IEE Meeting Minutes 9/11/14
Minutes taken by Carla Grady
In attendance: Katie Gerber, Carla Grady, Shawn Brumbaugh, Alicia Virtue, Cheri McLean,
Aimee Drew, Dietrich Fraembs, Lamont Powell, Kasey Wade
Introductions
Shawn mentioned strategies re. approaching Chong about not labeling bond funds as
environmental in fear of off-putting community members – better to get him to commit
after the bond is passed – why not package it as “cost-saving measures” – greater efficiency
re. energy etc. (especially building upgrades & new buildings re. sustainability)
Need student voices pushing for this.
Cheri re. AS updates:
Lemont: Ss have talked to him about our ecological footprint on this campus property;
bond is pushing for new buildings. What if we were to get a ___ ? ___ from USGBC (US Green
Building Council) if we put solar panels everywhere – might make people more inclined to
vote for the bond?
Cheri says Tony wants examples of other colleges doing these projects that we are
proposing, before he will commit. Tony says that Butte college’s massive solar array is
actually not as econ. Feasible as it is made out to be: the panels only have a 3-5 year
lifespan. (T.I. is FULL OF IT!!! How can any solar panel only have a 3-5 yr. life expectancy?!)
Shawn – Gen. philosophy of leadership is that we’re never going to be innovators; we’re
always going to followers.
Cheri: meeting weekly with Vice-Chair for weekly tasks. Seven members on committee.
Future events:
CSSC – Cal. Students for Sustainability; they give grants – potential for future grants; they
are constantly growing and their networking is awesome
SRJC A.S. Sustainability will be featured in their state-wide newsletter
CSSC New Project: Students against fracking
Cheri wants to do a screening of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Slow food week for Thanksgiving w/ movie screening
Hosting some events through “Bear Cub Afterhours” every Thursday
Real Food Challenge connection
Working with Bev Henningson (Work Experience) to create an in-house (on campus)
internship for ENVST who need to do one; currently not planned as a paid internship
Cheri (& Lemont) We have so many clubs and so many committees and we’re all pulling
from the same pool of engaged students, yet meetings are at the same time, so students
have to choose. We should be collaborating with other student groups since we all have
similar goals – sustainability refers also to making people connect more so that they can
support each other’s projects and fund-raising.
Alicia: All three ideas of Insider, Sustainability Across the Curriculum, CalWorks Student
idea are all inter-related. Explains the CalWorks job idea of paying a student to be attached
to IEE and manage the Insider column, sustainability website, help us with pulling together
info. and get it out. We had approached CalWorks and their response was very favorable.
This could be a separate position that would coordinate with AS internships but not replace
them. Both could happen and work together.
Our message to & from Chong re. the bond
Our impact might be that we could develop this program ready to go – Sustainability Across
the Curriculum (SAC) idea; Chong said this to us when he first met us, that as IEE, our focus
should be education.
Our SAC would cherry-pick a few instructors that could be assisted by our interns to
incorporate sustainabilty within their courses
We (colleagues) would then not be the ones dictating to other colleagues how to teach. The
impetus would come from students.
Re. bond and new buildings: Strong desire in STEM to make buildings be classrooms where
students are contributing to design of projects—Chong says our niche is curricular
Katie – Tony is willing to divide up ???
Alicia: model = take a discipline or 3-4 disciplines, esp. ones that have no sustainability in
their curriculum, find 1-2 receptive people, then intern says: “I’ve looked through your
entire plan and here are a few places where you could insert sustainability in these places.”
Cheri: the paid one could be the project coordinator, who would meet with the others who
are creating the newsfeed. To be successful, make a position that is focused on one set of
activities but that connects to the other internships.
Bev H. (Work Study) says she is very interested in the idea and she would be willing to help
find funding, perhaps through Women in Philanthropy
Kasey: Another place sustainability across the curriculum could be initiated is through
Curriculum committee
Katie: once strategies are developed as part of Strategic Plan -Strategies still need to be created – that stage is now – where we are in the SP process. One
strategy could be working with the curriculum – adding sustainability to the curriculum
specifically. Giving ideas without making it a requirement.
Alicia: the soft approach, non-threatening, very positive is best: that other campuses are
doing it, and it seems like something we could implement successfully
Aimee: Broadening the scope – this would be a way to make people realize what IS
sustainability, and allows people to see it from many angles
Lamont: It briefs good, but what happens when it hits the ground? Having things that
benefit usually needs a 3-pronged approach: awareness, on campus/ facilities, and in the
curriculum
Cheri: facilities is the fruit we want to produce; right now we need a strong trunk – start
with curriculum and inspire students to want to do something that will help them
Ideas of reward system for students
Need something tangible
Make each position with a single focus, but need a connection -- which could be the
CalWorks position. The internships could be less commitment – fewer hours per week, but
internships could involve more students, and they would be appealing as resume material.
Part of CalWorks job description: coordinator of curriculum interns -- updating Students
for Sustainability Facebook page, Sustainability website page
liaison the sustainability interns through AS & with VP of Sustainability
Cheri’s interns would be responsible for doing events, student coordination, awareness
campaigns and facilities influence – creates greater networking
Meeting adjourned at 6:20pm.