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Report Card 2010

Pomona College

Student Survey

With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.

Name: Alexander Tran
Position (in student organization): Co-President of Campus Climate Challenge
Date survey submitted: June 23rd

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.

Name of organization: Campus Climate Challenge
Number of active members: 20
Website: http://groups.google.com/group/pomona-ccc
Date of last meeting: May 10th 2009
Frequency of meetings: once a week
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
We have been advocating for trayless by measuring food waste and pressuring Dining Services. We also helped put on several organic lunches and an organic dinner throughout the year. We helped send students to Powershift 2009. We also helped the Pomona's organic farm build the "SolTrain," a portable solar power station.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008: All dining halls in Pomona Campus will be going trayless next year. The organic dinner was a popular success. We sent 20 students to Powershift 2009. We completed the "SolTrain."

SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ ] No

[x] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition: Dorm Energy Challenge
Year initiated: 2006
Frequency of competition: 2 times, once in 2006/2007, and once in 2007/2008
Participants: 2006/2007: Pomona College students, 2007/2008: all five of the Claremont Colleges (nearly 6,000 students)
Incentives: President signing on to President's Climate Commitment Act, $2000 for green dorm prize, $2000 REC for dorms in 2007-2008.
Goal of competition: educate college population and reduce energy waste/GHG emissions
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced: 6%
Lasting effects of competition: President's Climate Commitment, renewed sustainability activism at the colleges, increased interest in energy issues, food policy, and environmental justice
Website: none

SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No

[ x] Yes. Please describe: We have an Environmental Affair Commissioner who oversees student government and administration's involvement with sustainability. He or she also coordinates an organic dinner and leaves a new green project legacy year to year.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:

Trayless Tuesdays; PowerVote Campaign; two trips to Powershift; student audit as a precursor to the professional college energy audit; and Pomona College magazine distribution reduction

5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:

Pomona College Organic Farm, Sustainability Action Fellows, Environmental Quality Commission, Food Rescue, Green Bikes, the Sustainability Integration Office Assistants

Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):

Campus Climate Challenge (loosely)

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Name: Kazandra De La Torre
Position (in student organization): Clean Sweep Manager 2009
Date survey submitted: July 21, 2009

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Clean Sweep
Number of active members: 25
Website: www.pomona.edu/sustainability
Date of last meeting: July 14, 2009
Frequency of meetings: bi-weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:

Clean Sweep is a sustainability program held at the end of every spring semester where 25 students go through every dorm room on campus to collect as many good and functioning items that have been abandoned or donated as possible. Items that have high resale value for the college community are stored on campus over the summer. Other materials – like clothing, shoes, and bedding – are given away to international aid organizations, local charities and animal shelters. The items collected during Clean Sweep are sold to incoming freshman during the Fall Sale – ReCoop’s main event on campus – and it takes place the weekend freshmen move-in. For the remainder of the school year, ReCoop, the official storefront of the Clean Sweep endeavor, holds regular store hours, open to all students and faculty.

Main issues addressed are the reuse and recycling of items within the Pomona College community, and a means for financial sustainability so the project can continue each year with its own revenue.

The Clean Sweep program is part of the larger Clean Sweep/ReCoop initiative that includes the Clean Sweep “Sweep Week”, the Fall Sale, and ReCoop and its corresponding smaller sales throughout the year.

Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:

Fall Sale 2008: A big step toward financial sustainability of the Clean Sweep/ReCoop program and towards reduction in the amount of new products first years (and all students in general) buy.

SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitionsfor your campus and/or with other colleges?
[X] No. Other groups on campus do so.

SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[] No
[x ] Yes. Please describe: Environmental Affairs Commissioner and Environmental Quality Committee.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities orprojects that you or your group has initiated at your school:

As mentioned in question 1, the Clean Sweep/ReCoop initiative runs Clean Sweep, ReCoop, and the Fall Sale.

