Using the ‘Faculty Sustainability Ambassador’ Model to Catalyze Sustainability Curriculum Initiatives

Paul MorganCarol Smith

Lynn Monahan

I. Context

II. Objectives & Strategy

III. Process

IV. Stories, Reflections, Future

Directions

V. Comments & Questions

West Chester University: Green Campus Pioneer . . . sort

ofWest Chester University’s Green

Campus Committee was charged by President Madeleine Wing Adler in

November 1992 “to function as a task force and spend one year studying

the feasibility of West Chester University becoming a green

campus.”

But . . . . . .

By Fall 1999, the only remnant was the Campus Beautification Committee, which was selecting

furniture for Main Hall.

Plan for Excellence 2007 Update

“Encourage environmental awareness through training, curricula, and co-curricular programming, assess and reduce the ecological impact of the University, and promote research and service that foster regional and global sustainability.”

“Environmental Sustainability Across WCU”

Linking Pedagogy, Operations, Research, and Service – January 28-29, 2008Curriculum IntegrationWorkshop for WCU Faculty 

• 2 Days, 2 Local/Organic Meals• 15 Participants• 3 Colleges, 13 Departments

Anthropology & Sociology, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Elementary Education, English, Geography & Planning, Geology & Astronomy, Library, Philosophy, Professional & Secondary Education, Psychology (History, Foreign Languages)

• $50 Stipend!Dr. Debra

Rowe

Mitch ThomashowPresident of Unity

College

Visited WCU:February 23-25 2009

President Greg Weisenstein’s

Inaugural Address“Regardless of our students' choice of major, upon graduation from West Chester University, they should be clearly identifiable as champions of the environment.” (September 25, 2009)

C. Within two years of signing this document, develop an institutional action plan for becoming climate neutral, which will include:

• A target date for achieving climate neutrality as soon as possible.

• Interim targets for goals and actions that will lead to climate neutrality.

• Actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experience for all students.

• Actions to expand research or other efforts necessary to achieve climate neutrality.

• Mechanisms for tracking progress on goals and actions.

Are you ready to start earning a certificate in Education for Sustainability? Learn how to help others understand the challenge of sustainability and become active

participants in solutions. You’ll be prepared to create real change in your profession, community, and daily life with courses that emphasize outdoor, experiential, and project-based learning.

Visit www.wcupa.edu or contact Dr. Paul Morgan at 610-436-6945 pmorgan@wcupa.edu

Sustainability Coordinator (Half-Time)

Key Objectives

1. Make Sustainability Part of the

Experience of all WCU Students

2. Get to the Tipping Point

StrategyMake more connections in

order tocreate a campus-wide culture

of sustainability that will support

significant curricular change

(i.e. Go beyond the Usual Suspects)

ProcessSpring 2010: Applied for internal grant

($2,500)(Provost Stimulus Fund Grant)

Fall 2010: Call for Faculty Sustainability Ambassadors

(Five: One from each College)

Assumption

Reaching out is easier when people are lured in with money ($500), a title

(Ambassador), and significant work (sustainability).

The CallThe WCU Sustainability Advisory Council invites faculty from all colleges and disciplines to apply for one of five Faculty Sustainability Ambassador positions for 2010-2011 (one position for each college).  The primary charge of the Ambassadors is to collaborate with members of the Sustainability Advisory Council to develop and co-lead a series of sustainability curricular and pedagogical workshops during the Spring 2011 semester.  The workshops will be targeted to all faculty with the aim of infusing sustainability content into existing courses, promoting pedagogies that foster active engagement in sustainability-related issues, and strategizing ways to ensure that all WCU graduates understand and are able to address the challenge of sustainability.  To this end, the ambassadors will function as liaisons to their home college where they will conduct outreach, recruit participants, and assist in additional fundraising efforts.  The Ambassadors will be expected to participate in an orientation session during Fall 2010 and regular planning meetings in Spring 2011.  A follow-up meeting will be held in April 2011 to assess the initiative, celebrate successes, and plan next steps.  The positions carry a stipend of $500.

