History
Students for a Sustainable Stanford was formed in the Spring of 2000 by a small group of students who wanted to encourage green building on campus and reduce Stanford's greenhouse gas emissions. Our primary focus during our first year-and-a-half was to increase the incorporation of green building strategies and techniques in campus buildings. Our central argument was that green and energy-efficient buildings not only save environmental resources, but also save Stanford a significant amount of money by reducing lifetime energy operating costs of the buildings. The building sustainability campaign in 2000-2002 brought SSS into the spotlight on campus and in the news, as ASSU, GSC, key faculty members, and alumni all joined the effort. Following negotiations with LBRE and the formation of a student-staff Environmental Stewardship Management Group, Stanford's very first guideline for sustainable building was published in 2002.
Unfortunately, records of SSS activity from 2002-2008 are scarce. Over time, the group has acquired more areas of interest (adding water, climate, waste and EJ project groups), more fields of organizing, and new methods of action. SSS deeply values opportunities to partner with diverse student orgs, including Stanford in Government, Hui o Nā Moku, and Stanford Womxn in Law. We've invited notable environmental leaders such as Sylvia Earle, Al Gore, and Nainoa Thompson to speak on campus. In addition to pressing the University President and Provost for action, SSS facilitates relationships with staff at the Office of Sustainability, R&DE, the Woods Institute for the Environment, and the Earth School. Since 2010 the Haas Center for Public Service has been a steadfast supporter of SSS, providing advising and space for the group through the Cardinal Commitment program. Thank you Haas! Today, SSS is the hub of student sustainability and environmental activism on campus. We believe in centering social & environmental justice in our work, and that we must amplify voices of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) in the environmental movement (read our Statement of Solidarity). Interested in more SSS history? Check out archived webpages, blog posts, and photos. |
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Constitution
Article I. Name of Organization
Students for a Sustainable Stanford (SSS) is the name of the organization.
SSS is the official abbreviation of Students for a Sustainable Stanford.
Article II. Organization Description
Students for a Sustainable Stanford is an inclusive and intersectional community that strives for long-lasting sustainable practices on and off the Stanford campus through discussion, engagement, and direct action. As a broad interest group, we attract students with diverse interests in environmental and social sustainability which are inseparable and intimately connected. Our group functions as a hub for students who are passionate about improving the way that people relate to their environment.
SSS’s weekly meeting is a place for people to share ideas, advertise opportunities and events, network, organize and launch projects. See Article 8 for more details. Meetings are regularly held on Mondays from 9-10pm in the Haas Center.
Our organization pursues change through the actions of project groups. In past years these groups have centered around topics such as Zero Waste, Environmental Justice, Climate Action, Transportation, and Education. This is not an exhaustive list. In addition to project groups, SSS regularly hosts documentary screenings, invites faculty for discussions, and cosponsors and attends events hosted by other communities on campus. We have several large annual events, including our annual Schneider Lecture, Earthfest, and Zero Waste Week.
Article III. Eligibility for Membership
Membership for SSS is open and limited to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students. Students are welcome to join any time, although members must be active for at least one quarter to participate in voting on petitions and group decisions. Alumni and community members are welcome to attend public events hosted by SSS.
Article IV. Officers
A. Titles and Responsibilities
Co-Presidents lead SSS and make directional decisions; maintain SSS’s outward-facing presence; keep up strong connections with important administrators, faculty, departments, partners, committees, etc.; put together quarterly reports and Board of Advisors meetings; and push for institutional change through routes that do not lend themselves well to the project group structure.
Director of Strategy holds SSS accountable to its goals; makes sure that projects are strategic, intentional, and translate to their intended impact (using our beautiful “project checklist”!); holds frequent check-ins with project coordinators; keeps communication channels open among the leadership team to facilitate collaboration; and supports co-directors with logistical and strategic planning.
Financial Officer controls the finances of SSS (including reimbursements, honoraria, and budgeting), meeting recaps, attendance; arranges internal education sessions; regularly checks the official SSS email and Facebook messages and meets other organizational needs.
Social Chair plans social events including retreat, frosh week, special dinner, fun hangouts, etc; comes up with creative ways to make SSS an ever-more fun and supportive community; prepares meeting snacks and orders food for social events.
External Community Officer establishes contacts and looks for partnerships with other student groups, community centers and off-campus organizations; acts as a liaison with other groups involved in the environment, environmental justice, and social justice; bottom-lines Earthfest; plans volunteering activities that engage SSS members and the greater Stanford community in meaningful partnerships; starts other initiatives including engaging with local middle/high school sustainability clubs, events with other on-campus environmental and justice groups.
Media Chair(s) coordinates blog, calendar, website, social media, graphics, archives, etc.); strategically eyes SSS’s growing media presence and outreach capacity; support media needs of project groups and SSS events.
