Operation Greenhouse:Building the

Agricultural Center for Environmental Studies (ACES)

Stuart Hean, Claire Perry, Catherine Schepp, Alice Thatcher, and Jan Vanous

on behalf of the ENVS 397 2013 class

Advisor: Prof. Helen K. White

Prepared for the February 2014 Board of Managers Meeting

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Table of Contents

Overview 3

Proposal 3

Background 4

Student Interest 4

Academic Support 5

Community Connections 6

Institutional Environmentalism at Haverford 7

Spatial Considerations 9

Operations 10

Funding 11

Acknowledgements 12

Appendix 1: Greenhouse Budget 14

Appendix 2: Funding On­Campus Farms 18

Appendix 3: Student Involvement by the Numbers 21

Appendix 4: Greenhouse Efficiency 22

Appendix 5: Awareness Campaign 26

Appendix 6: Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies 27

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OverviewThe Agricultural Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is a year round educational space designed tointegrate agricultural education into the academic and extracurricular lives of Haverford and Bryn Mawr(Bi­Co) students, faculty, staff, and community members. With a focus on interdisciplinary andexperiential learning, ACES provides a home for the rapidly growing Environmental Studies (ES) programand encourages participation from students outside of the ES program. A significant number of Bi­Costudents are already involved in environmentalism on campus (see Appendix 3) and ACES invites thesestudents and other members of the community to engage with issues of food justice and local, progressiveagriculture.

Located on the southwest side of campus, ACES will feature a greenhouse, classroom, and outdoorseating space. It is equipped for scientific research, gardening, food production, and one­on­onemeetings with advisors and students. Through tutoring programs and partnerships with local food banks,Bi­Co students are able to develop leadership skills and relationships with the surrounding community.ACES’ student­run internship program builds the next generation of environmentalists with a focus onsustainable farming techniques and community involvement.

ProposalHaverford’s current agricultural space (two small beds around 5,000 sq ft. in size, located next to theHaverford College Apartments) is insufficient to meet current student interest in the environment andagricultural issues. To unite students around these issues, create a dynamic environment forinterdisciplinary collaboration, and bring Haverford students to the forefront of environmental education,we propose the construction of a polycarbonate greenhouse and attached classroom space near thecurrent community gardens located next to the featherbed athletic fields. This project, ACES, will serveas a learning laboratory for a multitude of student groups and classes and will establish Haverford Collegeas an important player in dialogues about sustainability at liberal arts colleges.

With this document we are requesting the support of the Board of Managers in moving our plan towardscompletion. We ask that the Board of Managers support this plan by including it in the Master Plan andplace it at the forefront of the College’s goals. We also request that this project be added to InstitutionalAdvancement’s primary fundraising goals for 2014 as it falls squarely within the College’s mission todevelop a more focused environmental campaign.

This has been a collaborative project between the members of the ENVS397 Senior Capstone Class.This report synthesizes our work thus far and has been compiled for the February 2014 Board ofManagers meeting. Additional proposals on specific projects can be provided upon request and anyquestions can answered by the appropriate group. For abstracts from the specific projects please see

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Appendix 6. We are all happy to answer any questions that may arise.

BackgroundSTUDENT INTERESTHaverford is home to a plethora of student environmental groups, many of which focus on agriculture andlocal food. Already existing initiatives that demonstrate strong student commitment to environmentalissues on and off campus include the following:

The League of Student Gardeners expanded their plot at the Haverford College Apartments(HCA), this past summer to increase area under cultivation from approximately 3,000 sq ft. toapproximately 5,000 sq ft., increasing the food production capacity of the space. Food producedin the apartment gardens went to volunteer workers living in HCA over the summer.

eHaus hosts a local foods supper every Thursday and this year over 60 students attended itsannual Thanksgiving Potluck, co­hosted by Culinary House.

ETHOS (Equal Trade Homegrown Organic Sustainable) Food Initiative continues to involvestudents in issues of food justice and sustainable agriculture by hosting events such as mealscatered by on­campus sustainability groups and local businesses, discussions on food justice, andfilm screenings.

Haverfordians for a Liveable Future promotes dialogue around social responsibility and thecollege’s endowment.

