Session Recap >> Green Funds: Expanding the Students’...

Full Title: Session Recap >> Green Funds: Expanding the Students’ Role in Shaping More Sustainabile Universities

Thanks to Zachary Davidson, Program Assistant of NYU Sustainable Initiatives, for transcribing this session! Join the AASHE 2011 Transcription Project and help spread the great ideas presented at the conference!

Break-out Session Presenters:
Rebecca Schroeder, University of Pittsburgh
Eva Resnick-Day, University of Pittsburgh:

Rebecca: Sr. at U Pitt

Eva: A green fund is…

• a set of $ set aside for Sustainable projects on campus
• comes from students
• projects are proposed by students

Rebecca: Importance:

• increase a campus’ sustainability
• provides savings
• provides for communication and collaboration btw students and admin

Rebecca discusses student’s role in understanding sustainability on campus

• 24 hr existence there gives them an advantage

Eva: Green Funds empowers students to make change, and gives tangible skills post-graduation

Rebecca: Where the $ comes from?

• Student activities fee, additional fee on tuition (automatic, opt-in, opt-out)
• Automatic pros: you know what you’re giving
• Opt-in: Advantage is that it’s a choice

Eva: Other Sources: relevant academic depts.. FM & housing

Rebecca: donations, fundraising (not best for all $) but good enough, outside grants (seed funding but not good for sole source)

Eva: Turning your green fund into a revolving loan fund

• $ not used can be saved year to year
• Pay-back from projects can’t be correlated just to your investment

Rebecca: Benefits of Green Fund

Real World Project Management experience

Compliment to the academic curriculum

Gives legitimacy to demands of student greeners b/c shows viability of their ideas

Eva: Public recognition to the university

Rebecca: Example of Community Benefit

• Purchased a composter for an urban garden which was used not only by the school but also by the university

Rebecca: Starting a Green Fund

• Beneficial Steps:
  1. Research: Talk to other schools www.pittgreenfund.com
  2. Create a Coalition: Identify allies (talk to relevant departments, students, faculty, staff)
  3. Create an official structure of the fund (how will you get and give your fund) – Use resources from other institutions with established funds
  4. Develop a campaign strategy and pitch your structure
  • go to the top and the bottom
  • get not only student but also administration buy in
    1. Implement Your Program
  • run a pilot program – you can workout the kinks – add this to your frame work – this allows you to evaluate

Eva: Campaign at Pitt

• From a vision and a coalition they went to student government board, who had institutional knowledge
• They didn’t want to go to the Media until they talked to their university administration

Rebecca: After a massive support base

Student Govt. passed a resolution

Rebecca: Student Sustainable Projects Committee:

• Solicit project proposals from students
• These students then decide which projects are the most sustainable
• Committee connects the projects with relevant facets of government

Eva: Progress of the Pitt Green Fund

Created a Handbook (which was institutionalized by Office of Experiential Education)

Go Green Signs (awareness of impact of small personal decisions)

Lo-Flow Aerator Pilot for sinks (reduces water use by 77%) and then was institutionalized for all dorms

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