Campus Sustainability Officers: The Emergence and Maintenance of a New Career Gordon Rands 1, Barbara Ribbens 1 & John Bingham 2 (1) Western Illinois University, USA; (2) Brigham Young University, USA GIN2006, Cardiff, Wales

Overview The Campus Sustainability Movement The Campus Sustainability Movement History History Areas of Focus Areas of Focus Key Stakeholders in Campus Greening Key Stakeholders in Campus Greening Sustainability Coordinators – Activities & Duties Sustainability Coordinators – Activities & Duties Research Project Research Project Preliminary Findings Preliminary Findings Relevance for Faculty Relevance for Faculty Relevance for Industry Relevance for Industry Concluding Thoughts Concluding Thoughts

The Campus Sustainability Movement - History Key People, Events & Organizations since 1990 Key People, Events & Organizations since 1990 David Orr: environmental literacy through studying campus resource flows; books & articles (1990/2/4), Oberlin environmental studies program and building David Orr: environmental literacy through studying campus resource flows; books & articles (1990/2/4), Oberlin environmental studies program and building Tony Cortese: gaining institutional commitment – the Talloires Declaration (1990) (subsequently ULSF); educational resources – Second Nature Tony Cortese: gaining institutional commitment – the Talloires Declaration (1990) (subsequently ULSF); educational resources – Second Nature NWF Campus Ecology Program (1992) – involving students in environmental issues & campus greening NWF Campus Ecology Program (1992) – involving students in environmental issues & campus greening Faculty, students and staff at various universities – engaging in campus energy and waste audits, other actions Faculty, students and staff at various universities – engaging in campus energy and waste audits, other actions

The Campus Sustainability Movement - History Heinz Family Foundation: Campus Environmental Summit (1994) generated “Blueprint for a Green Campus” report – 50 states, 22 nations Heinz Family Foundation: Campus Environmental Summit (1994) generated “Blueprint for a Green Campus” report – 50 states, 22 nations Ball State University: Greening the Campus conference (1996); has become a biennial networking and information dissemination event Ball State University: Greening the Campus conference (1996); has become a biennial networking and information dissemination event Society for College & University Planning (SCUP): Campus Sustainability Day (2003); “Campus of the Future Conference” (2006) – involving other college professional associations Society for College & University Planning (SCUP): Campus Sustainability Day (2003); “Campus of the Future Conference” (2006) – involving other college professional associations EFS-West: 2004 conference; AASHE 2005 – professional association EFS-West: 2004 conference; AASHE 2005 – professional association

The Campus Sustainability Movement - Areas of Focus Energy Energy Materials (Waste/Reuse/Reduction/Recycling) Materials (Waste/Reuse/Reduction/Recycling) Landscaping Landscaping Transportation Management Transportation Management Water Conservation Water Conservation Pollution Control & Prevention Pollution Control & Prevention Purchasing Purchasing Capital Improvements/Buildings Capital Improvements/Buildings Administrative Administrative Educational Educational

Key Stakeholders & Structures in Campus Greening Stakeholders Stakeholders Students Students Faculty Faculty Staff, especially Physical Plant and Dining/Housing Staff, especially Physical Plant and Dining/Housing Administrators Administrators Structures Structures Multi-stakeholder task force or committee Multi-stakeholder task force or committee Allocate duties among existing staff Allocate duties among existing staff Hire a part- or full-time sustainability coordinator Hire a part- or full-time sustainability coordinator Estimated to be ~ 500 sustainability coordinators in North America Estimated to be ~ 500 sustainability coordinators in North America

Sustainability Coordinators – Activities & Duties Internal education & outreach: students, staff, faculty Internal education & outreach: students, staff, faculty External relations: vendors, community, peers External relations: vendors, community, peers Work with the sustainability council Work with the sustainability council Provide resources: expertise, coordination, networking Provide resources: expertise, coordination, networking Manage budgets Manage budgets Supervise consultants and student interns/employees Supervise consultants and student interns/employees Develop grant proposals and action recommendations Develop grant proposals and action recommendations Plan and implement projects Plan and implement projects Evaluate initiatives and disseminate results Evaluate initiatives and disseminate results Teach courses Teach courses

Research Project - Influences Ecologically Sustainable Organizations Ecologically Sustainable Organizations Organizational sustainability requires sustainable interactions with entities at the ecological, individual, organizational, political-economic, and social- cultural levels Organizational sustainability requires sustainable interactions with entities at the ecological, individual, organizational, political-economic, and social- cultural levels Individual level entails development of employees with pro-sustainability knowledge, attitudes and skills Individual level entails development of employees with pro-sustainability knowledge, attitudes and skills Careers Careers Boundaryless career – no predictable, regular sequence of jobs that make up a career Boundaryless career – no predictable, regular sequence of jobs that make up a career Motivation and control of a career increasingly the responsibility of the individual Motivation and control of a career increasingly the responsibility of the individual Organizational Citizenship Organizational Citizenship Individuals motivated to go above and beyond job requirements Individuals motivated to go above and beyond job requirements Motivation linked to commitment to the pro-social nature of the work itself or of the mission of the organization Motivation linked to commitment to the pro-social nature of the work itself or of the mission of the organization

Research Project - Questions Nature of the Career – what are the duties, activities & skills of sustainability coordinators? Nature of the Career – what are the duties, activities & skills of sustainability coordinators? Career Path – what are the common academic backgrounds & prior job experiences? Career Path – what are the common academic backgrounds & prior job experiences? Career Satisfaction – what are the sources of fulfillment and frustration? Career Satisfaction – what are the sources of fulfillment and frustration? Career Effectiveness – what factors influence effectiveness as a sustainability coordinator? Career Effectiveness – what factors influence effectiveness as a sustainability coordinator? Career Maintenance – how do individuals manage their careers? Career Maintenance – how do individuals manage their careers? Motivation – what are the sources of motivation for sustainability coordinators, and for those who work with them? Motivation – what are the sources of motivation for sustainability coordinators, and for those who work with them?