Schneider/Events Coordinator(s) make the incredible Stephen H. Schneider Memorial Lecture happen. They work with Terry Root and various groups to organize a lecture aimed at engaging in dialogue about environmental topics with those who might not otherwise be engaged. Once the Schneider Lecture is done, they work on Earthfest and other environmental lectures and events.
Project Group Leaders interface directly with general members; plan and initiate new sustainability projects with the help of interested general members; make an agenda for general meeting for their group; organize other times to meet to act on projects. They make change happen at Stanford.
Advisors are non-elected members that sit in on SSS leaders meetings to provide advice and knowledge as well as facilitate collaborations with other organizations. In the past this has included the ASSU Executive Environmental Justice & Sustainability Committee Chair as well as leadership members of past years.
B. Elections
Presidents (co-directors) and officers are elected by leadership from current year based on interviews, previous involvement in SSS and other relevant experiences. Project group leaders are selected by both the incoming and outgoing leadership teams during Spring quarter.
C. Removal Process
If a member has concerns that an officer is not fulfilling their duties or is acting in a manner that is detrimental to the group, they should bring their concern to the Co-President or Director of Strategy. The President should then notify the person in question about the concern and give them at least a week to attempt to resolve it. If the issues remains unresolved after that week, the Co-President or Director of Strategy are obligated to bring up the concern in the next leader’s. The person in question (alleged to not be fulfilling their duties) should be given an option to defend themselves in person at the meeting or provide a written statement. During the leaders meeting, the person in question may be removed by ⅔ majority with the person in question excluded from voting. If the group votes to remove an officer, another election will be held as soon as possible to fill the position.
D. Length of Term
Leaders elected for an incoming leadership position should start shadowing the current leader in that role during spring quarter. Any important documentation or records, including this constitution, should be shared with incoming leaders. Officers in the current position are encouraged to let the incoming leader take on their responsibilities at the end of spring quarter. Officers will officially start their terms in the beginning of fall and end their terms at the end of spring quarter. However, new leaders will be required to plan and prepare for the fall during the summer.
Article V. Dissolution of Organization
A. Disposition of Uncommitted Funds
Funds should be given to the Haas Center for Public Service in the event of group dissolvement.
B. Disposition of Property
Property should be given to the Haas Center for Public Service in the event of group dissolvement.
Article VI. Procedure to Amend Constitution
Constitution can be amended by ⅔ majority vote by all active members present at a general meeting.
Article VII. Decision Making
Key decisions can be amended by ⅔ majority vote by all active members present at a general meeting.
Article VIII. Meetings
General Meetings are held on a weekly basis.
General meetings are typically facilitated by Co-Presidents and the Director of Strategy, although other leadership members can also facilitate. Half of general meeting time is devoted to greetings, announcements, group discussions and internal education. During internal education timeslots, community members, students, professors, and Stanford staff give brief presentations on a topic of interest for the group. Financial/Operations Officer is in charge of scheduling internal education, but anyone can suggest an internal education topic or speaker.
Leader’s Meetings are held weekly.
Leader’s meeting is facilitated by the co-presidents and the director of strategy, with an agenda sent to the rest of leadership for revision prior to the meeting. Any leader can add discussion points to the agenda with advance warning.
Article IX. How often do we revisit the constitution?
The constitution is reviewed by SSS leadership on a yearly basis when the new leadership is finalized at the end of Spring quarter.
Updated April 2nd 2024
Students for a Sustainable Stanford (SSS) is the name of the organization.
SSS is the official abbreviation of Students for a Sustainable Stanford.
Article II. Organization Description
Students for a Sustainable Stanford is an inclusive and intersectional community that strives for long-lasting sustainable practices on and off the Stanford campus through discussion, engagement, and direct action. As a broad interest group, we attract students with diverse interests in environmental and social sustainability which are inseparable and intimately connected. Our group functions as a hub for students who are passionate about improving the way that people relate to their environment.
SSS’s weekly meeting is a place for people to share ideas, advertise opportunities and events, network, organize and launch projects. See Article 8 for more details. Meetings are regularly held on Mondays from 9-10pm in the Haas Center.
Our organization pursues change through the actions of project groups. In past years these groups have centered around topics such as Zero Waste, Environmental Justice, Climate Action, Transportation, and Education. This is not an exhaustive list. In addition to project groups, SSS regularly hosts documentary screenings, invites faculty for discussions, and cosponsors and attends events hosted by other communities on campus. We have several large annual events, including our annual Schneider Lecture, Earthfest, and Zero Waste Week.
Article III. Eligibility for Membership
Membership for SSS is open and limited to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students. Students are welcome to join any time, although members must be active for at least one quarter to participate in voting on petitions and group decisions. Alumni and community members are welcome to attend public events hosted by SSS.