The Center for Peace and Global Citizenship regularly funds student internship projects aroundissues of environmental justice. Notable among these internships are the Weaver’s Way internship(Philadelphia) and the Haverford Garden Initiative internship at Haverford College.

The Committee for Environmental Responsibility (CER) has funded and run a composting trialto compost waste from the Dining Center. This effort was organized predominantly by studentmembers of CER.

In October, Haverford sent 11 students to Powershift, a nationwide climate summit forundergraduates. These students came back with community organizing experience and increasedknowledge of environmental justice, skills that they already putting into practice on Haverford’scampus through initiatives like the ETHOS Food Initiative.

There are a number of environmental groups at Haverford which serve as hubs for student involvementHowever, these groups have been limited by a lack of cohesion and resources. ACES provides not only aphysical meeting space for these students, but a program around which members of various groups cancome together to build their capacity for collaboration on issues of environmentalism, food and socialjustice, and “greening” the campus. Through ACES, students can engage with agriculture in a variety ofways and work together more productively. For example, ACES can serve as a training ground forCPGC interns pursuing agricultural projects, or eHaus could use produce from ACES for its weekly

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fmeals. For more information about student involvement, see Appendix 3.

To gauge interest in ACES two members of the Fall 2013 Environmental Studies Senior Seminar(ENVS397), Aaron Levine and Celia Ristow, organized events and invited feedback from the studentcommunity. With support from the ENVS397 class they tabled at plenary and hosted a community forumin Ryan Gym, a sign painting party at eHaus, and a cover cropping day at the proposed site for ACESwith live music. In total 81 people attended the events, those who expressed interest are now part of ourgrowing email list serve for future engagement with the space. Based on feedback from and attendance atthese events, we feel there is particular student interest in the ACES project. Furthermore, MarieGreeney and Shannon Murphy (also from ENVS397) created a comprehensive advertising campaign forACES which was displayed in various locations on campus this past fall. Examples of Shannon andMarie’s work can be found in Appendix 6 and the Table of Contents.

ACADEMIC SUPPORTThe incorporation of ES into the curriculum at Haverford College began in 2008 when the Andrew J.Mellon Foundation gave the College a matching grant for three new endowed faculty positions in ES.Since then, ES has grown at Haverford College and in collaboration with colleagues at Bryn MawrCollege and Swarthmore College, a new Tri­College program in ES was introduced in Fall 2011 to bothexpand course offerings and enrich the intellectual capacity of the program. With the first class ofHaverford ES minors graduating this year, it is an appropriate time to reflect on the program and theprogress it has made over the last 5 years as well as envision ways in which the program may grow in thefuture. ACES is one such example of future growth in ES as it provides a forum and physical location forthese curricular connections to deepen and expand.

To further explore the connections between ACES and the academic curriculum, ENVS397 participantsMinna Yoshikawa and Darwin Keung reached out to 35 faculty, six of whom expressed academic interestin ACES. In particular, Minna and Darwin have been in conversation with the following professors aboutintegrating the greenhouse and ACES into their courses: Kimberly Benston (English), Jonathan Wilson(Biology), Joshua Moses (Anthropology), and Helen White (Chemistry). Several of these professors havealready begun to develop strategies for integrating ACES into existing courses, with help from Minna andDarwin. For example, they worked with Professors Jonathan Wilson and Joshua Moses to develop anACES­centered agriculture and sustainability unit for the introductory course Case Studies inEnvironmental Issues (ENVS101) and have drafted a syllabus, recommended readings, and designedboth academic and interactive ways to engage with the space.

In their final report Minna and Darwin note that:

These sources of enrichment through hands­on learning and insights into agriculture are also wellaligned with Haverford’s endorsed “Educational Goals & Aspirations.” Consistent with

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Haverford’s Quaker motto of “not more learned, but imbued with better learning”(Haverford College, 2010), the experience­based learning that ACES provides will be woven intolecture­based curriculum in efforts to enhance the quality of students’ learning. This move towardsthe implementation of hands­on learning is also consistent with the recent initiative to include apraxis component in Haverford’s curricular requirement for graduation. Though this proposed1

addition must go through more processes to reach fruition, ACES would work hand­in­hand withthe requirement to provide avenues for hands­on work. By serving as a catalyst for analyzingglobal and local issues and by fostering ecological responsibility, ACES also aligns with theHaverford’s encouragement that students put “learning into action for greater ethical purposes.” 2

