Published: Oct. 25, 2022

10-25-22 Staff Update

In this message:

Staff Info

  • Free food for you!  RGS Green Game Picnic this Saturday 10/29 - RSVP here
  • Sign up to participate with the E-Center in this Friday's 10/28 Homecoming Parade
  • Work this Saturday's 10/29 zero waste Green Game Post-game Sort! Get paid a higher payrate and help CU win honors!
  • Schedule of upcoming zero waste football games - around for Fall Break?

Opportunities for Engagement

  • Investigate Careers in the Environment:  TODAY at 5:15 pm  Rayna Oliker, Colorado Green Business Network
  • Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education 10/26, 11/3 - free CU registration, possible pay too
  • Right Here Right Now Global Climate Summit at CU Boulder in December

Take a quick survey

 

And other Resources for student staff such as schedule of pay days, paid sick time info, staff contact list, and more.

Read on for details…

 

Staff Info

Ralphie's Green Stampede Green Game Picnic
Food and games for Environmental Center Staff
this Saturday, October 29th  starting at 3:30 pm

This weekend’s home football game is our annual Green Game - a PAC-12 competition where CU has reigned! This game marks an opportunity to cheer on the Buffs for Homecoming, and also come together to support our sustainability efforts within our Athletics Department.

Ralphie’s Green Stampede would like to invite everyone at the ECenter and their families to join us before the game on Saturday at 3:30pm on Franklin Field (or “Frankenstein Field” on Halloween Weekend) for food, games, and treats. Kick-off is at 5:30, so you can hang around and watch the game on the big screen with us, or you can buy tickets to watch from the stadium. Please RSVP so that we know how much food to provide! Hope to see you there!

Participate with the E-Center in the CU Homecoming Parade, this Friday October 28th

The Environmental Center is going to be part of the homecoming parade on October 28th and our theme is going to be "There's nothing scarier than climate change." The Outreach and Promotions team is organizing the costumes and the theme but we need you to parade with us! The maximum number of people is 25 and we would love to reach that. This is the link to join. Once you are signed up you will receive more information about the event and what you can dress up as!

 

Work the Zero Waste Football Green Game post-game sort!
This Saturday October 15th, 9 pm - 3 am

The Environmental Center is offering a special pay rate of $18 - $20 for your zero waste work this weekend!  Sign up here to work paid shifts through the E-Center.  Staff also get a free wristband so you can attend the Homecoming game.

Zero Waste crews staffed by the Environmental Center make zero waste possible at CU Football home games.  Last year we composted and recycled 120,000 pounds of waste at football games!  Through the effort of over 60 student staff we were able to divert 88% of the entire season's waste from the landfill.  Keeping game and fan waste from the landill depends on lots of hands!

Many staff are needed for sorting waste late night after the game - pizza provided.  Your pay will be $18/hour if your normal E-Center payrate is $15 - $16.75, or $20/hour if your normal E-Center payrate is $17 and above.  Sign up here to work

Remaining Zero Waste Football game dates this season - plan to work one!

Haven't worked on the football zero waste crew yet?  The E-Center needs everyone of our student staff to work at least one game to make the effort a success.

Here are the remaining games, which you can be paid a special pay rate to work (see above).  Put one on your calendar and watch for the sign-up coming soon, or email robin.poley@colorado.edu to reserve your spot!
   Saturday, November 5th, time to be announced
   Saturday, November 26th (Thanksgiving/Fall Break weekend - lots of hands needed), time to be announced

 

Upcoming Events and Opportunities for Engagement
 

Investigate Careers in the Environment
Rayna Oliker, Colorado Green Business Network
TODAY, Tuesday 10/25  5:15 pm
Benson Earth Sciences 185  - Free Pizza!

Join to set your environmental career in motion.  Rayna Oliker is a CU alumnus who went on to get a Masters in Education.  After serving for 8 years as the Sustainability Manager in CU Boulder Housing & Dining Services, Rayna joined the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) as the Colorado Green Business Network Administrator.  With the goal of taking the program to the next level with regard to business support and advising in Sustainable Operations, Rayna's focus is on mitigating climate change through incentivizing emissions reductions across industry, and supporting increased understanding of best practices.  Since 2021, the Green Business Network has served over 200 businesses in reducing resource use, saving over 65 thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalents, 32 million kWhs in electricity, and 8.4 million gallons of water.