Article IV. Officers
A. Titles and Responsibilities
Co-Presidents lead SSS and make directional decisions; maintain SSS’s outward-facing presence; keep up strong connections with important administrators, faculty, departments, partners, committees, etc.; put together quarterly reports and Board of Advisors meetings; and push for institutional change through routes that do not lend themselves well to the project group structure.
Director of Strategy holds SSS accountable to its goals; makes sure that projects are strategic, intentional, and translate to their intended impact (using our beautiful “project checklist”!); holds frequent check-ins with project coordinators; keeps communication channels open among the leadership team to facilitate collaboration; and supports co-directors with logistical and strategic planning.
Financial Officer controls the finances of SSS (including reimbursements, honoraria, and budgeting), meeting recaps, attendance; arranges internal education sessions; regularly checks the official SSS email and Facebook messages and meets other organizational needs.
Social Chair plans social events including retreat, frosh week, special dinner, fun hangouts, etc; comes up with creative ways to make SSS an ever-more fun and supportive community; prepares meeting snacks and orders food for social events.
External Community Officer establishes contacts and looks for partnerships with other student groups, community centers and off-campus organizations; acts as a liaison with other groups involved in the environment, environmental justice, and social justice; bottom-lines Earthfest; plans volunteering activities that engage SSS members and the greater Stanford community in meaningful partnerships; starts other initiatives including engaging with local middle/high school sustainability clubs, events with other on-campus environmental and justice groups.
Media Chair(s) coordinates blog, calendar, website, social media, graphics, archives, etc.); strategically eyes SSS’s growing media presence and outreach capacity; support media needs of project groups and SSS events.
Schneider/Events Coordinator(s) make the incredible Stephen H. Schneider Memorial Lecture happen. They work with Terry Root and various groups to organize a lecture aimed at engaging in dialogue about environmental topics with those who might not otherwise be engaged. Once the Schneider Lecture is done, they work on Earthfest and other environmental lectures and events.
Project Group Leaders interface directly with general members; plan and initiate new sustainability projects with the help of interested general members; make an agenda for general meeting for their group; organize other times to meet to act on projects. They make change happen at Stanford.
Advisors are non-elected members that sit in on SSS leaders meetings to provide advice and knowledge as well as facilitate collaborations with other organizations. In the past this has included the ASSU Executive Environmental Justice & Sustainability Committee Chair as well as leadership members of past years.
B. Elections
Presidents (co-directors) and officers are elected by leadership from current year based on interviews, previous involvement in SSS and other relevant experiences. Project group leaders are selected by both the incoming and outgoing leadership teams during Spring quarter.
C. Removal Process
If a member has concerns that an officer is not fulfilling their duties or is acting in a manner that is detrimental to the group, they should bring their concern to the Co-President or Director of Strategy. The President should then notify the person in question about the concern and give them at least a week to attempt to resolve it. If the issues remains unresolved after that week, the Co-President or Director of Strategy are obligated to bring up the concern in the next leader’s. The person in question (alleged to not be fulfilling their duties) should be given an option to defend themselves in person at the meeting or provide a written statement. During the leaders meeting, the person in question may be removed by ⅔ majority with the person in question excluded from voting. If the group votes to remove an officer, another election will be held as soon as possible to fill the position.
D. Length of Term
Leaders elected for an incoming leadership position should start shadowing the current leader in that role during spring quarter. Any important documentation or records, including this constitution, should be shared with incoming leaders. Officers in the current position are encouraged to let the incoming leader take on their responsibilities at the end of spring quarter. Officers will officially start their terms in the beginning of fall and end their terms at the end of spring quarter. However, new leaders will be required to plan and prepare for the fall during the summer.
Article V. Dissolution of Organization
A. Disposition of Uncommitted Funds
Funds should be given to the Haas Center for Public Service in the event of group dissolvement.
B. Disposition of Property
Property should be given to the Haas Center for Public Service in the event of group dissolvement.
Article VI. Procedure to Amend Constitution
Constitution can be amended by ⅔ majority vote by all active members present at a general meeting.
Article VII. Decision Making
Key decisions can be amended by ⅔ majority vote by all active members present at a general meeting.
Article VIII. Meetings
General Meetings are held on a weekly basis.
General meetings are typically facilitated by Co-Presidents and the Director of Strategy, although other leadership members can also facilitate. Half of general meeting time is devoted to greetings, announcements, group discussions and internal education. During internal education timeslots, community members, students, professors, and Stanford staff give brief presentations on a topic of interest for the group. Financial/Operations Officer is in charge of scheduling internal education, but anyone can suggest an internal education topic or speaker.
Leader’s Meetings are held weekly.
Leader’s meeting is facilitated by the co-presidents and the director of strategy, with an agenda sent to the rest of leadership for revision prior to the meeting. Any leader can add discussion points to the agenda with advance warning.
Article IX. How often do we revisit the constitution?
The constitution is reviewed by SSS leadership on a yearly basis when the new leadership is finalized at the end of Spring quarter.
Updated April 2nd 2024