UCLA Action Research Teams: A Model for Collaborative Student-Staff-Faculty Research to Improve Campus Sustainability

1. UCLA Action Research Teams:A Model for Collaborative Student-Staff-Faculty Research to Improve Campus Sustainability Erin Berlin UCLA Education for Sustainable Living Program Communications Director, 2011-12 Cully Nordby Institute of the Environment and Sustainability Academic Director Chair, UCLA Sustainability Committee AASHE – Los Angeles October 15, 2012

2. Education for Sustainable Living Program Lecture & Film Series Fall Quarter Environment 185A Action Research Teams Winter & Spring Quarters Environment 185B/C Originated with the California Student Sustainability Coalition Student-initiated, student-led ESLP is a year-long sequence

3. What is Action Research? • A dual commitment to study a system and concurrently to collaborate with members of the system in changing it in what is together regarded as a desirable direction.Gilmore et al. (1986) Consultation • Goals of UCLA Sustainability ARTs are to: • Conduct research that otherwise could not be done by staff • Provide leadership and professional development training • Foster collaborative community of students, faculty and staff • Make UCLA a model campus and leader in sustainability

4. Structure of ARTs • IoES faculty supervise the student-led ESLP courses • Student Directors of ESLP selected at end of spring for following academic year • Speaker Series: 2 Co-Directors • ART: 2 Co-Directors, 1 Communications Director • ART Directors attend UCLA Sustainability Committee meeting in Fall to discuss possible topics with potential stakeholders • Stakeholders come from a variety of departments including: • UCLA Chief Sustainability Officer • Facilities Management • Housing and Hospitality Services • Transportation • Office of Instructional Development • Health System • Capital Programs • ASUCLA – Student Association • UCLA Foundation • Recreation

5. Structure of ARTs • Team Leaders (3 units/qtr.) and Team Members (2 units/qtr.) recruited mainly via Fall Speaker Series • Mandatory weekly Team meetings • Team Leaders and Faculty meet every other week • Stakeholder meetings as necessary, every other week or so • Progress report at end of Winter Quarter • Final report, public presentation and stakeholder presentations at end of Spring Quarter

6. Progression 2007-2008 2003-4 2008-2009 • Moved Speaker Series to Fall Quarter • Created Action Research Team courses: Environment 185 B/C (2 or 3 units) • 2 quarter sequence • 8 teams, 40 students • Waste focus, with other topics as well • Public presentation of results in spring • Modest funding • ESLP Speaker Series in Spring Quarter • 1 unit course: Environment 185 • 47 students enrolled • >100 students enrolled in speaker series • Added independent research credit course • 1 quarter • 3 teams, 12 students • All teams focused on recycling

7. Progression 2010-2011 2012-2013 2011-2012 • Limited to 10 teams • Competitive, 70+ students applied for 55 spots • Teams awarded over $25,000 from TGIF • Cumulatively ESLP courses have served over 1000 students from 30+ majors • Limiting to 8 teams and 40-45 students • Staff and administrators generating lots of ideas • Competitive to become a staff stakeholder? • 11 teams, 68 students • Leadership workshop for team leaders • Added student Communications Director • $30,000 donor gift for 3 years • The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) provides some funding

8. Action Research Team Topics Recycling Composting Enhancing bikability Drought-tolerant landscaping Curriculum outreach Paperless evaluations Recreation Center Food systems Greening orientation Responsible investing Green building communications Water savings Energy retrofits Fair trade purchasing Greening health clinics Tree mapping Greening the Greeks Living green on campus and off and many more…..

9. THE OLD WAY Campus Recycling Action Research Team • Ideal ART collaboration • Facebook survey of >700 students • Assisted with Earth Day rollout • Public education campaign MAPPED BINS OUTREACH

10. THE NEW WAY • 1:1 Ratio of trash to recycling bins • New informational design • Convenient to recycle and more waste diverted from landfills

11. Drought Tolerant Landscaping Action Research Team GOAL: showcase drought tolerant landscape at UCLA UCLA entrance at Hilgard & Wyton - Before

12. After: Hand planted over 300 drought-tolerant plants Served as catalyst for other projects, especially landscape plans for new construction

13. Average Food Waste: 0.18 lbs per person per meal … or 3,500 lbs of food thrown away every day in the UCLA Dining Halls! Waste Watchers Action Research Team Turned small student group initiative into concrete data points and ongoing collaboration with UCLA Dining Hall.

14. Health System Action Research Team Year 1 • Initiated by very enthusiastic students • Found a stakeholder, replaced midway • Main accomplishment: Survey of nurses who then ended up forming own committee • Students frustrated because stakeholders not engaged and project outcome was vague Year 2 • Newly hired Sustainability Manager became stakeholder • Team helped adapt Green Office program for clinic setting, recruited 10+ clinics • Competition for generating ideas of how to green the hospital, received 300+ responses.

15. Communications • Recruiting process • ESLP Newsletter for participants and other interested parties • Public presentation each spring • Media stories: student newspaper, staff/faculty newspaper, local outlets - increased coverage with tag to Earth Day

16. What we’ve done right Exceptional student leadership Well defined roles for student directors, team leaders, team members, faculty and campus stakeholders Stakeholder engagement facilitated by the UCLA Sustainability Committee and campus sustainability staff – takes some work Topics chosen collaboratively between students and stakeholders Recurring stakeholders and continuity of key projects over multiple years Market ART program via year-end presentations and media outlets (ESLP Newsletter, Daily Bruin, UCLA Today, local) Funding via TGIF and DART Foundation

17. What we wished we’d known at the start Actively address students’ tendency toward “Us vs. Them” Manage student expectations (without squashing enthusiasm!) Clearly identify stakeholder on outset (1-2 max) Manage stakeholder expectations Scope of projects Students not just interns or research assistants Watch for rogue elements early, check in with team leaders, team members and stakeholders = keep communication lines wide open Limit number of teams (also helps combat stakeholder burnout) Mid-course correction sometimes necessary, isn’t a bad thing Keep enthusiasm and motivation high during second half of project Manage grading expectations (use peer reviews, not an automatic A)

18. Learn more and connect with us: www.environment.ucla.edu www.sustain.ucla.edu nordby@ucla.edu la.eslp@gmail.com Thank you!