Research Project – Data Collection Focus Groups Focus Groups Survey Survey Follow-up Interviews Follow-up Interviews Identification of Key Supporters Identification of Key Supporters Survey/Interviews Survey/Interviews

Preliminary Findings Nature of the Career Nature of the Career Duties – many and variable; and extend well beyond formal job description; are what the individual makes of the position Duties – many and variable; and extend well beyond formal job description; are what the individual makes of the position Activities – identifying and investigating areas of unsustainability, project planning and implementation; education & motivation of others, especially students Activities – identifying and investigating areas of unsustainability, project planning and implementation; education & motivation of others, especially students Skills – communication, networking and outreach, motivation and empowerment of students, staff and faculty; building support and securing resources from administrators Skills – communication, networking and outreach, motivation and empowerment of students, staff and faculty; building support and securing resources from administrators Career Path Career Path Academic backgrounds – varied, including environmental studies, geography, urban planning, math/physics, engineering, public policy, law Academic backgrounds – varied, including environmental studies, geography, urban planning, math/physics, engineering, public policy, law Prior job experiences – recycling programs, environmental NGOs, policy analysis, planning, teaching; environmental activism as a student Prior job experiences – recycling programs, environmental NGOs, policy analysis, planning, teaching; environmental activism as a student

Preliminary Findings Career Satisfaction Sources of fulfillment – making the world a better place, working with students, empowering students, helping others get excited and take action, creating connections between groups, seeing the lights go on Sources of fulfillment – making the world a better place, working with students, empowering students, helping others get excited and take action, creating connections between groups, seeing the lights go on Sources of frustration – people not taking initiative or following through; relying too much on them; pace of change is slower than is needed; low involvement of people of color Sources of frustration – people not taking initiative or following through; relying too much on them; pace of change is slower than is needed; low involvement of people of color Career Effectiveness Career Effectiveness Factors that influence effectiveness – time available, administrative support (budget, access, interest), personal energy and ability Factors that influence effectiveness – time available, administrative support (budget, access, interest), personal energy and ability

Preliminary Findings Career Maintenance Career management activities – professional development courses, especially in the area of public administration and planning; avoiding burnout Career management activities – professional development courses, especially in the area of public administration and planning; avoiding burnout Motivation Motivation Sources of personal motivation – strong environmental values, opportunity to see the impact of their work, growth in interest on their campus and on other campuses, interaction with sustainability coordinators at other institutions Sources of personal motivation – strong environmental values, opportunity to see the impact of their work, growth in interest on their campus and on other campuses, interaction with sustainability coordinators at other institutions

Relevance for Faculty Coordinators will assume duties that environmentally concerned faculty may otherwise attempt to fill Coordinators will assume duties that environmentally concerned faculty may otherwise attempt to fill Can provide ideas for and access to on-campus course projects, as well as a resource to students Can provide ideas for and access to on-campus course projects, as well as a resource to students Can increase student attention to and excitement for sustainability in organizations, thus increasing interest in sustainability management courses Can increase student attention to and excitement for sustainability in organizations, thus increasing interest in sustainability management courses Campus sustainability activities can generate job- relevant skills and experience for students that can lead to placements, thus increasing administrative support for sustainable business education courses & programs Campus sustainability activities can generate job- relevant skills and experience for students that can lead to placements, thus increasing administrative support for sustainable business education courses & programs

Relevance for Industry Campus sustainability activities ultimately aim to create ecologically sustainable organizations Campus sustainability activities ultimately aim to create ecologically sustainable organizations Require and develop industry-relevant skills Require and develop industry-relevant skills Environmental problem identification and analysis Environmental problem identification and analysis Alternative generation and prioritization Alternative generation and prioritization Vendor interaction Vendor interaction Financial analysis Financial analysis Stakeholder analysis, including attention to org. politics Stakeholder analysis, including attention to org. politics Planning and implementation of change Planning and implementation of change Communication, persuasion and marketing Communication, persuasion and marketing Working in multidisciplinary teams, and in partnerships Working in multidisciplinary teams, and in partnerships Project evaluation Project evaluation

Concluding Thoughts Campus sustainability activities, facilitated by sustainability coordinators, offer a tremendous potential for: Campus sustainability activities, facilitated by sustainability coordinators, offer a tremendous potential for: Creating meaningful ecological benefits Creating meaningful ecological benefits Generating campus-community partnerships Generating campus-community partnerships Enhancing the status of and resources for sustainability management curricula Enhancing the status of and resources for sustainability management curricula Increasing sustainability skill development Increasing sustainability skill development Contributing to the greening of industry Contributing to the greening of industry As such, they deserve our support and involvement As such, they deserve our support and involvement