Director, Center for Climate Action and Sustainability : 3 year Administrative Faculty Position

The Evergreen State College is establishing a new Center for Climate Action and Sustainability (CCAS) to help align curriculum, student interest and community partnerships.  The CCAS furthers Evergreen’s mission by supporting students and the broader community in developing justice-oriented, science-based, and equitable solutions to the climate crisis. This center will augment our current capacity to provide hands-on, applied, interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students. We invite a creative leader to build a Climate Center that supports students and faculty in climate-related sciences, climate justice, climate solutions and community action.  In collaboration with the Provost’s team, the Director will provide leadership for the Center by supporting the development of curriculum, including internships and capstone experiences. Additionally, the Director will develop and teach certificate programs and other curricular elements that support climate action and sustainability. This is an administrative faculty position that reports to the Vice Provost for Academic Operations. 

The primary task of the Director will be to collaboratively envision, create and lead the Center for Climate Action and Sustainability, with the support of an advisory board, as a hub for students, staff, faculty and community members who are interested in climate action and sustainability. The Director will coordinate with other Public Service Centers such as the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Transformational Change (CELTC) and the Center for Community Based Learning and Action (CCBLA) to build a robust set of internship opportunities with community partners. The Climate Center will serve as a resource for both campus and community, organizing events and curricular offerings.   

The Director will also assist with a variety of curricular tasks. They will coordinate the design and delivery of climate action and sustainability curricular and co-curricular offerings associated with the Center. The Director also will support faculty-developed climate action and sustainability academic and co-curricular offerings associated with the Center. Given Evergreen’s interdisciplinary structure, this may include faculty from the sciences, social sciences, arts, media, food and agriculture, and related curricular areas.  

In addition, the Director may teach courses and modules on topics related to their training and background. These may also be developed as certificate programs for matriculated and non-matriculated students, either for-credit or not-for-credit, and may be offered online, in hybrid format or on campus. The Director will provide support to students, staff and faculty involved with co-curricular learning opportunities that develop capacities of students to become leaders in community organizing, applied climate science, energy systems, sustainability, climate justice, food systems, communication, or any number of related fields. Such areas may include Evergreen’s organic farm, the Olympia EcoDistrict project, partnering with local industries working on climate solutions, among other initiatives.  This may include sponsoring contracts and internships for students studying in climate-related fields. 

The Director will also provide administrative leadership to the Center. In collaboration with the Provost’s team, they will prepare a business plan, yearly action plan and associated budget for the Center.  This will include monitoring spending under the initiative and working with the Vice President for Advancement and Academic Budget Coordinator to prepare a quarterly report on how project funds are allocated.  The Director will also work with the Provost and Advancement to develop a long-term project funding strategy and assist with fundraising as needed. They will develop measures for assessing the success of the Center and assist in implementing an assessment process.  The Director may supervise a program assistant providing administrative and program support for the Center and oversee the work of student workers and interns supporting specific projects.