All Investigate Careers in the Environment talks are are free and open to all students.  These career-focused talk speakers are selected and recruited by a student powered committee of ENVS majors, Co-sponsored by Environmental Studies Program, Career Services, Environmental Center, and CU Environmental Program.   For more info on the talk or series, contact Dale Miller at dale.miller@colorado.edu

 

Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education
Streaming Live Oct 18, Oct 26 and Nov 3
Free access for all CU Boulder students, faculty and staff if you sign up

If there are sessions of interest related to your E-Center work, you can record hours on your timesheet with your supervisor's permission!

CU Boulder is an official Host Institution of AASHE's Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education (GCSHE).  You are invited to join virtually at the world's largest platform for advancing sustainability in higher education and beyond.   With a theme of "The Urgency of Now", this year's conference is a clarion call for transformative sustainability solutions that match the speed and scale of the challenges we face.  GCSHE offers 3 full days of live content and networking, plus on-demand access (through Dec 31).

There will also be a CU Boulder sharing session after the live streams, so participants from our campus who attended live content can share back on useful content and recommendations on selecting on-demand content available through 12/31.

Fill out the CU Boulder access request form to recieve conference sign up instructions.

 

Right Here Right Now Global Climate Summit at CU Boulder
December 1 - 4, 2022

From rising sea levels, extreme weather events, wildfires and droughts, to food insecurity, health impacts, mass migrations and increasing global conflict, there is no denying climate change is a humanitarian crisis.  As a leader in climate, environmental and energy research, the University of Colorado Boulder is proud to co-host with United Nations Human Rights.  CU will gather some of the world's foremost human rights, scientific, political, educational, cultural, and industry leaders to commit to specific poutcomes that will address the adverse effects of climate change on human rights.

Register now for virtual attendance , read about keynote speakers and watch for volunteer and student engagement opportunties through the Environmental Center.

 

Take a quick survey to help the E-Center's Climate Action Team!

The Fall 2022 thermostat campaign wants to receive your input on thermostat preferences and behavior changes related to mitigating climate change.  Join us in the 68/78 thermostat challenge!  
Take the survey here!

 

 

More Environmental Center spring events listed on our online calendar.

 

Resources

Pay Dates for the Fall 2022 semester

Two-Week Work Period Time sheet Complete and Submit Deadline Friday Pay Day (2 weeks after work period ends)
Aug 7 - Aug 20 Monday, Aug 22 September 2
Aug 21 - Sept 3 Monday, Sept 5 September 16
Sept 4 - Sept 17 Monday, Sept 19 September 30
Sept 18 - Oct 1 Monday, Oct 3 October 14
Oct 2 - Oct 15 Monday, Oct 17 October 28
Oct 16 - Oct 29 Monday, Oct 31 November 11
Oct 30 - Nov 12 Monday, Nov 14 November 25
Nov 13 - Nov 26 Monday, Nov 28 December 9
Nov 27 - Dec 10 ** Monday, Dec 12 December 23
Dec 11 - Dec 24 
** Last Day graduating seniors can work is Thursday Dec 8		 Monday, Dec 26 January 6, 2023

 

E-Center Staff Contact List
Online list of all E-Center student and professional staff contact info

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wRHxnmVzLTUq9yyy8dgbQq6i6zxBmaH0HXOqqDcBmZ0/edit#gid=0
 

Follow Environmental Center social media channels!

  • Connect on LinkedIn  www.linkedin.com/company/cu-environmental-center/
  • Redditor?   Upvote Anabel as she shares resources and engages in dialogue, and helps bring sustainability to the CU subreddit.  Search for posts @ justasustainablebuff
  • Tweet us
    • @ EcenterCU
    • @CUGreenStampede
  • Follow us on Instagram
    • @EcenterCU
    • @cuzerowaste
    • @ecosocialjustice
    • @shouldertoshoulder
  • Facebook like us
    • @CUBoulderECenter
    • @envjustice.cu
  • View us on Vimeo, https://vimeo.com/cuecenter

     

Sick leave - Paid time off for CU student staff
All CU student employees accrue paid sick leave to help when you have to miss a work shift (for any work since Jan 1, 2021).

