Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 75.93
Liaison Merry Rankin
Submission Date Aug. 30, 2013
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

Iowa State University
ER-1: Student Sustainability Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.00 / 5.00 Merry Rankin
ISU Director of Sustainability
Facilities Planning & Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total number of degree-seeking students enrolled at the institution:
31,040

Program name (1st program):
CyGold

Number of students served by the program to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (1st program):
31,040

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (1st program):

CyGold is a student organization focused on financial literacy peer education and mentoring. Topics include general banking, credit cards, money management, stocks and portfolio diversification and products, retirement accounts, insurance, financial aid, credit, credit score, and credit reports. Examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities include financial literacy presentations in residence halls, fraternities, and sororities. In addition, other student organizations can contact CyGold requesting a presentation.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (1st program):

Student educators are interviewed by CyGold leadership and faculty in the department of Human Development and Family Studies. Iowa State University is also one of six colleges or universities nationally that has a Financial Counseling Clinic, whose staff aids in the selection process.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (1st program):

CyGold developed its financial literacy presentation in harmony with Iowa State’s Office of Student Financial Aid. Students are trained on information given to them from the Office. Having compiled all the components of financial aid into one presentation, CyGold members are prepared to answer various student questions that may be brought up. In addition, Iowa State’s Financial Counseling Clinic provides development and training of CyGold’s peer educators based on a set curriculum.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (1st program):

The organization is advised by an enrollment services adviser in Iowa State’s Office of Student Financial Aid. This is a staff member who answers any questions, approves purchases, and signs off on important club decisions. As a student organization, Iowa State also provides part of its student activities budget to CyGold to fund its operations. Finally, the Financial Counseling Clinic has professional staff members that are provided as support to CyGold.


The website URL for 1st Program:
Program name (2nd program):
Department of Residence Sustainability Coordinators & Recycling Chairs

Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (2nd program):
9,930

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):

The ISU Department of Residence has one Sustainability Coordinator per residence hall or on-campus apartment, as well as one Recycling Chair within each house, representing one floor or wing of a floor in each building. These two positions are held by students, and are tasked with talking about the importance of recycling, managing recycling issues, utilizing sustainability materials provided to them with residents, and involving residents with events like RecycleMania. Sustainability Coordinators may also choose to create their own sustainability-related events for their buildings.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):

Residents living in university housing can choose to run for either position after the house leader (Community Advisor) describes them in detail. Although their peers elect these two positions, an employee of the Department of Residence (DOR) must approve all appointments. This staff member is the advisor for the GreenHouse Group, a student organization that works closely with the DOR in promoting sustainability in the residence halls and on-campus apartments.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (2nd program):

The GreenHouse Group (GHG) creates training for the Sustainability Coordinators and Recycling Chairs, which is approved by GHG’s staff advisor on behalf of the Department of Residence (DOR). Furthermore, the ISU Facilities Planning & Management Department and DOR Hall Directors, which are paid staff members, also approve the training. Finally, a course is set up for students elected to these positions on the university’s Blackboard website, which is a required component of their training.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (2nd program):

Each residence community’s Hall Council provides funding for the Sustainability Coordinators, while the Recycling Chairs are funded by the respective House Cabinets. The university provides all these funds. In addition, these educators receive staff support from Hall Directors and the Department of Residence’s Green Team, consisting of residence staff members, as well as support from the GreenHouse Group’s advisor, who also works for the Department of Residence.


The website URL for 2nd program:
Program name (3rd program):
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Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (3rd program):
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (3rd program):
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A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (3rd program):
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The website URL for 3rd program:
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Program name (All other programs):
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Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (All other programs):
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (All other programs):
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (All other programs):
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (All other programs):
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A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (All other programs):
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The website URL for all other programs:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The information for CyGold was provided by Jared Knight (jfknight@iastate.edu), ISU's Government of the Student Body President for 2012-2013, and one of the founders of CyGold.

The information for the Recycling Chairs and Sustainability Coordinators was provided by Carolyn Duven (cduven@iastate.edu), a Hall Director in ISU's Department of Residence.

The number of students reached by CyGold is listed as the total ISU enrollment for Fall 2012. This is because CyGold can give a presentation to any requesting student organization, and since any student can join a student organization, all students can benefit from CyGold's peer-to-peer education.

The number served by the Sustainability Coordinators and Recycling Chairs equals the most recent number of residents in the Department of Residence, since all residents have a Recycling Chair and Sustainability Coordinator that works with them.


The information for CyGold was provided by Jared Knight (jfknight@iastate.edu), ISU's Government of the Student Body President for 2012-2013, and one of the founders of CyGold.

The information for the Recycling Chairs and Sustainability Coordinators was provided by Carolyn Duven (cduven@iastate.edu), a Hall Director in ISU's Department of Residence.

The number of students reached by CyGold is listed as the total ISU enrollment for Fall 2012. This is because CyGold can give a presentation to any requesting student organization, and since any student can join a student organization, all students can benefit from CyGold's peer-to-peer education.

The number served by the Sustainability Coordinators and Recycling Chairs equals the most recent number of residents in the Department of Residence, since all residents have a Recycling Chair and Sustainability Coordinator that works with them.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.