The Center for a Sustainable Future is currently seeking to fill three Work Study positions for the 2021-22 academic year. Work hours will be for approximately 15 weeks per semester for an average of 8 hours week. Pay ranges from $10.15-11.25 per our based on credit hours accrued at the start of each semester. On campus work with a team of 5 students and the Director of the Center will offer real opportunities to identify and implement sustainability solutions on campus.
Students do not need to be Sustainability Studies majors, minors, or graduate certificate program students to apply, although some experience with or knowledge about sustainability is preferred.
Students will report to the Director of the Center for a Sustainable Future and work with campus faculty and staff as well as community partners. In addition to project goals, students will set their own learning and project goals by meeting one-on-one each semester with the Director to discuss personal and professional skills, areas of improvement, and project goal setting. Students will meet for one hour each week with the Director and/or team members to review project progress, plans, goals, issues, challenges, and successes. Team meetings will take place every other week as to review projects, support other students’ projects, and to communicate issues, opportunities, and brainstorm solutions. A field trip will be coordinated each semester to see sustainability in action in South Bend/Michiana and meet professionals at work.
About the Positions
Based on the IU South Bend Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating Systems (STARS) report results, students will be researching data, tracking and reporting systems, and best practices to address areas the campus falls short of targets. STARS, developed by and for members of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, provides a baseline for continuous improvement that informs strategic planning and budgeting related to sustainability and helps campuses make real progress toward sustainability goals.
Student projects will focus on 3 areas: campus engagement, planning, and operations.
ENGAGEMENT
- Develop new employee orientation and/or outreach and guidance materials that cover sustainability
- Learn how to assess baseline knowledge, how to design and deliver orientation and/or outreach materials, and evaluate results through the design of effective assessment.
- Develop annual professional development and training opportunities in sustainability for all staff
- Learn how to develop a training program built on prior knowledge about sustainability practices that will to foster sustainable behavior through active participation and engagement in the program.
- Increase the number and percentage of students engaged in community service by developing and conducting one event per semester
- Learn how to collaboratively plan and promote service events with other campus units or community partners to engage students in sustainability service events on campus and/or in the community
PLANNING
- Researching and recommending approaches to developing a campus climate action plan
- Learn how to research climate action plans on similar campuses, review their effectiveness, and recommend format and reporting systems that will be effective for the IUSB campus.
- Review campus data to identify baselines, craft compelling solutions, and outline a down to action plan
OPERATIONS
- Researching and recommending approaches to developing a water use reduction plan
- Researching and recommending approaches to developing a building energy use reduction & education program
- Identify baseline data and opportunities for reduction
- Learn about water use/energy reduction plans that are in place on other IU campuses
- Work with facilities and the Facilities Committee to make plans for water use reduction on the South Bend campus
- Work on IU-wide effort to conduct a Greenhouse Gas Emissions inventory for the South Bend campus
- Learn about data collection methods and software, collect and analyze data, and prepare a summary report for administration
Applications are currently being accepted through Handshake, the IU South Bend Career Services job portal. Click on IUSB Careers Student Login at https://students.iusb.edu/career-services/students-and-alumni/index.html to apply.
Send questions about the Krista Bailey, Director, Center for a Sustainable Future, at kob@iu.edu
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