Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.52
Liaison Ruairi O'Mahony
Submission Date Aug. 10, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Massachusetts Lowell
EN-1: Student Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.30 / 4.00 James Kohl
Dean of Student Affairs & Enrichment
Student Affairs
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Number of students enrolled for credit (headcount):
16,962

Total number of students enrolled for credit that are served (i.e. directly targeted) by a student peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education program (avoid double-counting to the extent feasible):
14,002

Percentage of students served by a peer-to-peer educator program:
82.55

Name of the student educators program:
Student Environmental Alliance

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (headcount):
14,002

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities:

The Student Environmental Alliance (SEA) promotes sustainability on campus and in the Greater Lowell area. The SEA is a student run organization that works with various organizations to help promote sustainable practices and educate others on the importance of environmental issues. In 2013, the SEA organized the Beat the Heat event.
http://www.uml.edu/Research/Climate-Change/SEA.aspx


A brief description of how the student educators are selected:

The organization is volunteer but seeks those with a background applicable to the mission. Most members have environmental studies and/or science backgrounds.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach:

Training is routed in the student’s classroom work and educational experience. Most members have environmental studies and/or science backgrounds.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination):

SEA has a faculty advisor and receives financial support from the Student Government Association.


Name of the student educators program (2nd program):
Climate Change Initiative

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (2nd program):
14,002

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

The Climate Change Initiative (CCI) brings faculty, students, and communities together to address one of the greatest challenges facing humanity: climate change. The Initiative draws its members from all six Colleges and Schools of UMass Lowell and from departments and disciplines as diverse as environmental science, public health, engineering, education, management, sociology, art, and others. The goal is to address climate change through education, research, and developing solutions to transition to a more sustainable and resilient society. The CCI continually conducts events and projects. One such project was the development of climate change education videos which were broadcast on all UML billboards. Once such event conducted in October 2014 was the Climate Change Teach In that was attended by over 600 students, staff, faculty and community members.


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

The organization is volunteer.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (2nd program):

Training is routed in the student’s classroom work and educational experience. Specific training has been given for specific projects, for example the World Climate Simulations.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination) (2nd program):

CCI provides stipends for students to work on specific projects. This funding comes from the research projects themselves. In general, involvement from Professors and students is donated time.


Name of the student educators program (3rd program):
Solar Energy Association

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (3rd program):
14,002

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):

The Solar Energy Association (Solar Club) is a graduate student organization composed of graduate students interested in renewable energy, especially solar energy. Their primary purpose is to communicate and learn together about the renewable energy field by discussing our own research and seeking out speakers of interest from industry and academia. They hope to promote solar and renewable energy as a field of study by advertising such presentations to the wider UMass Lowell community. The club works to support students in the Energy Engineering graduate program (Renewable option) by fostering collaboration on student projects, introducing energy research to new students, and helping students in the program get access to funds for research and professional development. They took part in the 2013 Beat the Heat campus event to promote renewable energy and table at various environmental related events. They also have an active Facebook page used to provide information about solar energy. https://www.facebook.com/Solarenergyassociation?fref=ts
https://umasslowellclubs.collegiatelink.net/organization/solarclub


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):

The organization is volunteer and the majority of membership is comprised of students enrolled in the Energy Engineering graduate program (Renewable Option), yet all interested graduate students are welcome to join.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (3rd program):

Training is routed in the student’s classroom work and educational experience. Most members Energy Engineering and/or science backgrounds.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination) (3rd program):

Solar Club has faculty advisors and receives financial support from the Student Government Association.


A brief description of all other student peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education programs, including the number of students served and how student educators are selected, trained, and supported by the institution:

UMass Lowell offers a variety of opportunities for students interested in sustainability and related outreach activities. These opportunities are mostly related to the student's area of study. All of the clubs listed have their own charters and objectives that promote different areas of sustainability.


Total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually (all programs):
---

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually is not measured.


The total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually is not measured.

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.