Sustain Mizzou plans for next year
The organization elected three new executive board members.
Published April 16, 2010
Sustain Mizzou elected three new executive board members April 7 for the 2010-2011 school year.
The organization's new president is sophomore Tina Casagrand, the vice president of programming is freshman Monica Everett and the vice president of communication is sophomore Kelly Gehringer, a member of The Maneater staff.
For the election, two members of the organization were nominated for each position and then members voted on paper. An estimated 30 members voted in the election, Casagrand said. This is its usual meeting member attendance.
Casagrand, the former vice president of programming, oversees the projects and heads the meetings.
"It's intimidating following behind five former presidents that have really been phenomenal and done a lot of good work for the organization and sustainability," Casagrand said.
As the vice president of programming, Everett will be in charge of coordinating working with the volunteers and overseeing all of the different projects.
Gehringer promotes events on campus and answers any organization correspondence.
"I like the challenge of finding new and interesting ways to get word out and raise awareness, just finding creative ways to do that," Gehringer said.
Casagrand, Everett and Gehringer said they would like to maintain the positive approach Sustain Mizzou has had toward fostering sustainability on campus. Members in the organization are happy with its success and hope to keep it thriving next year.
One change Casagrand has in mind for next year is to move Sustain Mizzou's meetings to a better locale. The organization meets at 7 p.m. every other Wednesday in Chamber Auditorium, and executive meetings are at 5 p.m. Mondays in the MU Sustainability Office.
"I would like to have better meeting locations, with tables and be more in groups because up until now we've been in lecture hall auditoriums," Casagrand said. "I think if people are able to look at each other it will feel more like a community, which is what we're all about."
Casagrand's other goal as president is to expand Sustain Mizzou within campus organizations by cooperating with other groups. She said that would broaden Sustain Mizzou's popularity, along with providing others with the knowledge and benefits of sustainability.
"My main goal is to have people understand why sustainability matters in the context of what's going on globally and nationally at other campuses," Gehringer said. "Sustainability shouldn't just matter to one small group, it should matter to everyone here. Everyone plays a part in it, and we want everyone to participate in it."
Student volunteers run the non-profit campus organization, which had its sixth birthday in February. Sustain Mizzou's mission is to "promote a sustainable way of life at the University of Missouri-Columbia through education, cooperation, and local action regarding the environment," according to its Web site.
Casagrand said Sustain Mizzou supports saving resources and promoting others to do so. Members do not work on just one type of conservation — they work on all aspects of sustainability of the environment.
"Everyone is passionate about different things," Gehringer said. "Some people are into recycling, while others are into sustainable energy."
Some Sustain Mizzou's workings around campus it is keeping next year include Local Food Drive, Recycled Notebooks and Tiger Tailgate Recycling.
"In the fall, Tiger Tailgate recycling is huge," Casagrand said.
Tiger Tailgating involves recycling at tailgating events. Everett said it makes Sustain Mizzou and the acts of protecting the environment more visible to the community.
Sustain Mizzou will continue to generate new ideas when school resumes in the fall, Gehringer said.
"Any projects that the members still want to run and volunteer for, we'll keep," Casagrand said. "We'll start any new ones they get excited about."