5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if
available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact
information of the student leaders, if possible:

The Farm

Green Bikes

Campus Climate Challenge

Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group
is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge,
Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability
coalition):

Campus Climate Challenge

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Name: Samantha Kanofsky
Position (in student organization): ASPC Commissioner of Environmental Affairs
Date survey submitted: 7/20/09

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Environmental Quality Committee
Number of active members: 15
Website: N/A
Date of last meeting: April 22, 2009
Frequency of meetings: Weekly/Bi-weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: Food, Waste, Social Events, Environmental Justice, Transportation, Open Space, Green Building, Education, Collaboration with other environmental and social justice groups
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:

SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ x ] No-- Campus Climate Challenge runs the challenges
[ ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:

#2 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:

SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe: The Environmental Affairs Commissioner oversees programming and events by coordinating the Environmental Quality Committee and collaborating with the Sustainability Coordinator to fund education, outreach, and action surrounding sustainability. The EAC also represents the EQC to the student senate, ensuring that no decision gets made without consideration of the environment.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:

- Earth Week Events (including annual organic dinner planned and cooked entirely by students)

- Speakers (Paul Baker, Dorceta Taylor, the Bus Riders Union, Susan Koppelman, etc)

- Study Breaks

- Etc

5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:

Pomona College Organic Farm

Campus Climate Challenge

The Food Committee

Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.

6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):

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Name: Andrew Dugowson
Position (in student organization): "second in command"
Date survey submitted: 16 July 2009

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Food Rescue
Number of active members: ~20ish counting recently graduated seniors
Website: No active website, but you can see more here: http://pomona.edu/events/news/NewsItems/051509foodrescue.asp
Date of last meeting: Summer phone conversations

Frequency of meetings: twice a week during the year

Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: This program, started by students, “rescues” approximately 400 meals per week from the dining halls to feed homeless people through shelters and food banks. Every night during the academic year, student volunteers pick up leftover prepared food from dinner in the dining halls and deliver it to a family shelter, and on weekdays another organization picks up unserved food from lunch to donate to three local organizations. This program started before August 2008, but since then we’ve been working on expanding to all five Claremont Colleges campus and on hopefully using reusable containers for the food delivered.

Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008: We’ve spent most of our time focusing on the program’s activities, but we have made some progress and had some conversations on expanding and reusable containers.

SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ x] No

SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please describe: Environmental Affairs Commissioner and Environmental Quality Committee.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:

Just food rescue.

5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:
Other surveys will list this.

Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):
LA food bank

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Name: Cameron Windham
Position (in student organization): Shop Manager
Date survey submitted: 29 June 2009

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Pomona Green Bike Shop
Number of active members: 58 students on shop-provided Green Bikes last spring, 4 volunteers, 4 staff members (including me)
Website:
Date of last meeting: May 29th
Frequency of meetings: multiple meetings monthly

Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: incorporated electronic filing systems for bike tracking and shop operations, making our shop paperless and more capable; increased the number of active Green Bikes from 21 to 58; doubled bike service, maintenance and educational capacities of the shop; increased the number of clinics offered and created more room in the Green Bike acquisition process for hands-on learning by the participants.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008: each of these items has been completed

SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[X] No

SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[] No
[x] Yes. Please describe: The Associated Students of Pomona College includes an Environmental Affairs Commissioner, who heads the Environmental Quality Committee. This committee and position are dedicated to on-campus sustainability issues and bringing sustainability issues to student senate.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
Green Bikes takes the unwanted bikes left on racks around campus at the end of the academic year, as the grounds maintenance crews clip them from the racks and normally discard them. We reuse hundreds of pounds of bike material annually, and reduce the number of bikes brought to and abandoned on campus by offering an alternative. Parts that are too damaged or worn to be used in the program (rims, handlebars, frames, spokes) are recycled locally.

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Name: Stephanie Pham
Position (in student organization): ReCoop Manager (2008-2009)
Date survey submitted: July 21, 2009

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: ReCoop
Number of active members: 10, with 6 available employees
Website: www.pomona.edu/sustainability
Date of last meeting: July 14, 2009
Frequency of meetings: twice a month

Key issues addressed and progress made on each issue since August 2008:

1. Marketing

The ReCoop is still in its infancy and word is still spreading about our goal of sustainability and reuse. We have been working hard to get the word out by sending out student digester messages on a weekly basis about store hours, as well as talking to as many people as possible about our mission. Not only that, but we have been putting on as many event sales as possible to prove to the student population that our existence is vital to Pomona’s campus life. Indeed, as each incoming class is able to participate in the Fall Sale, the word has been spreading about our sustainability cause and the enthusiasm has been incredibly consistent.

2. Lack of inventory

The majority of our better inventory is wiped out during the first two weeks of the semester during the Fall Sale and Fall Sale pt. 2 and, ordinarily, students do not feel inclined to donate too many items during the school year when they are actually using them. Thus, ReCoop does not have enough stock coming in to sustain steady and continuous business throughout the school year. We have been working on addressing this issue by reducing our store hours, as well as scheduling hours during peak traffic time.

