By specifically articulating our motivations, we have identified a specific vision and operating
principles to guide our inquiry. These were developed through an amalgamating study of ecological theory, cultural studies, social
studies, and the environmental movement. This study took place during
winter of 2005 and resulted in two essays, which can be found in our Winter
2005 portion of our website.
Below is a summary of our vision and principles
for the sustainable housing project.
We envision a housing environment that actively encourages student learning and application of sustainable living practices by supporting the growth of a community of sustainably minded residents. This vision is dependent on a structure to organize diverse resident motivations around shared values for social, environmental, and personal health.
We have come across many different strategies to create change throughout our project. Below are
principles that we feel will be most helpful to us in actualizing our vision.
1) Develop a program based on currently existing values of individuals,
communities, and institutions.
2) Communicate using values-based language, using unfulfilled values as
leverage.
3) Promote learning by doing.
4) Create, accentuate, and exploit feedback loops in the housing system
whenever possible to maximize recognition of systemic effects on all
scales.
Our vision and principles place heavy emphasis on a solid understanding of the current cultural and social structures. Beginning in winter quarter and intensifying through spring, we conducted in-depth research to determine the motivations of the different agents of Evergreen’s on-campus housing. This research generated a sufficient understanding of current motivations within the housing system. Summarized below is the result of this study, which includes formal interviews with the following parties.
We also received input from the following Evergreen community members
We found that housing administration and residents share interests in pursuing sustainability, though they have strikingly different motivations and definitions of sustainability. Housing administrators are currently working to incorporate sustainability into their daily operations. Our interviews with administrators revealed a willingness to expand this commitment, with a few reservations. Students, too, sought to make their housing experience more sustainable, but the focus of students’ motivation varied tremendously. Like the administrators, students held reservations about a more sustainability-focused housing system.
When asked about their views of sustainability, housing administrators say that they are in support of sustainability, but have difficulty defining and normalizing sustainability practices in their operations. Because sustainability touches all parts of housing operation, from resident life, to purchasing, to facilities, it is difficult to find ways to move towards sustainability without negatively impacting some aspect of housing. Housing is responsible for maintaining a neutral operating budget. As such, it considers both short and long-term financial viability as primary concerns when considering sustainability.
Most of housing’s efforts to contribute to sustainability have come from the facilities department, which has a well-developed definition of sustainability. Sustainability is also a part of the residential life program through a new themed housing program. Beginning in the 2004-2005 academic year, housing has designated two of its dormitories as special interest housing, including one Sustainability House. In establishing this program, the housing administration demonstrated its motivation to extend sustainability into residential life.
Student perspectives on sustainability vary greatly. Similar to housing administrators, students have a difficult time defining sustainability and determining where to effectively focus their efforts. This is difficulty is especially evident in the sustainability house, which, despite high aspirations, largely failed to organize any activities regarding sustainability. Sustainability house residents cite difficulties with approval from housing administrators.
Residents (not necessarily those currently living in the sustainability house) also express concern about having to make significant lifestyle changes in pursuit of sustainability. Many residents suggest making sustainable living more accessible (e.g. installing solar panels, extra recycling bins).
Knowledge of viable alternatives is necessary to create change. While our framework does allow an innovative construction of alternative structures, much can be learned from an examination of similar structures in place at similar institutions. The following section is a summary of various ways to address the problems identified through our assessment.
We recognize that there are many ways that facilities department can help develop a more sustainable living environment. We are less interested in this angle because facilities is primarily concerned with physical operations. Consequently, this is a difficult avenue to involve students with sustainability issues.
Our assessment of the current sustainability program identified a lack of common values among students, poor communication among residents, and unstructured communication between residents and housing administrators. In response to a lack of common values, we suggest a program to better identify and group students with shared interests. To strengthen communication, the program should provide more clarity of vision within smaller communities, and better channels of communication between the residents and housing administrators.
Many residents are dissatisfied with their lack of community experience while in Evergreen housing. Often, residents leave housing prior to the end of their academic experience at Evergreen. Strengthening community would be a productive step towards retaining residents and improving overall resident satisfaction. Part of creating vibrant community environments is in facilitating residents in finding meaningful ways of connecting with each other through shared interests, such as sustainability. Residents could be grouped by interest, such as sustainability activism, by implementing comprehensive entrance surveys. Organizing students based on interest is an effective way to form a strong sustainability program. By concentrating subcultures, these communities would contribute to a more vibrant living experience.