In light of the curricular benefits of ACES and the opportunities it presents for growth, we hopethat ACES will become a valued and permanent component of Haverford’s education. Byestablishing the space in the academic curriculum, it is also hoped that the inclusion of ACES invarious courses will work towards ensuring the longevity and expansion of the project. Thoughstudents will be the driving forces behind the maintenance and growth of ACES, we hope thatfaculty and staff involvement will reinforce the intellectual merits of the space and help to secureoverall institutional support for ACES in the long­term.

The support from faculty for this project is exciting and is a core strength of ACES. The greenhouse andheadhouse facility are especially important for sustaining academic connections as the building provides ameeting space for academic conversations and the greenhouse extends the growing season into the coldermonths of the academic year. The greenhouse provides a controlled environment to conduct specificacademic research whereas the farm’s outdoor space invites students to ask broader environmentalresearch questions. Together, the farm space and greenhouse create a symbiotic learning laboratory forstudents to engage in multidisciplinary academic inquiry.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONSThere are three core ways in which ACES has been constructed to partner with the outside community,however, the possibilities for growth and change in this area likely extend beyond this. The current plansare as follows:

Haverford College Mentoring and Student Teaching (MAST) ProgramHaverford College’s MAST program provides laboratory experiences and writing tutorials for 40­50Philadelphia area high school and middle school students who come from backgrounds traditionallyunderrepresented in the sciences. Members of ENVS397, Paige De Rosa and Amanda Beardall, withsupport from this year’s MAST coordinators, have designed three possible modules for the program.Two modules focused on more hands­on laboratory approaches including designing a rain garden, andexamining phosphorus in plants, whereas the other module on food justice is more applicable for a writing

1 Benston, K. (2013). Personal communication.2 Haverford College. (2010). “Educational Goals & Aspirations.” Haverford.edu.

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tutorial. Together, these modules blend hands­on learning with reading, research, and reflection related toagriculture and the environment (see Appendix 6).

Community Building Around AgricultureThe ACES space is adjoined to the Community Gardens in the South of campus and as such, there aremany opportunities to engage with the other plot gardeners through special events and a possiblevolunteer based Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Fern Beetle­Moorcroft from theENVS397 class led the initiative in talking to community members who helped inform an initial plan for thelayout of the space and community integration. This included improving the accessibility andapproachability of the space as well as community building events such as work/harvest days, workshopsand inclusion of the Serendipity Day Camp, Ardmore House and the Phoebe Thorn School. Fern alsodeveloped a more extensive five year plan, which adds another access point to the space, making itpossible to lead walking tours from a public park, talks, and more involved community partnershipprograms.

Ardmore Food BankAfter many conversations with emergency food providers in the Philadelphia area, Chelsea Mitchell of theENVS397 class has set the stage for a partnership between ACES and Ardmore Food Bank. ArdmoreFood Bank is a small food pantry run by St. Mary's Church on Ardmore Avenue which serves around25­35 people per week who face food insecurity right outside our campus. St Mary’s is flexible aboutquantity and type of donation accepted and are enthusiastic about the prospect of fresh, local produce.The current plan intends that around 30% of the yield will be given to Ardmore Food Bank.

INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENTALISM AT HAVERFORD

Haverford College has deep agricultural roots which extend back to 1833 when the committee ofPhiladelphia and New York Friends purchased farmland to open the school. In the early days, eachstudent was assigned a garden plot, which they were expected to work on in the afternoon after classes.Since then the College’s commitment to environmentalism has fluctuated, but farming and an appreciationof the Earth have remained core to Haverford’s identity.

Haverford was recently included in the Princeton Review’s “Guide to 322 Green Colleges.” Thisdemonstrates Haverford’s commitment to environmental issues as well as the growing interest ofapplicants in attending environmentally conscious schools. However, Haverford trails behind its peerinstitutions. In the 2011 College Sustainability Report Card, Haverford was one of four top liberal artsschools to fall in the B range, while the other six colleges were in the A range. Given this room for3

3 Top ten liberal arts colleges as based on the 2013 US News Report Rankings

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improvement, Haverford’s recently renewed commitment to environmentalism is exciting. ACES wishes tocapitalize on this energy and, as such, is a timely addition to the College’s agenda.

