The phrase, "go green" has caught on rather quickly and taken off within the past year. People everywhere are making an effort to conserve energy, educate people on the environment and keep nature clean. UConn is no exception.
Currently plans are in the works to build an EcoHouse on campus. The project should be completed by Fall 2009 and it will be located in the Hollister building in West Campus. The EcoHouse will hold approximately 120 students - all in various semesters - and of various majors to ensure a diverse group.
"We're hoping to have there be about 60 underclassmen and 60 upperclassmen," said David Ouimette, the director of First Year Programs. "We feel that would be a good mix."
The house will be eco-friendly in the structure itself and there will be an academic component as well.
"There will be some basic green components and renovation of space," said Richard Miller, the director of the Office of Environmental Policy. "There will also be academic curricular components, community activities, classes, seminars and guest speakers."
The curriculum itself is still being worked on. Meetings are being held to decide how to approach the curriculum, clarify its objectives and present it to the students living in the house.
"Among students and their majors there will be artists, engineers, and environmental economics," said Dave Wagner, professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. "Therefore, we are not looking at a uniform curriculum. It will be interdisciplinary, diverse and cut into all areas of the campus."
The academic component will take advantage of the expertise on campus and educate students about the environment and how to preserve it.
The Environmental Literacy Work Group has been meeting to put together the academic component of the EcoHouse. They are contemplating having students participate in a seminar that could be worth anything from one to three credits.
"We're looking at a seminar series with experience on campus that will help to prepare students for internships, independent study, tackle projects and 'greening the campus'," Wagner said. "We're really just seeing the front end of the wave."
The EcoHouse is just starting to gain momentum and it is in the beginning stages of putting all of the components together.
"The initial efforts started over a year ago and we're trying to recruit upperclassmen who show an interest in environmental issues and learning about it," Ouimette said.
As far as CA's are concerned, applications are due by Friday and interviews will take place sometime during January and February.
"We're really hoping to have six students [CA's] with an intense desire to be in the EcoHouse," Ouimette said.
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