There are a variety of methods for roommate matching, from random computer generated matches to personality and lifestyle surveys. Many universities and colleges use computer or paper surveys to make matches, or provide students with possible matches. Universities and colleges mentioned were University of Washington, University of Texas at Austin, and Calvin College. Many Resident Directors are turning to web based surveys such as WebRoomz.
The Roommate Matching Game: Should you assign roommates or let students find their own? By Michael Fickes. From the College Planning and Management journal, vol. 6, No. 8, Aug 2005
For living-learning communities to be effective and cohesive, there must be a shared vision from the onset of the community. RAs can facilitate residents crafting an effective vision and mission statement at the beginning of the academic year, and keeping the vision current with resident’s values throughout the year. Mutual understanding between residents and with housing is essential for a successful themed housing. This requires students to be willing and able to understand and listen to each other. Residents also must be in honest communication with housing administrators to be in alignment with their vision and goals.
A Review of Past and Current Connections: The Residential Nexus: A Focus on Student Learning, The Association of College and University Housing Officers-International
Housing must support resident action. Resident projects and programs must be developed with residents and housing working together, integrating resident work with housing structure. An administrative representative could be present at crucial interest-based communities meeting to dialogue with residents about both resident’s and housing administrator’s needs and values. This representative should also dialogue with other administrators to facilitate implementing resident’s plans.
The National Association of College and University Residence Halls, Inc. provides support and information for RAs or similar representatives on how to best provide communication support for their residents communicating within their community and with Housing administration.
Some examples of resident projects that might become part of housing structure are listed below.
Cooperative Living: The University of Vermont has a Cooperative Living housing option, called Slade Hall. Cooperative Living gives students opportunities to build strong community as well as move towards a more sustainable lifestyle. The structure supports learning and applying social, environmental and financially responsible behavior. Activities include communal shopping and cooking, buying environmentally friendly products and public transit use.
Outreach Programs: Harvard University has started a program to train volunteers and employees, called REPs, to educate residents about environmental issues. From the Harvard REP website: “REP is a peer-to-peer educational program, helping students to teach other students how to reduce waste production, decrease resource consumption, and promote sustainable dorm habits. REP provides an effective avenue of communication between students and university decision-makers concerning resource use on campus.”
Easily Accessible Information: Several organizations have written guides to living more sustainably. The application of these guides for residents may be limited due to the lack of control over major living environment decisions. Yet, information on topic such as purchasing food (for non-freshmen), alternative transportation, careers in sustainability, and other how-to guides would be helpful for many residents. This information may be how-to guides, a resource library, posters or signs in the resident’s living environments, or workshops.
Guide to the Green Life: Food. Includes basic information about
buying in bulk, buying organic foods, from local retailers, and being
vegetarian.
Funding for Student Originated Projects: A program to provide financial support for highly motivated resident sustainability activists would strengthen the sustainability program, adding to the positive impact of the program as well as fuel more motivation for activism. At Duke University, $50,000 is available for campus-wide student projects, with approval by administration.
With a guiding mission, positive understanding of the current situation, and knowledge of alternatives, we are prepared to develop a proposal that describes the path to change. Our research up to this point has given us a good idea of what elements our solution will likely include. The next weeks will be devoted to synthesizing these ideas into a workable program.
Once the program has been created, the viability of the program will be determined through analysis. This will depend primarily on review by housing administration. Further assessment may be desired which could, conceivably, be achieved through student surveys. Complications, ineffectiveness, and incompatibilities can be addressed by reworking the proposal.
We will develop a plan for the implementation of our program to aid housing administration in full implementation of the program. This will increase the viability of our program’s success in Fall 2005. Our rollout plan will describe the steps to a sustainability program and who is responsible for taking them.
As a way to raise awareness of our proposal and gain support for its
implementation, we will present our findings to the campus community
through various means. This will likely include a report submitted to
housing administration and upper campus administration, an announcement
in the campus newspaper, and a presentation for community members.
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