We feel this proposal is well aligned with the college’s priorities as it falls under one of the Master Plan’sfour “new dynamic areas of learning: environmental studies” as outlined by the Faculty Committee onAcademic Enrichment. ACES falls squarely within these objectives. Below, we have outlined specific4

ways in which the ACES program aligns with the stated goals (in italics) of the College.

To cultivate faculty­student collaboration, creativity, and scholarship at all stages of theHaverford experience through:

Partnering faculty and students in innovative exploration and critical reflection.

At its core, ACES is a way to dig deeper into the already interdisciplinary field of ES whileallowing students to thoughtfully engage with both faculty and the larger community.

Improving the freshman and sophomore experience through deeper and more integratedand flexible curriculum.

We have begun talking to the Customs Co­Heads to integrate ACES and environmentalism moregenerally in to the Customs Week experience. Two of the ES professors (Helen White and JonWilson) have offered to host a “Seminar with Faculty” at the farm to introduce freshmen to thespace during Customs Week. Beyond the first week, ACES will be integrated into the curriculumof the Introduction to Environmental Studies course (ENVS101) which will help expose morestudents to the space.

Enhancing cumulative skill building and expanding extra­curricular scholarship throughsymposia, summer research, and internships.

This proposal and budget (see Budget Section) include five years of funding for a paid studentcoordinator, as well as for three unpaid assistant interns who will have a chance to gain hands­onlearning experience in managing an agricultural space. Additionally we are in collaboration with theCPGC to redesign the current garden intern position to also include work with ACES. Finally,Philadelphia houses a robust urban farming community and ACES affords the unique opportunityto learn from these experts through on­campus special events and symposia.

Providing access to novel and contemporary methodologies that open new areas oflearning.

As described in the Academic Connections section, ACES allows for hands­on learning coupledwith academic rigor. The headhouse (classroom) and greenhouse combination is a physicalmanifestation of how experiential learning meets academia.

Adapting the curriculum to fit the needs of an increasingly diverse student body.Issues pertaining to the environment and sustainability are increasingly important to Haverfordiansand college students nationwide. Providing a space for interdisciplinary inquiry of this kind is of

4 Haverford College Campus Master Plan. Publication. Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, Inc., Jan.2009. Web.

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interest to many students.(Master Plan, 2)

Given the connections across academic disciplines and extracurricular projects, the ACES proposal iswell aligned with the stated goals of the College. We see ACES as a key first step in driving a morefocused engagement with environmental issues on campus, something particularly noted in a recent emailfrom the Board of Managers, quoted below:

The Committee on Investments and Social Responsibility (CISR) concluded its deliberationson a proposal to divest Haverford’s endowment assets from companies in the fossil fuelindustry. CISR presented a unanimous recommendation to the Board to decline thatproposal while simultaneously charging the College to undertake more focusedengagement on issues of environmental responsibility. 5

Because of the unique organization plan of ACES (see Operations) and commitment to bothextra­curricular and academic aims, we see the greenhouse as being a core learning laboratory wherestudents, faculty, and the community will be able to engage with key environmental issues related to foodand agricultural practices.

Spatial ConsiderationsThis section details the spatial logistics of ACES in hope of grounding the project in its physical place. Italso provides basic information about this location, the Master Plan, and Haverford Township Zoning.

PHYSICAL LOCATION

ACES takes advantage of an underutilized space on campus and helps to revitalize the community gardenspace after it was paved in the summer of 2013. The 60ft. x 30ft. greenhouse (1,800 sq ft.) and attached20ft. x 20ft. head house (400 sq ft.) will be located between the community gardens and UpperFeatherbed Field in the East/West orientation. The greenhouse will be coupled with a garden plot, some40 ft. x 120 ft. of which have already been allocated for student use. Trees will be planted between thestructure and the nature trail in order to minimize impact on the neighbors’ views.

