{"id":1911,"date":"2019-10-09T21:57:45","date_gmt":"2019-10-09T21:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brie.hunter.cuny.edu\/hunterathenian\/?p=1911"},"modified":"2019-11-04T14:17:13","modified_gmt":"2019-11-04T14:17:13","slug":"hunters-environmental-organizations-lack-student-involvement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brie.hunter.cuny.edu\/hunterathenian\/2019\/10\/hunters-environmental-organizations-lack-student-involvement\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunter\u2019s Environmental Organizations Lack Student Involvement"},"content":{"rendered":"

While sea levels rise, student participation declines. Even though Hunter students took to the streets for the Global Climate Strike<\/a>, their participation is not reflected in the school\u2019s environmental science classes or extracurricular clubs.<\/p>\n

Environmental programs at CUNY Hunter College are struggling to gain traction with the students. Without participation, clubs may not get chartered and the existence of a Geography and Environmental Science Department will be at risk.<\/p>\n

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The Hunter Solar Project: Solar panels located on the roof of Hunter North<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Department of Geography and Environmental Science is experiencing a serious drop in major declarations. \u201cIt\u2019s not resonating with the students,\u201d says Peter Marcotullio, professor and graduate advisor of the Hunter Geography and Environmental Science Department. Marcotullio is also the director of the CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities.<\/p>\n

According to department research, only 147 students declared either geography or environmental science as their major in 2018. Of those students, 78 majored in geography and 69 in environmental science. This, up from 2017, where only 125 students declared in the department and only 53 majored in Geography. But over the past four years, the student body has been steadily decreasing. The department would ideally like the total number to be closer to 180 students.<\/p>\n

Environmental clubs at Hunter College are also lacking in student participation. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if that\u2019s because were not just advertising it as much as we should be, or just people don\u2019t care,\u201d says student, Jaelyn Vera, director of the Hunter Sustainability Project.<\/p>\n

School officials say they are actively trying to spread awareness of these environmental programs on campus, \u201cWe want to promote the environment,\u201d says Amy Jeu, lab technician in the Geography and Environmental<\/p>\n

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CUNY Hunter College Department of Geography and Environmental Science, Hunter North 1006<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Science Department. She says that informing students about the state of the environment, and how the pollution affects them, may influence change in the student body.<\/p>\n

Environmental clubs at Hunter, too, are trying to promote the environment, by spreading awareness through educational meetings and school events. \u201cWe just talk about how to be more sustainable,\u201d says Vera.<\/p>\n

Jeu says that the department is really trying to \u201cbuild a community.\u201d The administrators are conducting interviews with CUNY students to gain insight on why many are not declaring the major. \u201cWe are trying to figure out, why, people are not interested,\u201d says Marcotullio.<\/p>\n

Through 100-level courses, the faculty wants to spread awareness and provide quality information, to inspire the students to declare the major. Jeu says, \u201cWe want to get students interested in why learning about the environment is important.\u201d<\/p>\n

The department maintains visibility throughout the year at school events. During Major Day, October 16, they will have their own table. Students of HSP hold events, such as the Eco Fair, on September 25 and Hunter Goes Green Week, April 29 to May 3.<\/p>\n

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The Hunter Sustainability Project table at the Eco Fair, September 25, 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vera says that the Hunter Sustainability Project\u2019s outreach needs to be updated, through new advertising posters in Hunter hallways, to gain student attraction. Vera says, \u201cEvery year we try to make new, updated posters, because it\u2019s changing, climate is changing, so some posters might just be outdated and we need to just refresh it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeu and Vera both say that advertisement throughout the Hunter campus is very important in gaining traction to environmental organizations. \u201cWe need to really brand by taking advantage of the digital monitors, also setting up a table on the third floor, that\u2019s a way to create visibility,\u201d says Jeu.<\/p>\n

Vera says that the Geography Club is also trying to rebrand and rebuild. She says, \u201cThey struggled to get someone like a secretary on their e-board because, everyone was saying, I just don\u2019t have the time.\u201d If a club doesn\u2019t have an e-board or enough students, the group will not get chartered.<\/p>\n

Budgets for the groups are provided by The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF). Director of TGIF, Professor Makia Harper says, \u201cWe fund projects at Hunter, for students.\u201d These projects include, the Green Space Survey, Energetic \u2013 a board game studying different types of energy – and a recycling app. The organization has been vital in keeping up with Hunter College\u2019s environmental efforts during the decline in student interest. Vera says, \u201cWithout TGIF, we won\u2019t have the funds to make Hunter green.\u201d But for money to make a difference at Hunter, it needs the mind of a student.<\/p>\n

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Water bottle refill fountain funded by TGIF<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Without student interest, resources emitted from the Hunter campus may become more toxic, without proper environmental care. Vera informs that TGIF offers students the opportunity to propose their ideas, of how to make Hunter a greener campus, to the group for funding. If interested, a student can contact Harper or TGIF through the Hunter website, even if they aren\u2019t in HSP.<\/p>\n

Harper works with another organization, The CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities. The group is trying to help resurrect student interest for Hunter College\u2019s environmental studies programs. Marcotullio says, \u201cRight now we are trying to rethink the institute.\u201d Interviews help the institute understand what people know about the state of the environment. \u201cWe interview people of climate change, sea level rise and how fossil fuels affect that,\u201d says Jeu. The department wishes to help students understand, \u201cWhat impact does it have on you personally?\u201d says Jeu.<\/p>\n

While the department is actively working on student outreach, the Hunter Sustainability Project has been struggling to do so. When speaking with Vera, she explains that HSP has not received the room assignment for their weekly meetings. Therefore, meetings are canceled until the administration assigns a room. \u201cIt\u2019s hard at Hunter. It takes a while,\u201d says Vera. Throughout the school, signs are posted informing that HSP holds a meeting Mondays at 4:00 p.m., in TH305B. Printing new signs to hang in the hallways is difficult to do without funding from the Hunter administration. HSP will actually be holding their meetings on Tuesdays, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., upon receiving room assignment. \u201cAnyone is welcome. We aren\u2019t judging you, like, if you\u2019re not a vegetarian,\u201d says Vera.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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