May 1, 2015
Environmental Studies Professor Cathy Middlecamp is part of a team honored with a UW-Madison Administrative Improvement Award for collaborative work on the UW Housing Move-Out Reuse/Recycling Program.
The award recipients are being recognized for their exceptional performance in administrative roles supporting academics, research, student services, outreach or administration. Emphasis is given to outstanding work that results in improved efficiency, increased revenue channels, cost savings or improved service delivery.
The eight-member team honored for the move-out reuse and recycling program includes Laura Shere, Mike Henry and Jason Rittel of University Housing; Sabrina Bradshaw, Office of Sustainability; Professor Cathy Middlecamp, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies; Lyle Jelle and Brad Schenkel, Physical Plant; Aaron Conradt, We Conserve; and Colin Higgins, Sustainability Council.
In response to demand from residents, University Housing began working toward a comprehensive waste reduction program in 2009 by establishing donation collection stations for Goodwill Industries and St. Vincent DePaul. Since then, the program has developed a more strategic approach to educating students about eliminating waste while living in the residence halls.
The move-out event has been integrated into coursework through an academic incentive for participation. In addition, a multifaceted move-out team was created with partners from University Housing, Physical Plant, We Conserve, the Office of Sustainability, UW-Madison faculty and the community. In 2014, 130 individuals supported the waste reuse/recycling event by providing more than 430 hours of staffing and diverting more than 82,000 pounds of materials from landfills.
This year, University Housing is partnering with the Office of Sustainability to provide a thorough evaluation of the program to ensure that it can sustain the growth it has experienced. The team will use the results to create and prioritize recommendations to strengthen the program.
The award recipients will be honored Monday, June 8 at Union South. The ceremony begins at 4:30 p.m. The campus community is invited.