In the image below, the ACES box indicates where the greenhouse and headhouse buildings are planned.

5 Koshland, Catherine P., Howard W. Lutnick, and Daniel H. Weiss. "Report from the October 2013 Meeting of theBoard of Managers." Message to HC­students­broadcast. 5 Nov. 2013. E­mail. Emphasis ours.

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THE MASTER PLANThe Haverford College Campus Master Plan, published in 2009, notes that “the master plan will serve asa living document and decision making tool, providing guidance for the development of the college will intothe future. [...] The plan aims to be comprehensive, historically responsive, and environmentallyproactive.” 6

Presently, the proposed ACES location is slated for possible development as an athletic facility. We7

would like to see this area expanded and used to represent the objectives of the college to increaseenvironmental awareness and sustainability. As such, we seek approval from the Board of Managers toallocate this space for the ES program and move the potential athletic facilities elsewhere as needed.

ZONING

This area is zoned by Haverford Township as “institutional.” As such, we do not foresee any problems8

with zoning. Note that the nearby Arboretum’s greenhouse facility did not require special zoningpermission.

AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT

This space will be built in accordance with regulations established by the Americans with Disabilities Actof 1990.

OperationsWe see ACES as more than a physical entity and location. ACES is an organization structure to manage

6 Haverford College Campus Master Plan. Publication. Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, Inc., Jan.2009. Web.7 Haverford College Campus Master Plan. page 66­678 "Chapter 182­602: Zoning­ Institutional." Haverford Township Code. Haverford Township, 2013. Web

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the farm and environmental initiatives on campus. A continuous, flexible, and thoughtfully managed plan isessential for keeping the farm and greenhouse running smoothly; this section provides an overview of thatplan.

ACADEMIC YEAR

During the academic year ACES will be managed by the Director of ES, currently Professor Helen White.Four students (three interns and one paid program coordinator) will work under Professor White’ssupervision to facilitate the management of the greenhouse and the outdoor plots. The coordinatoroversees the greenhouse’s operations during the school year, which include planning, planting and tendingcrops, coordinating use of the space by other student groups such as ENVS101, Earthquakers, and 8th

Dimension. The work of the interns varies, but will include coordinating volunteer labor and providingnecessary upkeep and maintenance of the farm. ACES provides a structured opportunity for students tolearn important project management skills and the presence of a paid student position makes participationin farming accessible to students of all socioeconomic backgrounds. The funding for the first five years ofthis position are included in the attached budget (Appendix 1).

In later phases, ACES will connect students to off campus organizations, a vital but often overlooked partof a well rounded education. Potential future partnerships include MAST, Serendipity Summer Camp,Ardmore Food Bank, and local farms. These projects will be managed by the student coordinator. Formore information on these projects see the Community Connections section of this report.

SUMMER

During the summer, maintaining the farm becomes much more labor intensive as there are fewer people oncampus to work on the farm and it is the primary harvest season. One intern is selected and fundedthrough the CPGC to work at Haverford over the summer as the Garden Intern. Once the intern isselected in early spring, he/she will begin working with Professor White and the current ACEScoordinator to learn about the work he/she will be undertaking during the summer. The summer intern isresponsible for facilitating food production and distribution, in addition to maintaining the agriculturalspaces on campus, which include the two smaller beds in the Haverford College Apartments. Thesummer intern position can be adapted to the strengths and interests of the intern, and may includeinteracting with outside organizations such as the Ardmore Food Bank or leading activities for SerendipitySummer Camp.

THE FIRST YEAR

In October, the students of ENVS397, in collaboration with the League of Student Gardeners, hosted anevent at the farm where students planted a cover crop so that the ground would be ready to plant comespring. This spring marks the first year of a new garden management plan, designed by ENVS397students David Robinson, Siena Mann, and Nell Durfee. These students spent the semester researchingpermaculture, agroecology and integrated pest management and have crafted an extensive crop rotationplan that will allow the space to be used sustainably and efficiently. David and Siena will manage the

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garden plot this spring and are looking forward to passing on their agricultural knowledge to the nextgeneration of Haverfarmers. For a more detailed explanation of David, Siena, and Nell’s plan, seeAppendix 6.

