Project Clearinghouse

Rachel Carson College Sustainable Systems Program Support

Sustainability Problem and Proposed Solution: 

The Sustainability Studies Minor and IDEASS programs offer undergraduate students interdisciplinary sustainability education, professional development and project management, and opportunities to engage in projects and research focused on sustainable solutions. This intern position works to support and strengthen both the programs and individual projects through community engagement, networking, and maintenance of programs.

Jump to: Contact | Project Description | Funding Sources | Metrics for Success | Results
Project Categories: 
Awareness, Education & Engagement
Project Status: 
Completed
Project End Date: 
06/15/2017
Campus Organization: 
College Eight Sustainability Minor
Provost's Sustainability Internship Program
Sustainability Office
Affiliated Department, Unit or College: 
Rachel Carson College, Sustainability Office
Project Location: 
On campus


Intern Emelia Michel presenting revised SSM course track.


Stakeholder Contacts: 
Contact NameEmail AddressContact NumberDepartment
Emelia Michel
eamichel@ucsc.edu
415-265-3386
ENVS, EART
Ronnie Lipschutz
rlipsch@ucsc.edu
Tamara Ball
tball@ucsc.edu
Funding Sources: 
Sustainability Office
Rachel Carson College

Project Description: 

Sustainability Education like that offered by these programs is increasingly important in today’s political and cultural economy, especially the focus on using interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle wicked problems provided by the Sustainability Studies Minor and IDEASS programs. These programs offer students research opportunities as well as useful skills for their collegiate and professional careers, but currently do not have good exposure within the campus community.

The efforts of this project seek to establish these programs within the minds of students, organizations, faculty and staff to better foster sustainability related projects and research across campus at UCSC. My project aims to provide programmatic support to these great programs through development of program assessment and survey methodologies, collaboration and communication with campus stakeholders, outreach and recruitment at campus events, development of online presence and graphic materials, and support of student project teams.

Metrics for Success: 

Students reached through tabling events. (~40)
Generation of materials:
-Graphics (flyers, logos, website graphics, presentations).
-Program learning objectives document (attached) and survey questions
-tabling materials (see appendix of final report, attached)

Next Steps: 
2017-2018 PSI will evaluate and redefine the nature of this position based on student skill set and student-mentor discussion. There are several recommended areas of focus. First, to increase visibility of the IDEASS and SSMinor programs. Pursue outreach and student recruitment through tabling and networking at campus events, utilize and create contacts/collaborators. Work with R. Lipschutz to publish Sustainability Minor Calendar on SS Minor website or in collaboration with Sustainability Office. Organize and host Minor Declaration workshops throughout the year and at Sustainability Office InterOrg retreat. Second, work to integrate program assessment document into program, and design and administer survey in classes and evaluations. Collect feedback from staff/faculty stakeholders on program assessment. Identify and report to mentors areas of improvement of academic and demographic improvement based on survey results. Finally and generally, bolster cohort, enroll more students in 2017-18 classes than the previous year. Involve both programs with outside student groups and orgs also working on sustainability related projects.
Result Categories: 
Education/Outreach
Results: 

-Outreach at campus events. (WEST, OPERS, InterOrg, CSC events, SEC events, PoCSC events, PICA events, NewTech Meetup)

-Creation of program assessment document and class/program student survey.

-Increased visibility and functioning of programs digital presence (Sustainability Studies Minor) (IDEASS)

-Creation of outreach materials: graphics (project flyers, program flyers, website graphics, presentation materials (Environ. Justice, Minor Declaration Workshop presentations)

-Recruitment of students to project teams, support of project teams at events.

Resources
AttachmentSize
PDF icon PSI FINAL .pdf65.13 KB
Related Websites: 
IDEASS
Sustainability Studies Minor
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