It is common for campus sustainability initiatives to be heavily student-led and student-driven, though students' participation is often limited to leading clubs and campaigns or sitting on committees. Yet there are many opportunities to bring sustainability into the classroom. Pomona College's student sustainability movement has spanned more than a decade, and the College has successfully involved students. Not only does this provide the College with assistance in implementing sustainability programs; it give students more meaningful opportunities for in-depth involvement in what is otherwise an extra-curricular activity. Students and faculty have used sustainability issues as topics for senior theses, independent studies, first-year seminars, and a variety of other classroom projects, and the College is now considering how to extend these opportunities, better utilizing the campus as a living laboratory. This presentation describes the opportunities, the strategies to promote them, and ways to overcome related difficulties.
Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges & Universities, 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501 (510)748-9001
