Students reshape routine to cut costs, live green
May 27, 2009
"We run too much water in our dorms, print too many copies in computer labs, turn the air down too low when it’s hot and the heat up too high when it’s cold,” said ’08-’09 PC Student Body President Haley Harper earlier this year.
“It’s time for change."
To bring about change, Harper and Presidential intern, Ashley McCollum, collaborated with President Griffith to create and implement Reshaping our Routine. The effort was a way to engage the campus, specifically the students, in being part of the financial reshaping and greener living on campus.
The aim of Reshaping our Routine, from the outset, was to educate the PC community on opportunities to address the college’s financial needs within a global context, to assess spending and ways to cut the operating budget, and to address these issues by initiating the group's goals and objectives.
They also aimed to take a greater role in the Green Hose initiative, becoming more responsible stewards of the environment.
"We are living in a challenging time,” Dr. Griffith said, “and experiencing a global recession of unprecedented proportions that affects every business and institution and will likely touch every individual.
"It will take all of us,” he added. “Students have a central role to play."
Students take control
Students assumed the central role in January, when they held a campus-wide student forum to present short-term and long-term changes that affected their lifestyle and the college budget.
During the forum, students asked for an intensive study of closing late-night study locations in an effort to save on energy costs. Following a survey administered to students by the Reshaping our Routine committee, the library remained open 24 hours while the other academic buildings closed at 10 PM.
To make sure the change didn’t disrupt students negatively, student leaders on the committee reached out to all students by leading programs in all residence halls.
During a three-week trial period, students were encouraged to provide feedback regarding the academic buildings’ change of hours by emailing and completing comment cards in the library.
After receiving the feedback, the Reshaping our Routine committee recommended to the President to extend study hours in one academic building, Harrington-Peachtree, to midnight.
The students’ feedback made it clear that they were willing to rethink their everyday habits, becoming more aware of how those habits affect energy costs and resources. Adjusting the times on the academic buildings saved over $9000 in energy costs compared to last year. Plus, the amount of wasted energy decreased significantly.
Academics the top priority
The students recognized, however, that reshaping their routines wouldn’t involve compromising PC’s academic standards.
“The process and results were shared with student body and therefore reshaping was partially shaped by and critiqued by the student body,” said campus services director, David Walker. “The students’ voice was and will continue to be critical in doing things that make practical sense.
When Reshaping our Routine began, many on campus were focused mainly on driving down energy usage and costs, according to Walker. The campaign illustrated the point that these factors need to be better synthesized with academic needs.
“For example, there is a real need during the exam cycles to allow some buildings to remain open longer,” Walker said. “Now that we’re looking at a broader range of issues, I believe future reshaping efforts will better balance the needs of the students with being good environmental stewards.”
posted by Stacy Dyer '96
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