Environmental Caucus

Meeting notes May 1st, 2013

12:30pm-1:45pm, ARD, large Pod

Attendees: Liz Wiggen, Nick Koressel, Scott Perelstein, Meg Eastwood, David Bousquet, Kathee Rose, Kelsey Morales, Candace Giffon, Cherae Bilagody, Cori Cusker, Chris Harnois, Lauren Berutich, Allison Baker, Caryn Massey, Kevin Ordean, Karin Wadsack, Casey Fischer, Karla Brewster, John Morris, Eva Putzova, Avi Henn

I. Intro’s /Announcements:

  • Action Research Team Symposium. 5:30-8:00pm at Cline and the Union. Nau.edu/crafts. Keynote speaker Tom Hayden.
  • Green Drinks TONIGHT- 5:30pm at Zane Grey Ballroom. Through SEDI. Hosted by: Engineers without borders.
  • Department of residence life- new full-time sustainability coordinator. Lots of fantastic applicants. Cori Cusker is the new sustainability coordinator. Congrats Cori!
  • Clean-up day at the Southside community garden this Saturday from 1-4pm.
  • Impending reclaimed water shortage this summer. Trying to meet the demands. Encouraging customers that purchased reclaimed water to conserve or permitting the use of lower grad water or using portable water in the reclaimed water system. Possible recertify at grade A (instead of A+).
  • ISES (Institute for Sustainable Energy Solutions) presentation: Overview at NAU. What they will be doing next year on campus. Wind for Schools in the community. Energy literacy on campus is relatively low. Introducing freshman and sophomores to understand what renewable instillations we have on campus and ways to get involved. Will be going into classroom to educate. Making it relatable and translate for students to understand. Leading towards a ‘green energy’ culture here at NAU. Encouraging participation in ARTs and Green Fund. Bike generating station- hands on demonstration. *if you want to host a energy presentation in your class contact: .

II. Roundtable discussion: (15 min. each)

I. (Liz) Earth Week update- recap and highlights. Debriefing evaluation.

  • Go bigger! Lots of partners out there. Opportunity to engage campus and community. Make regionally. Larger scale- more money to bring in a bigger speak and more bands. Pushing envelope
  • Bring more vendors in. (example: Cliff Bar) outdoors organizations.
  • Keep an all-encompassing theme. Loved t-shirts and banner. Good engagement.
  • Farm to Fork: good as an awareness and education piece. Well received.
  • Campus Dining: nutrition and wellness events all week.
  • “4 Stories About Water-” very successful, highest attendance, great discussion afterward.
  • Appreciate efforts to get everything up on the website and out. Tracking what was successful is good.
  • Connect to bigger picture. (ie. Recycled Arts Show). Larger Event at the end. Funding.
  • Change involvement in Undie Run event.
  • Kick-off event more broadly!!!
  • Next Year: Earth Day Teach-in. Encourage to be creative. Bring everyone together- many options.
  • Narrow down to a couple main events for day or two.
  • Liked that you could plan your own event. Other groups may want to participate.
  • Umbrella theme was good. Guided how people could host events.
  • So many events. Overwhelming. Wonder how to distribute the work differently?
  • Someone from the Environmental Caucus at each event.
  • Smaller amount of events with a huge calendar. Small groups add on (self-sustaining).
  • Different theme every year. Stick to one theme and carry out? Liked the idea. Stick to one key concept.
  • Planning retreat- team for the year: homecoming.
  • Environmental Caucus Earth Week subcommittee. Help transition the Green Jacks and make the continuity- huge benefit.
  • Beneficial to have faculty and staff in the room to help plan.
  • Get more buy-in from admin, faculty, and staff.
  • Help students feel like their work is important and acknowledged.
  • Keep students leading the Earth Week planning process. Great learning opportunity for students.
  • Mixed feelings about Earth Week concept. Benefits for a series of events over the week- lots of opportunities. Con- over=saturating people. One day with focused events over one or two days.
  • Helpful to lead the efforts of the students. Great role for G.A. to work with students.
  • Most well organized Earth Week ever.
  • Sponsoring- bigger or more powerful in one day (central event). More money towards one big event, central location, lots of options. (Festival).
  • Clear leadership. Point person is good. Graduate student helps.
  • Green Fund Symposium: unsure of location this year. Better at the Union. Think about location more.
  • Participation: broader student body. Give something meaningful to do.
  • Energy mentor program. Use for vehicle to get involved in the events. Use formal programs.
  • Athletics: tie to a spring athletic team event. Set up booths there.
  • Campus sustainability week (October). 1 targeted event a day. Hands on learning, doing activities.
  • Energy mentors (faculty and staff) one of their tasks is to attend a campus sustainability event. Monthly newsletter. Vehicle for advertising. Bring together all the different programs. Utilize connection to city as well.

II. (Scott) Discussion on budget and nature of the caucus: Brainstorming alternative ways to sustain selves through this budget and other ways to fundraise. Root into who we are and what we are doing.

  • Very little to lose in requesting money from president’s office.
  • Some pushback on what the strings might be
  • Investigate other funding sources
  • Caucus needs to know what its identity is first to know how to behave and to know how to fund
  • If approached with the right attitude, more benefits than costs
  • The way we ask the President isvery important
  • Talk about this further at the retreat

III. (Nick) Retreat planning: Brainstorm what else members would want to discuss at the retreat.

  • STUDENT INVOLVEMENT: Best way to include students (own retreat?) Send representatives. Earlier enough in the semester to accommodate students. Send student representatives?
  • HOW LONG? Half a day? Smaller group of core dedicated people for a longer time. Get feedback prior for the retreat.
  • Seek out NEUTRAL FACILITATOR: Holly Yaeger
  • CONENT: Discuss accomplishment and goals
  • MAIN GOALS: what is role of the caucus? What is the caucus? (identity crisis). What does it mean to be a member? Is there a better structure for the caucus like moving to subcommittees? Explore this.
  • DO: Role of the caucus, revisit mission statements, action lists, strategic planning for the year, revisit past goals, strategic plans; decide how to complete goals for the next year; revisit CAP
  • TIME: Late august/early September; On campus or close; morning/breakfast
  • EXPLORE: How to get more people interested?;Desire more transparency and engagement; more democratically run.