(1) The University of Vermont implemented a Clean Energy Fund in 2009 funded by a $10 per student fee to support renewable energy projects, education, and research on campus. (2) An implementation team was created to manage the projects since the initial proposals lacked expertise, and processes needed to be developed for distributing funds and working with various campus stakeholders. (3) Lessons learned included having clear roles for all involved, thorough documentation of processes and people, and developing a strong management plan to support long-term project implementation and integration with academics.

1. Student Green Fee Management and Project Implementation
Panel Members
Mieko A. Ozeki, University of Vermont
Suhail Barot, University of Illinois- Urbana-Champaign
Nicole Leung, University of California- Berkeley
Cindy Shea, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Jedd Wilcox, University of Vermont
Moderator
Amber Garrard, Green Mountain College
AASHE 2010

2. What are student green fees?
• Revenue collected from comprehensive student
fees to fund major, campus wide, sustainability
and energy initiatives (CampusIn Power, 2008)
• An alternative funding source, ranging $1 to
$58 per student per academic term (quarter,
semester, trimester, or year). (Bintliff, 2009)
• Students propose and run campaigns to create
a green fee on campus.
• Senior administrators or Board of Trustees
approve the green fee.

3. Student Green Funds in North America
Created in
Google Maps
• More than 70+ colleges and universities listed with student green fees
to date.
• The number of institutions starting student green funds is steadily
increasing.

4. Sample of Projects Funded
• Sustainability • Granting awards to
director/ coordinator sustainability
positions champions
• Installation of wind • Installation of
turbines and/or solar composting facilities
panels on campus • Feasibility study for for
• Energy efficiency sustainability
retrofits improvements
• On-campus garden • Funding campus
• Energy competitions sustainability and
• Academic courses environmental resource
centers.
• Student internships
• Creation of campus
energy “dashboard” List from Bintliff, 2009.
energy management
system
• Lecture series
• Weatherization
workshops.
• Renewable energy
credits

5. For this session…
• We will not discuss “how-to” create a student green fee.
• We will discuss:
What structures and processes were utilized to:
– implement and manage projects,
– engage and encourage students, faculty, and staff to
participate in green fund projects,
– connect projects to academics,
– tracking project performance and progress,
for the long term?
• The take away: Ideas for managing student green fee projects.

6. Resources
• Bintliff, Jacob (2009). Student Green Funds:
1997-2009.
• Campus InPower (2008). Raise the Funds: Campus
Action Toolkit. Available on AASHE’s Resource page.

7. Research Plug
I am conducting research on best practices
implementing and managing student green fund projects
in the United States for Harvard Extension School.
Research involves:
• Survey Monkey questionnaire  to develop a
comprehensive list and map of student green funds
• In-depth interviews to gain analyze best practices
from green fund coordinators
If you have a student green fee, please send your contact
information to mozeki@uvm.edu

8. From Eco-Clutter to Integrated
Systems: Student Green Fees as a
Learning Tool
UVM Office of Sustainability
Mieko A. Ozeki, Sustainability Projects Coordinator
James Wilcox, CEF Education & Outreach Fellow

9. UVM Profile
Public, land grant institution founded
in 1791 and located in Burlington, VT.
Full-time Students: 10,371 Undergrad;
1,516 Graduate; and 460 Medical
students
Faculty: 1,200 FTE
Staff: 2,300 FTE
Student body highly engaged in social
and environmental justice issues.
Number of formal student
clubs/coalitions:
• 6 environmental/food related
• 2 social justice + SGA Committee
on Diversity, Equity, and
Environmental Ethics

10. Pre-CEF: Renewable Energy Pilot Projects
5-kW Solar array (2001) 10-kW Wind Turbine (2006)
• Intended to raise awareness about the potential for renewable energy on campus.
• We were opportunistic and not strategic about the solar and wind installations.
• No clear long-term commitment to integration of projects with academics.
• Steep learning curve implementing these projects.
• Lacked coordination
• No thought about or funding for decommissioning.

