Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute

Student Sustainability Initiative Hiring TWO Student Board Members

November 2, 2009

If you're a U-M student with a passion for environmental sustainability, then you may want to apply for a part-time, paid position as a Board Member for the Student Sustainability Initiative (SSI).

The SSI is currently recruiting for both an undergraduate student and a graduate student to fill two openings on the board. As an SSI Board member (either role), you'll work approximately 10 hours per week. The term commitment is one year. The job descriptions (and online application) are below.

GRADUATE STUDENT BOARD MEMBER, SSI
The Graduate Student Board Member is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with administrators. This includes existing relationships with SSI advisors, Don Scavia, and Drew Horning, as well as strategic relationships with Terry Alexander, Phil Hanlon, Hank Baier, and Tim Slottow among others. These relationships are critical to the success of the collaboration between administration and students on environmental and sustainability issues pertaining to the University of Michigan.

Along with developing strategic relationships between students and administrators, the graduate student board member is responsible for developing relationships between environmental student groups and the SSI Board, as well as facilitating relationships between various environmental student groups on campus. This collaboration ensures maximum student involvement and fosters a high degree of creativity and success of initiatives.
 
The graduate student board member is also responsible for helping to fully develop and structure various student groups’ ideas into actionable plans to ensure the highest probabilities of success. This includes developing a well researched plan including best practices, as well as a business case highlighting benefits for all parties involved. Once a well developed case has been developed, it is the graduate student board member’s responsibility to organize and facilitate meetings with necessary University Administration and personnel in order to ensure the success of various student groups’ plans.
 
Administrative tasks include developing agenda for biweekly board meetings as well as the agenda for semi-weekly general member meetings. Run semi-weekly (along with the other board members) general meetings to facilitate collaboration among student groups.  Ideal candidates are experienced in SSI, working with administration, benchmarking, and leading organizations. 
 
Other Duties Include:

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT BOARD MEMBER, SSI

The Undergraduate Student Board Member is responsible for developing and mantaining relationships with student organizations, students, and faculty at the University of Michigan (all campuses) who are interested in working with the SSI. This may include students who are already affiliated with the SSI or those wanting to know how to get involved. It may also include faculty members interested in sustainability-related curriculum, student organizations, and/or research. These relationships are crucial to the success of the collaboration between the SSI and the people it represents. 

Along with developing relationships with students and faculty, the SSI Undergraduate Board Member must be comfortable in helping to develop relationships with U-M Administration by attending meetings with administrators, communicating with advisors, and otherwise establishing and maintaining an ongoing dialog between the SSI and U-M Administration.

The Undergraduate Board Member is also required to help in managing the SSI internal financial budgeting and spending, in creating meeting agendas, and in keeping notes/minutes for SSI meetings. It is necessary that this student communicates regularly with SSI affiliates about SSI goals, activities, and progress.

Students applying for this position must be organized and self-motivated. Experience with other student organizations is a plus.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE
ONLINE JOB APPLICATION

The Student Sustainability Initiative is a student-run organization administered by the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute. Current SSI Board members may be reached at ssi-board@umich.edu.