FundingThis section explains our current progress towards funding the greenhouse, headhouse, and studentworker. Our budget (Appendix 1) was created with feedback from Don Campbell, Director of Facilities,and external contractors from Rimol Greenhouses. We have also conducted a comparative study toevaluate our funding goals in comparison to those of farms at other academic institutions (Appendix 2).

BUDGET

The costs associated with purchasing, installing, and maintaining the greenhouse are of primary concern indiscussing the feasibility of ACES’ mission. With the assistance of professionals working within andoutside of Haverford, we have drafted a comprehensive budget encompassing the total $226,000 cost ofthe greenhouse project. The budget is attached in Appendix 1.

FUNDINGAt the time of writing, we have raised $28,000 toward our goal. We have received generous grants fromPresident Dan Weiss’ Office ($25,000) and from the Students Council Facilities Fund ($3,000). Wehope to raise some additional funds via on campus fundraising in the spring, but hope that the bulk of thisproject can be funded with support from the Office of Institutional Advancement. We have hadpreliminary conversations with Ann West Figueredo, Director of Leadership Gifts, and John Mosteller,Assistant Vice President for Academic Resources. We request that the Board of Managers put thisinitiative on the list of Institutional Advancement priorities.

GRANTS

There are no external grants that we are eligible for at this time. At present, many foundations have optedto fund programs with strong social justice aspects or programs that already involve the local community,rather than provide capital contributions. At its current stage, ACES is not in line with those strategicgoals, but we expect that as ACES grows and as we further develop partnerships with outsideorganizations, we will be eligible for funds that allow ACES to build its capacity for working with nearbypopulations and issues of environmental justice.

Early on in the process of securing funding, we investigated the possibility of applying for several grants.Of those grants that seem most in line with ACES mission are those offered by the USDA NationalInstitute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education(SARE) program. Although most grant foundations prefer to fund programs, these organizations wouldpotentially be able to offer capital support or, more likely, programmatic support in the future.

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AcknowledgmentsThe ACES project would not be at the stage it is now without the countless hours of effort collectively putinto making it a reality. The Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies (ENVS397) Class came up with theidea of the ACES space as a class project to better use the underutilized community garden at HaverfordCollege. The class divided into a vision group, planning group, academic connections group,communications group, Tri­Co outreach group, and beyond Tri­Co outreach group. Each grouprespectively contributed to the current and future plans of the ACES space. The Director of the ESProgram at Haverford, Helen White, was key in channelling the student’s energy surrounding the projectin a productive and level­headed manner. Assistant Professor of Biology, Jonathan Wilson, cooperatedwith those in the academic connections group; helping to come up with possibilities for the ACES spaceto be incorporated into the Haverford curriculum. Students from the Introduction to Environmental Studiesclass (ENVS101) provided further student support for the project and helped bring fresh ideas to thetable. President Dan Weiss and his Chief of Staff, Jesse Lyttle, gave key financial support to the ACESproject and gave the project legitimacy in the eyes of Students Council and Institutional Advancement.Institutional Advancement has been in conversation with us about ways to acquire the remaining financialsupport needed to make ACES a reality. Interim Provost of Haverford College, Kim Benston providedthe academic approval and support necessary to establish the legitimacy of the ACES project. DonCampbell, Director of Facilities and Claudia Kent, Assistant Director of Facilities Management,Sustainability and Grounds were both very helpful in providing feedback on the project; explaining thelogistics of running the ACES space and explaining how ACES will have to work with facilities. Finally,CPGC domestic and international coordinators, Janice Lion and Chloe Tucker are helping us redesign theCPGC garden intern position to incorporate the ACES space. We would like to give a big thanks to all ofthese people involved in the ACES project.