11. Pre-CEF: Context
• Students have little experience implementing
installation projects.
• Faculty have little experience implementing
installation projects.
• Staff do not have the capacity to integrate installation
projects with academics

12. What is UVM’s Clean Energy Fund?
• Sustained by a self-imposed student
fee of $10 per student per semester,
the Clean Energy Fund (CEF) is
designed to advance renewable
energy research, education, and
infrastructure on campus
• Idea for CEF began in 2005, endorsed
by SGA in 2007, and approved by the
Board of Trustees in 2008 in response
to student petitions to fund renewable
energy installations and energy
education
• Estimated annual accumulation to the
fund: $225,000

13. CEF Organizational & Project Selection Process 2009-2010
Fund Oversight
VP Finance &
and Final Project Administration
Approval
CEF
CEF
Project Selection Committee
Administration
Team
Project
VPFA Liaison CEF Manager
Coordination

14. CEF First Round 2009-2010
• Fall 2008: Fee collection began
• December 2008: First committee meeting
• February 2009: CEF committee bylaws passed
• April 2009: Committee approves general guidelines for projects
• October 2009: First RFP is released
• November 2009: 19 proposals received
• December 2009: Preliminary approval of 8 proposed projects
• January 2010: Office of Sustainability repackages project proposals
based on interviews with project applicants.
• February 2010: Committee made final recommendation to VPFA
• March 2010: VPFA approves all 2009-2010 projects

15. The Writing on the Wall:
the need for an implementation team
• Leveraging CEF for potential match funds
• Those submitting proposals lacked the expertise on
renewable energy
• Identifying the need for dedicated staff to navigate
UVM’s complex institutional systems

16. CEF Organizational & Project Selection Process 2010-2011
Fund Oversight and VP Finance &
Final Project Approval Administration
Project Selection CEF Committee
CEF Administration
Team
Implementation
Team
Project VPFA Liaison CEF Manager
Project
Managers
Implementation
Project Accountability CEF Education & Projects Liaison
& Outreach Outreach Fellow

17. 2009-2010 CEF Projects
Installations
• Aiken Solar Trackers at Forest Service
Site
• Photovoltaic System on Equine Center
Roof
• Solar Hot Water on Slade Hall Shed
Courses
• Certified Energy Auditor and Renewable
Energy Retrofit Training Course
• Virtual Solar Carport Course
Research & Studies
• Biomass Feasibility Study for Trinity
Campus
• Solar Power and Smart Grid Research
CEF Program & Outreach
• CEF Implementation, Education &
Outreach Program
• University-wide Energy Display System

18. So, What Now?
Once the projects were approved, the real work began….
• Distributing the funds was not easy.
• Key staff and business managers were caught off-guard
when informed about projects.
• Recruiting and getting CEF Fellow to start up education
and outreach efforts took a few months.
• Staff were learning and cobbling new processes while
implementing projects.

19. 2010-2011 CEF Program Planning
Request for Proposals  Request for Ideas
• Activates the collective
intelligence of the UVM
community to gather the best ideas
• Increases student engagement
with and sense of ownership of the
CEF
•Allows for consistent project
management of CEF projects in
subsequent years (no “ownership”
of project proposals)

20. Education & Outreach
• Make connections between
curriculum and renewable
installations
• Move toward campus-wide
energy monitoring
• Identify and apply for matching
funds
• Provide status reports to Clean
Energy Fund Committee Next step: create online portfolio of CEF
projects
• Public outreach about the Clean
Energy Fund

21. Lessons Learned
• No projects are headache free.
• Know who should be involved & make all roles
clear.
• Document, document, document
– Processes
– Key people involved
– Project strategy and progress
• Don’t skimp on your management plan!

22. Contact information
UVM Office of Sustainability
Mieko A. Ozeki, CEF Manager and Projects Coordinator
sustainability@uvm.edu
Jedd Wilcox, CEF Education & Outreach Fellow
cef@uvm.edu
Website:
www.uvm.edu/sustainability