SSCC 2008 Live: Deep Listening: Tuning Into Your Institution for Campus Greening
posted by Andrea Webster on April 1st, 2008 Go to comments
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Linda Robson, Case Western University
Nathan Engstrom, Oberlin College
So you want to green your campus, but you don’t know how or where to get started. Here’s some background work to help you get thinking in the right direction:
Find the stories your campus has to tell
Institutional history: where have we come from and what is our trajectory?
Strategic directives and mission: what goals are already outlined?
Pied pipers: who are the formal and informal champions/leaders on campus?
Bragging rights: what is your school known for/proud of?
Go with the flow: what can existing popular campaigns/programs/events tell you about your campus, what’s important to them?
Follow the money: where is your school spending time and money? - these are the things the school already cares about.
If your institution is known for the music program, find out how to insert sustainability initiatives into the music school. Strive to make the connection between very divergent things. Leverage the notoriety to advance sustainability. For example, Indiana University (my alma matter) is known for the Kelley School of Business and the Jacobs School of Music. IU could embrace these strong points and insert sustainability initiatives within. The business school and the music school want to keep their lead, and most importantly, the IU administration wants these schools to stay at the forefront. Correspondingly, the administration is more likely to spend money to keep these schools in the spotlight. Why not approach these schools to insert sustainability into their curriculum? to install solar panels? We must work to find a connection between music and sustainability, between business and sustainability. Sometimes it’s as easy as a conversation and brainstorming session.
Perhaps if the music school were to add a new building to its college, it could be LEED certified or at least include green elements. Encourage the school to do more than what the policies require. Another example might be to add a paper-towel composting research project that takes place within the music school. Make the students aware of sustainability issues. Insert it into their daily lives, into their second home (the school). It would be very possible for music students to graduate without ever hearing the word “sustainability” in their courses or in their school. Don’t let this happen.
These steps tie in the previous session I attended - Turning a University/College into a Living Laboratory Campus.
Create ways for stakeholders to implement their ideas. Try to engage the entire community. Create a town/gown relationship. Listen to what students have to say. They have good ideas, are passionate, and want the experience. Tap into this resource. Try creating an email address to which students can send ideas: recycling@yourinstitution.edu, composting@yourinstitution.edu. Create ways to communicate.
Another key idea that Linda and Nathan brought up was to wait and listen! Your institution may reject your ideas today, but the dynamic changes every day and is constantly giving you ways to implement certain ideas. You just have to wait and listen.
Build coalitions that include everyone. If the administration will not listen, voice your opinion and encourage others to do the same. If they hear enough concern and interest, they’ll change their mind eventually. Create conversations and connections in the classroom, board room, and boiler room. - that is to say, include students, faculty, and staff. engage: create contests, competitions, and excitement.