Growing a Student Environmental

Resource Center

Hanna Morris Manon von Kaenel

Katherine Walsh

AGENDA A  Brief  History  Determining  a  Need  for  a  Center  Challenges  Mission  and  Objec<ves  Growing  Support  and  Partnerships  Success  Learning  Outcomes  What’s  Next?  Q&A  

A BRIEF HISTORY

Hired  staff  Director  in  December  2013  and  officially  became  a  func<onal  area  within  the  LEAD  Center,  a  unit  of  the  ASUC  Student  Union.  

Func<oned  as  a  student  org  with  advising  from  TGIF  Coordinator;  hired  student  staff  to  

implement  programming.  

Received  funding  from  The  Green  Ini<a<ve  Fund  (TGIF)  and  the  Chancellor’s  Advisory  Commi\ee  

on  Student  Services  and  Fees  (CACSSF).    

Established  in  2012  by  students.    

2012-­‐2013  Directors  

2013-­‐2014  Directors  

DETERMINING NEED FOR A CENTER

Student  Environmental  

Resource  Center  

The  Green  Ini<a<ve  Fund  (TGIF)  needed  a  relatable  team  in  the  LEAD  Center.  

UC  Berkeley  offers  546  sustainability  courses  and  74  sustainability  degree  

programs-­‐  represents  20%  of  graduates.  

UC  Berkeley  has  75-­‐100  environmental  and  sustainability  focused  student  organiza<ons  who  need  advising  and  support  for  leadership  

development,  collabora<on,  projects,  campaigns,  etc.  

LEAD  Center  aims  to  provide  leadership  

development,  advising,  and  support  for  individual  students,  student  orgs,  

student  government,  and  campus  communi<es.  

TGIF  has  funded  over  220  student  sustainability  internships.  

CHALLENGES Developing  a  mission,  goals,  strategic  plan,  and  brand.  Determining  scope  of  SERC  and  its  services.  Securing  a  University  Departmental  home.  Securing  student  engagement  and  buy-­‐in  to  SERC.  Developing  partnerships.  Hiring  staff  (students  and  career  staff).  Securing  sustainable  funding.  Securing  permanent  campus  space.  Transi<oning  from  an  independent  student  organiza<on  to  a  University-­‐supported  center.    

MISSION The  Student  Environmental  Resource  Center  (SERC)  cul<vates  a  collabora<ve  space  to  strengthen  the  

collec<ve  effec<veness  of  the  sustainability  community,  and  provides  resources  for  students  to  actualize  their  visions  of  a  more  equitable,  socially  

just,  and  resilient  future.  

OBJECTIVES To  provide  ins<tu<onal  memory  and  leadership  transi<on  support  for  student  orgs,  projects,  and  ini<a<ves  

To  cul<vate  safe  space  for  civil  discourse  and  the  expression  of  diverse  opinions  

To  engage  students  in  applied  and  ac<ve  educa<on  

To  create  a  collabora<ve  working  space  

To  provide  advising,  financial,  and  leadership  development  resources  to  students  

To  offer  educa<onal  programming  and  skills-­‐based  trainings  

To  communicate  student-­‐focused  resources  and  opportuni<es  

To  build  community  centered  on  visions  of  a  more  equitable,  socially  just,  and  resilient  future  

GROWING SUPPORT & PARTNERSHIPS

Ø  College of Natural Resources Ø  Career Center Ø  LEAD Center and ASUC

Student Union Ø  Campus Recycling and Refuse

Services Ø  Office of Sustainability

Ø  Environmental and Sustainability Student Organizations

Ø  Berkeley Climate Action Coalition

Ø  California Student Sustainability Coalition

Who  shares  similar  

values  and  objec<ves?    

Whose  work  aligns  with  SERC’s  mission?  

What  can  SERC  offer  a  poten<al  partner?    

What  can  a  poten<al  

partner  offer  SERC?  

SUCCESS Over  30  events  hosted  and  co-­‐sponsored.  

Sent  10  students  to  PowerShig  

2014.  

Secured  temporary  space  in  two  loca<ons  

Launched  the  SERC  Blog  and  Words  of  the  Watershed  

SERC  students  taught  four  

semester-­‐long  “DeCal”  classes.  

Co-­‐hosted  a  “Mondo  Banana”  screening  with  the  SF  Green  Film  Fes<val.  

Hired  a  full-­‐<me  staff  director,  became  official  campus  unit.  

Secured  over  $230,000  in  

grant  funding  to  date.  

Secured  temporary  space  in  two  loca<ons.  

DEVELOPING LEARNING OUTCOMES Each  student  will  be  able  to  define  sustainability  and  the  3  E's  and  explain  their  interrela<on.  

Each  student  will  learn  how  to  use  SERC  and  the  Career  Center  to  benefit  their  personal  and  career  growth.  

Each  student  will  understand  his/her/their  organiza<on's  mission  and  goals,  and  be  able  to  ar<culate  the  mission  and  goals.  

Each  student  will  learn  to  create  collabora<ve  rela<onships  with  fellow  ECO  Advisory  Council  members  in  order  to  achieve  goals.  

Each  student  will  learn  how  to  apply  concepts  of  sustainability  to  their  campus  and  community  by  engaging  in  the  challenges  and  solu<ons  of  sustainability  on  their  campus.  (ACPA)  

WHAT’S NEXT? •  The Green Initiative Fund •  Zero Waste Research Center •  Student Environmental Training

Program •  SERC Workshop Series •  ECO Advisory Council •  SERC Career Series & Nourish •  SERC Blog •  Earth Week Leadership •  California Student Sustainability

Coalition Chapter •  Words of the Watershed Journal •  DeCal: Communicating

Sustainability •  DeCal: Introduction to Sustainability

& Environmentalism at UC Berkeley •  DeCal: Student Environmental

Activism

•  Mixed  Greens  Socials    •  Green  Cer9fica9on  for  Student  Orgs  •  SERC  Book  &  DVD  Library  •  Environmental  &  Sustainability  

Organiza9on  Database  •  The  Den:  Hibernated  Projects  

Clearinghouse  •  Peer  and  staff  advising  for  students  

and  student  orgs  •  Support  for  students  to  aSend  

sustainability  conferences  and  trainings  

•  Connec9ons  with  on  and  off-­‐campus  environmental  and  sustainability  resources  

•  Adver9sing  for  student  organiza9on  ac9vi9es  

 

CONTACT INFORMATION Student Environmental Resource Center

Hearst Gym 102 MC 4500 Berkeley, CA 94720 serc@berkeley.edu

510-643-2992 http://serc.berkeley.edu

QUESTIONS?