3. Loss of experience

At the end of this past semester, 50% of the ReCoop’s original management team graduated, leaving behind only 3 members to carry on the responsibility of running Clean Sweep and ReCoop. However, this is not the first time ReCoop has had to deal with a loss of experience due to graduation. The 3 founding members graduated soon after the ReCoop officially was up and running and it took those remaining members a decent amount of time to piece together the information the founding members had already figured out. At this point, the best solution is to have all members of the current management team sit down and hash out every single situation that they have had to deal with over the years, creating a ReCoop binder with all of the information in order to be able to pass it down to the new management team.

SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ X] No

Instead …

i. ReCoop

The ReCoop operates as a storefront, working to further the concepts of sustainability and reuse on campus. It is located in a small room on the second floor of the Walker Residence Hall on Pomona’s north campus. It is run by students for students and is open on a weekly basis. The ReCoop accepts donations of useful items (ranging from costumes to coffee makers, pencils to picture frames) and sells them, as well as the many items collected during Clean Sweep, at a nominal cost to other students. The revenue generated covers the operation costs of the ReCoop and Clean Sweep. If and when the venture earns a “profit,” the money will be used to support local charities.

ii. Fall Sale

The Fall Sale is the ReCoop’s main event on campus, where the items collected during Clean Sweep are sold to incoming freshman. It takes place during the weekend of freshman move-in, to take advantage of the fact that students are on campus with their parents, eager to furnish their new rooms. It is located in front of the Pendleton Pool Center, right behind the freshman dorms – a prime location to immediately and easily move big items, such as couches and fridges, straight into the dorms. This successfully makes the ReCoop a first resort for students to purchase new furniture and room décor, instead of going straight to such places as Target, Wal-Mart, and Bed, Bath, & Beyond where they would be purchasing entirely new items to bring onto campus and contributing to an even greater carbon footprint. During the sale, the actual ReCoop storefront is closed and employee effort is concentrated at the Pendleton Pool location.

Fall Sale pt. 2 takes place the following weekend and is targeted more so at returning students. This time around, the actual ReCoop storefront will be open and the Pendleton Pool location closed. Efforts will be focused more on selling the inventory’s smaller items – such as posters, pillows, and cleaning supplies – simply because of the fact that most returning students will already have futons, lamps, and couches. The ReCoop also offers extended hours during the following week to provide convenience to those students arriving on campus later.

The ReCoop’s first Fall Sale in August 2008 successfully brought in $8300 worth of revenue and, more importantly, put into motion a tradition of having freshman purchase their couches, fridges, etc. from the ReCoop. Fall Sale pt. 2 brought in another $900 worth of revenue, contributing to a total of $9100 during the first two weeks of operation in the ’08-’09 school year.

iii. Miscellaneous sales

After the main Fall Sale event, the ReCoop returns to its normal operating hours from 7-9PM on Sundays and Wednesday during most weeks of the semester. ReCoop also hosts a mid-semester sale event each semester targeted at selling items that do not normally sell well during regular hours – such as clothes, costumers, miscellaneous toy items, etc. They are held in conjunction of the two main party events on campus – Harwood Halloween during the fall semester and Smiley ‘80s during spring semester – with extended hours to appeal to the student population.

The ReCoop’s first Halloween Sale in October 2008 brought in an estimated $200 worth of revenue with a number of clothing and costume items – items that would otherwise never have been sold – having been cleared out at about $.50 or $1 per piece.

SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ X] No

OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:

Clean Sweep

Clean Sweep is a sustainability event held at the end of every spring semester where 25 students – paid to work a total of 35 hours each over the course of 5 days – physically and tediously go through every single dorm room on campus to collect as many good and functioning items that have been abandoned or donated as possible. It takes place the week after graduation, after the majority of the student population has left for the summer, with the student workers living on campus in the student residence halls. This effort helps find new homes for those items collected and greatly assists the housekeepers, who face the daunting task of cleaning the dorms for summer use. Items that have high resale value for the college community (fridges, fans, lamps, rugs, furniture, and other décor) are stored on campus over the summer. Other materials – like clothing, shoes, and bedding – are given away to international aid organizations, local charities and animal shelters.

Clean Sweep 2007 and 2008 each resulted in enough inventories to fill two 40’x8’x10’ storage containers, two 15’x10’ storage rooms, and the 15’x8’ ReCoop store – from top to bottom.

Clean Sweep

The Farm

Green Bikes

Campus Climate Challenge

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