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Appendix 1Greenhouse BudgetNovember 2013

The following is a budget for a 60ft. x 30ft. greenhouse (1,800 sq ft.), to be located between thecommunity gardens and Upper Featherbed Field in the East/West orientation. Also included is a budgetfor an attached 20ft. x 20ft. head house (400 sq ft.) to be used as a classroom and work space. Thegreenhouse would be coupled to a community garden plot, which has already been allocated to studentgardeners. The greenhouse and garden plot together would form the Agricultural Center for EnvironmentalStudies (ACES), which would serve as a physical space to connect and engage students, faculty, and staffinterested in issues pertaining to agriculture, sustainability, and the environment._____________________________________________________________________________Prepared by: Stuart Hean, Claire Perry, Catherine Schepp, Alice Thatcher, & Jan VanousIn consultation with: Helen White, Don Campbell, Claudia Kent, Janice Lion, & ENVS397 SeniorCapstone Class

After preliminary research and conversations with building experts we have drafted the budgetbelow. These numbers represent our best estimates for the current plan.

MATERIAL COSTS: GREENHOUSE

The following costs are based on 60 ft. x 30 ft. Matterhorn Commercial­Grade Greenhouse byRimol. The estimates were provided in October 2013.

Item Cost

Structure and Framework $18,160

Doors $1,067

Polycarbonate Covering $13,530

Cooling and Ventilation $3,692

Heating and Air Circulation $3,012

Freight $2,365

Stainless Steel Commercial­Grade Planting Benches $4,000

Total $45,826

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MATERIAL COSTS: HEAD HOUSE

Rough estimates based on preliminary searches for an attached 20 ft. x 20 ft. meeting space.

Item Cost

Prefabricated One Room Addition (includes internal electrical system) $20,000

Freight $1,500

Chairs $1,000

Meeting Table $1,000

Bathroom Facilities (Including sink, dual flush toilet, grab bars, and other fixtures)$6,000

Total $29,500

CONSTRUCTION COSTS

The following costs are based on estimates from RS MEANS, the industry standard for projectestimation costs.

Item Cost

Scissor Lift (estimated cost for 1 week rental) $400

Slab on Grade, Light Industrial Reinforced(installation, footings, and material: $6.36 per sq ft.)

$13,992

Site Preparation $3,500

Electric Line (500 ft. line buried 3 feet deep and electrical panel) $5,000

Additional Electrical Materials $200

Gas Line (500 ft. gas line buried to code depth) $7,500

Water Line (500 ft. of half inch line and one spigot for hose) $5,000

Labor

Electrician ($419 per day)(3days) $1,257

Plumber ($446 per day)(3 days) $1,336

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Common Building Laborers $9,905

Haverford Township Grading & Stormwater Management Permit $1,000

Haverford Township Building Permit $300

Site Plan for Storm Water Permit $10,000

Additional Costs as Estimated by Don Campbell(Including but not limited to: contractor overhead and profit costs, sewer linewith permit and labor, sidewalk or path to space, path lighting, sprinklersystem, and stormwater system)

$60,000

Total $119,390

OPERATING COSTS

Academic YearA student worker who will be in close communication with the Garden Initiative, the Committee forEnvironmental Responsibility, and the ES program will operate and maintain the greenhouse andassociated garden plot throughout the academic year. This worker will be known as the ACESCoordinator and will be managed by the Director of ES, currently Helen White. The ACES Coordinatorwill average 6 hours a week for two 16­week semesters and will be paid in accordance with Haverfordwork study policies (i.e. starting rate $9). The budget is constructed to consider this as a 5 year operatingcost at $1,728 a year, a total of $8,640.

SummerThe CPGC currently funds a student garden intern to manage the two agricultural spaces by theapartments. Current conversations with the CPGC indicate that the current position could be expandedand refined to include ACES. This position will be filled via the standard CPGC application process in thespring and funded by the CPGC.

AdditionalAdditional yearly costs (e.g. seeds, fertilizer, soil, hoses, shovels, and trees to shield the neighbors’ views)will be budgeted for by the Agricultural Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) club through theHaverford Student Activities Fund.

Heating, Plumbing, and Electricity BillsAfter this project is established for two years, we anticipate that these sort of maintenance costs could be

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rolled into the college’s budget. We would like to budget for the first year of maintenance costs. weanticipate that the total cost of propane, electricity, plumbing, water, custodial services, and possibleminor repairs will be $20,000.