  • Always reach out to your supervisor with advance notification of any work you have to miss.
  • For every 30 hours you work (beginning Jan 1, 2021), you accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave (.034 hr leave for every 1 hour worked). 
  • Sick leave balances can be viewed on a tile in the MyCUinfo portal, under CU Resources, My Info and Pay.  
  • Hours worked across all jobs at CU are eligible for leave that can be taken at any CU job. 
  • Sick leave may be used for physical illness, mental illness, health condition, medical treatment or diagnosis, preventative medical care, or non-work injury, or to care for a family member.  It can also be used when an employee or family member has been the victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or harassment and needs to be absent from work.  There are some other instances when sick leave can be used, which can be viewed here.
  • You can only request as much paid time as you have accrued - any time off beyond your sick leave balance will be unpaid.  
  • To request paid sick leave for an Environmental Center shift that you have to miss, select "Sick (part time) Paid Time Off" from the Program drop-down list in your Quickbooks Time/TSheets timesheet, then enter the amount of time you want to take (within your balance available).  For sick time to be used at other CU jobs, check with your supervisor or departmental payroll administrator at that job to find out how to request sick time off.  Note that the sick leave balance in TSheets is an estimate and may not accurately reflect your balance if you work other CU jobs.
  • Questions?  Reach out to dana.kelly@colorado.edu

 

Work-Study:  What is it?  Are you Eligible?
Work-Study is need-based financial aid that allows students to earn money for college expenses by working a part-time job.   Work-study jobs are funded by the federal and state government and include both on and off-campus positions.  Work-study is a program that benefits both the employee and employer:  Students earn a pay check, as with any job, but a majority of the wages are paid by financial aid funds rather than the employing department.  When students with work-study awards work with the Environmental Center, our staffing budget goes further and we can hire more students!

Are you eligible for a work-study award?  First you have to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).   CU Boulder receives a limited amount of work-study funding from federal and state sources each year. Not all eligible students receive a work-study award.  If you think you might be eligible, please check with the Student Employment office to find out more! 
 

Ergonomic Recommendations for Healthy Work Habits
When you work on a computer for hours at a time, proper office ergonomics — including correct chair height, adequate equipment spacing and good desk posture -- can help you and your neck, shoulders, wrists, and back stay comfortable and healthy over the long term.

The goal is for your shoulders, neck, back, arms and wrists to be relaxed and not stressed, reaching, or at angles.

  • The top of your display monitor should be straight in front of you or *slightly* below eye level
    • Use a laptop stand or books, box, etc on a table, to prop display up to correct level
  • Use remote keyboard and trackpad/mouse, preferably on your lap,  so that you are not reaching up onto a table or out in front of you, or bending your wrists to type/ point
  • When sitting
    • feet should be flat on the floor or on a footrest
    • back should be straight and supported by the back of your chair
  • Vary positions throughout the day.  Stand sometimes, sit sometimes.
  • Take lots of breaks.  Get up and walk around.  
  • Give your eyes a break too: Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds and focus on something 20 feet away.

More info and visuals available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/office-ergonomics/art-20046169
 

Food Resources

Campus Financial Aid & Payment Assistance

 

Campus Technology

Health & Well-Being

  • And, anyone on the E-Center staff can provide you with information and resources if you or your family/friends/roommates etc. are struggling or sick and need help. We are here for you!  Email staff individually or at ecenter@colorado.edu.
     

University of Colorado COVID Updates and resources
www.colorado.edu/covid-19
 

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
www.aashe.org/
Explore AASHE resources and programs to find materials to support campus sustainability leadership, and ways you can develop and prepare yourself for entering the workforce.
 

Environmental Center Student Staff Handbook
A summary of best work practices and expectations for student staff
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zijwkEkzw7rcEEGCS-scYGOnqRU_X0gWlvh4rkBgeIM/edit?usp=sharing
 

Environmental Center New Hire Information
www.colorado.edu/ecenter/newhireinformation
Info for new student hires at the Environmental Center, including new hire forms, instructions for Direct Deposit, timesheets, required trainings, and more

Past E-Center staff weekly updates
www.colorado.edu/ecenter/student-staff-resources