Faculty Sustainability Ambassadors

Dr. Joy Fritschle (CBPA)Dr. Lynn Monahan (CHS)Dr. Daria Nikitina (CAS)

Dr. Patricia Powell (CVPA)Dr. Carol Smith (COE)

Faculty Sustainability Ambassadors Orientation

December 16th, 2010

Reality: Possibly the most destructive period in 65 million

years

Challenge: Sustainability, not Less Unsustainability

A Hard Truth

“Almost everything being done in the name of sustainable development addresses and attempts to reduce unsustainability. But reducing unsustainability, although critical, does not and will not create sustainability”

--John R. Ehrenfeld, Sustainability by Design

Activities•February 5th, 2011: The Ambassadors Submitted a Proposal for an Internal ‘Pedagogy for Engagement’ Grant: Infusing Sustainability across the WCU Curriculum: A Three-Day Curricular and Pedagogical Workshop for Spring 2012 ($2,000)

•February 23rd, 2011: Introduction to Sustainability Workshop

•April 14th, 2011: Submitted Abstract for this AASHE Panel

•April 21st, 2011: Introduction to Sustainability Workshop

Peter Bardaglio

February 9-10, 2012

Introduction to Sustainability Workshop

LEED SILVER CELEBRATION FOR SWOPE MUSIC BUILDING & THE

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Welcome to SWOPE: Dr. Timothy Blair

Program Introduction: Dr. Patricia Powell

 

Performances

A Beautiful Sunset that was mistaken for Dawn

by Jay Moss

 

Entropy

By Mary Gemmel

LEED Silver: Dee Giardina, Facilities

SAC: Dr. Tim Lutz, Sustainability Coordinator

Plaque unveiling

Dr. Greg Weisenstein

Reflections & Lessons•Go after internal grants (the odds are good, the goods are odd). One successful proposal can be tweaked and retweaked.•Titles matter: Ambassadors wear them proudly•Money and titles may draw people in, but they stick around for the significant work•Recruiting insiders makes a huge difference•Newer, probationary faculty find the grant writing and conference submission process very helpful•Don’t underestimate the power of having real, intellectual conversations with colleagues from across the University

Next Steps•Begin lobbying for General Education curricular change•ACUPCC Climate Action Planning Team – Ambassadors will be involved with the curricular component

My Questions for the Ambassadors

•Aha moments? •Most/least significant experiences?•Weaknesses and suggestions?

Sustainability Sustainability AmbassadorsAmbassadors

Looking ForwardLooking ForwardWest Chester UniversityWest Chester University

West Chester PA West Chester PA

Current RoleCurrent RoleDisseminate information on Disseminate information on introducing sustainability in our introducing sustainability in our home collegeshome colleges

Within the College of Health SciencesWithin the College of Health Sciences

Meeting with New ChairMeeting with New ChairPresentation to CHS faculty Presentation to CHS faculty Why important?Why important?WCU’s commitment and WCU’s commitment and accomplishmentsaccomplishmentsInvitation to infuse Sustainability issues Invitation to infuse Sustainability issues into the curriculuminto the curriculumResources, including myself ! Resources, including myself !

Nutrition ProgramNutrition ProgramCurriculum for NTD 205 Food Preparation Curriculum for NTD 205 Food Preparation to include outdoor classrooms at a local to include outdoor classrooms at a local farm. farm.

Student Dietetic Association (SDA) Student Dietetic Association (SDA) students prepared foods (local / students prepared foods (local / sustainable) for our holiday parties and sustainable) for our holiday parties and for summer programs. for summer programs.

Sustainability topics are infused within Sustainability topics are infused within introductory nutrition courses introductory nutrition courses

Nutrition Nutrition Initiatives Initiatives

Partner with ARAMARKPartner with ARAMARKFarmer’s Market Farmer’s Market CSAs – community supported CSAs – community supported agricultureagricultureProduct line of local foods Product line of local foods with labelingwith labeling

Market and communicate Market and communicate

Looking ForwardLooking ForwardAmbassador as the “GO-TO” person.Ambassador as the “GO-TO” person.

Report on Sustainability within Report on Sustainability within meetingsmeetingsEvents on campusEvents on campus

Sustainability Informational and Sustainability Informational and How/To ModulesHow/To Modules

What is sustainability? What is sustainability?

How to “green” your classroom, office? How to “green” your classroom, office?

Looking ForwardLooking Forward

Include Sustainability Include Sustainability Ambassador into Statement of Ambassador into Statement of Expectation and/or job Expectation and/or job descriptions? descriptions?

Student Ambassador Program??Student Ambassador Program??Goal: create culture of Goal: create culture of sustainability behaviorsustainability behavior

Comments, Questions,

Reflections