year strategic initiative in April 2019. The task force serves as the critical thinking and action component of Commitment V, develop an organizational model that promotes ecological, social, and financial sustainability.

The Food System Coordinator’s primary responsibilities will be researching, analyzing and communicating details of Sterling College’s food system between various nodes (kitchen, farm, forest). This will include, but may not be limited to: -Researching and communicating about specific food items, dishes, or practices of interest to Sterling’s food systems initiatives. This may include kitchen board posts for the “Keystone Cultivars” project. This aspect of the position will also involve regular communication with and between the kitchen and farm staff, the RFC director, and the Houston Kitchen Manager to ensure we are maximizing the use of our food resources in alignment with community food preferences, needs, and/or desires. -Presenting current, relevant, and thought-provoking information about Sterling’s own food system via hand-outs, E-News, Facebook, our Blog, and by maintaining the Kitchen Board. -Communicating with and expanding our regional, collegiate food network. -Potentially working with the student Food Systems Working Group to organize a bi-annual Food Summit with this network. -Researching opportunities for Sterling’s food system to improve in line with the Rian Fried Center and Kitchen Visions. -Propose new, culturally appropriate recipes to the kitchen, look into new farmers and/or distributors to start purchasing from, and connect students and our local producers via All College Work Day and/or volunteer projects. QUALIFICATIONS: Mid- to upper-level Sustainable Food Systems coursework WAGE: $21.56 per hour, applied as a tuition credit at the mid-term and end of each semester.

The Waste Warrior manages, organizes, and educates the Sterling College community around all aspects of waste on campus. -Compost/food waste: Aid in food waste reduction through education and community events. Possibly keep records on how much. Help organize reuse of leftovers, possibly donate some to the community or support a weekly invitation to the community to eat at Sterling College on “leftover” night -Reuse Room: Organize weekly, sort through, bring items to Goodwill and cloth recycling -Recycling: Educate the community on what goes in regular “all sort” recycling, begin plastic film, electronics and battery recycling on campus -Trash: Educate community on ways to reduce trash, where our trash goes and the costs involved -Possibly collect and organize redeemable cans and bottles collection to pay for recycling of materials -Possibly attend the Waste Warrior workshop put on by Lamoille Region Solid Waste Management District (LRSWMD) This position will include community education with posters, announcements at community meetings and in the enews WAGE: $21.56 per hour, applied as a tuition credit at the mid-term and end of each semester. Students are financially responsible for all hours not worked.

Sterling College is one of nine federally-recognized Work Colleges in the US. The Work College model creates pathways for students to do meaningful, dignified work while earning money toward their college education. The Work Program at Sterling provides each student with the opportunity to earn a significant financial aid award each semester, have a rewarding learning experience through their work, and contribute to the needs of the Sterling Community. Almost every key function of the campus is supported by student work in the Work Program. The Real Food Researcher will This role will calculate the amount of Real Food served on campus following guidelines of the Real Food Calculator. (note, was hugely interrupted in 2019/2020 due to COVID-19.

The Food System Coordinator, Waste Warrior, and Real Food Researcher are all Work Program positions as Sterling is one of nine federally-recognized Work Colleges in the United States. This means that students take on these roles and rotate through positions or get promoted into other leadership roles.