University of South Carolina
ER-1: Student Sustainability Educators Program

Students are recruited to the EcoReps program during New Student Orientation and during the first two weeks of the fall semester. Interested students must submit an application (see URL below for link to application) at the beginning of September. The Housing Coordinator for Environmental Sustainability and the EcoReps Graduate Assistant review the applications and select the best candidates (for Fall 2011 there are 12 positions open).

The EcoReps attend a full day orientation that includes community building activities, an overview of the program and their position description, and training on how to be a peer leader. The entire fall semester is dedicated to training the EcoReps to be leaders in their residence halls and educating them about different environmental issues through weekly activities. They will also be tasked with completing 4 long-term projects throughout the year (with guidence from the GA and advisor in the Fall Semester and more independence in the Spring Semester).

The Housing Coordinator for Environmental Sustainability is the advisor to the EcoReps and dedicates a portion of her time to overseeing the program. University Housing also funds a Graduate Assistant for the program who works 20 hours per week. The Residence Hall Association and Hall Governments allot money to support the EcoReps events.

Students at the University of South Carolina are recruited and selected from varying disciplines, student organizations, and Residential Learning Communities. Students are recruited from many departments, including Political Science, Anthropology, Environmental Studies, and Social Work. Students are also recruited from both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. In addition to recruiting students in degree programs, Sustainable Carolina reaches out to students in the Green Quad Living and Learning Community, students who have already committed to exploring and implementing more sustainable practices. Applicants submit a series of questions focused on their experience and goals pertaining to sustainability. After interviews, students are then selected to participate in the program as an intern or paid staff member. Sustainable Carolina had approximately 70 student participants and leaders on staff for 2010.

After students are accepted into the Sustainable Carolina Leadership Program, they are a part of our staff. The Sustainable Carolina Program focuses on a series of Learning Outcomes, which provide leadership development for individuals, but also support the success of our Project Teams. The first part of training for staff is a two-day orientation. The first day is for new staff members and the second is for all staff members. During orientation, staff are introduced to Green Values, the Social Change Model of Leadership, and how to use organizational tools for effective team leadership. Staff also participate in community building and have shared meals, something we consider very important for developing our community. At Sustainable Carolina, training goes beyond orientation. Staff are offered workshops throughout the semester, each of which helps them reach out Learning Outcomes. Some workshop topics include the following: Consensus Decision Making and Facilitating Effective Meetings, How to Develop and Plan Semester and Annual Goals, How to Understand Motivation and Promote Shared Responsibility, and Living a Sustainable Life-Enhancing Pace. Each new staff member is also paired with a returning staff member as his or her mentor. Through these relationships, both the mentor and mentee learn and grow. Community building events are also offered to encourage the development of these relationships. In addition to individual support, each Team receives support from the Green Leadership Team and the Assessment Team. Each member of the Green Leadership is assigned a number of Project Teams. Throughout the semester, this individual attends the Team Meetings offering support and additional training. Assessment Team members also serve as support for each team. They review team goals, progress reports, and assess the success of the program. By providing support and training on the level of the individual and the teams, while also assessing the training. By assessing the training and staff throughout the semester, Sustainable Carolina continues to refine and improve the training provided to students so they can better educate and lead the campus and community.

Sustainable Carolina receives funding through a reoccurring budget, grants, Graduate Assistants funded through various departments, and student fees. The reoccurring budget provides funding for most of our hired staff (student and full-time staff), while grants and student fees provide a programming budget. Individuals and teams receive both internal and external grants to support programming. We also have Graduate Assistants receiving financial support from departments such as Housing and the Environment and Sustainability Program. The final important piece to Sustainable Carolina funding is support through a Faculty Principal. This is a full-time faculty member who is released from half of their teaching responsibilities to support Sustainable Carolina. Sustainable Carolina has grown greatly over the past few years and continues to receive financial support from across the campus in order to continue to grow and reach more of the campus.