Residential Life Sustainability Coordinator
Sonoma State University’s Residential Life Department (Reslife) seeks motivated students to expand and enrich the department’s current sustainability efforts. The Residential Community is committed to doing our share in helping the University become a more sustainable SSU. Residential Life staff recognizes the valuable role we can play in educating and empowering our residents to move towards a more sustainable ideology and set of practices.
Throughout the year Residential Life staff coordinate the STEP Up for Sustainability initiative using educational campaigns and challenges in the residential community and beyond, focusing on three areas. The three areas are:
- Water and Energy Conservation
- Responsible Consumerism
- Resource Stewardship
ResLife Learning Outcomes for 2016-17
What Sonoma State students will learn in 2016-2017 regarding sustainability:
- Students will know Sonoma State’s commitment to sustainability, especially as it relates to water and energy conservation, responsible consumerism, and resource stewardship.
- Students will understand implications of their behavior and learn tools that meet the University's commitment to sustainability.
- Students will be able to demonstrate what practices they must engage in and actions they must take to live.
Job Description
Qualifications: Students from all majors are encouraged to apply. Ideal candidates will be:
- In their second, third, or fourth years at SSU
- Current or former on campus residents
- Interested in doing meaningful work for the university
- Knowledgeable/ curious about sustainable practices on campus
- Skilled in producing marketing materials as well as using social media
- Motivated to conduct self-directed projects
Details: The Sustainability Coordinator is expected to work up to 20 hours per week (this is negotiable) for the academic year (August through May). The Coordinator will meet weekly or bi-weekly with their Supervisor in the Reslife office. Coordinators are expected to pursue projects that they are passionate aboutand that will engage them with different members of the campus community.
Responsibilities:
1. Programming
a. Develop STEP Up program for 2016-2017 including criteria, incentives, rewards, and marketing.
*Develop social media presence for STEP Up including pictures, factoids, and discussion starters; increase student engagement with STEP Up through the above strategies, etc.
b. Work with Residential Life, CSAs, and village councils to foster sustainability, e.g., through programming.
*Create a sustainable programming kit (grab and go programs around sustainability topics including water/ energy use reduction, resource stewardship, and responsible consumerism), along with a sustainable community building checklist for general community building activities.
*Provide sustainability workshops for residential life student staff and village councils as needed.
*Assist with sustainability related CSA, TLA, and Peer Mentor community building activities.
*Contact event coordinators to plan recycling and composting at residential community events.
2. Administrative
a. Create a blog that highlights people and groups working on sustainability in the residential community.
b. Develop a contact list/ resource list related to sustainability for use by residential life staff when planning sustainability related events/ initiatives.
c. Conduct research and gather data on sustainability in the residential community based on personal interest and data needs for STEP Up’s learning outcomes.
3. Outreach
a. Seek opportunities to work with groups in the residential community on sustainability through gardening, composting, education of student groups, and working with villages and CSAs.
b. Promote discussion in the residential community, e.g., organizing a faculty/staff/student discussion series on sustainability.
c. Support departmental initiatives and committees related to sustainability through attendance, participation, etc.
d. Liaison with facilities to identify problems recycling/ waste locations and improve waste disposal and recycling within villages.
Learn more about sustainability Sonoma State at:
To apply, contact Julia Rose at with a resume, cover letter, and current schedule.