SUMMARY

Item Cost

Material Cost: Greenhouse $45,826

Material Cost: Head House $29,500

Construction Cost $119,390

First Year Operating Cost $20,000

Five Year Student Coordinator Position $8,640

Cushion Cost $2,644

Total $226,000

NOTA BENE

During discussions with Dan Weiss and Don Campbell, we considered scaling down the greenhouse to aless expensive size. We came to the unanimous decision that while costs could be cut, such changes wouldnot dramatically alter the overall price of the project and would substantially diminish the productivity andpromise of the space.

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Appendix 2Funding On­Campus Farms , 9 10

One of the key decisions academic institutions face when establishing and financing a farm is whether the

farm should focus on production and profit or on experimentation and education. While it is possible to

pursue both options, educational farms are less profitable and “[e]ven well­established, thriving student

farms typically cover only operating expenses from their sales revenue, not salaries” (Sayre, 327).

Consequently, many institutions choose to build farms that serve as “teaching [spaces], flexible enough to

change without committing excessive resources beyond what the [farms can] return” (Sayre, 56). These

farms concentrate more on education than they do on profit, but these projects can be costly and finding

additional sources of funding is a constant priority.

In response to these concerns, this appendix compares how student farms at other academic institutions

use the following three typical sources of funding to cover their costs: donations and endowments, external

grants, and internal grants. The findings and comparisons of these case studies can be used to evaluate

how Haverford College can best fund its farm and greenhouse initiative (also known as the Agricultural

Center for Environmental Studies).

For the initial development and start­up costs, many farms rely on donations and endowments. Schools

like Sterling College, Wilmington College, the University of Oregon, the University of Montana, and Yale

University have used donations to fund their start­up costs. A number of academic institutions including

the University of Oregon, Central Carolina Community College, Yale University, and Prescott College

have also used funding from donations to cover maintenance costs and smaller­scale projects within their

farms.

In the case of many student farms, money from external grants is used to fund smaller scale projects and

operation costs (e.g. student wages) on farms (for example Prescott College, Sterling College, Central

Carolina Community College, University of British Columbia, New Mexico State University, University of

9 Mayton H., (November 16, 2013), University of Virginia. Email interview.10 Sayre, L. B., Clark, S., Kirschenmann, F. L. (2011). Fields of learning: The student farm movement in North America.Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky.

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California, Michigan State University, and New Mexico State University). Other schools, such as

Hampshire College, Central Carolina Community College, and the University of Montana have used

external grants as a source of funding for initial development of their farms.

Some schools are able to finance their farms through internal sources of funding. These internal school

grants pay primarily for the initial development of the farms and their operation costs (i.e. wages). For

instance, the farms at Evergreen State College, Prescott College, and University of Maine were all

established under internal school grants. Additionally, Evergreen State College, Hampshire College,

Central Carolina Community College, University of California, and the University of British Columbia have

used internal grants to fund the operating costs at their farms.

Based on how the above institutions have financed their projects (see Table 1), it is evident that the farm

projects “have gotten underway and even continued and expanded with widely varying amounts [and

types] of financial support. Some kind of financial commitment from the institutions [is] critical for

the stability of the farm[s], but it is important to recognize that this can take many forms,” (Sayre,

327, emphasis added). There is not one right path to acquire “sufficient” funds for farms at academic

institutions, though it is wise to look into as many avenues as possible.

Lorna Coppinger and Ray Coppinger of Hampshire College remark that, “it is often difficult to get across

the idea that the farm is about agriculture and not about plant and animal husbandry: it’s not just about

getting the chores done; it’s about illustrating larger agricultural issues while getting the chores

done” (Sayre, 161, emphasis added). ACES provides a space for illustrating these larger agricultural

issues, whether those issues are about plant biology or about land management. President Weiss’

endorsement (financial and otherwise) indicates an understanding that ACES needs institutional support to

fund its start­up costs, but may be able to look to external grants to fund operating costs in the future.

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Table 1:

Donations andEndowments

External Grants Internal Grants

Initial FarmDevelopment

Sterling College,University of Montana,University of Oregon,Wilmington College,Yale University

Central CarolinaCommunity College,Hampshire College,University of Montana

Evergreen State College,Prescott College,University of Maine

Small­ScaleProjects

Central CarolinaCommunity College,Prescott College,

University of Oregon,Yale University

Prescott College,Michigan StateUniversity,

New Mexico StateUniversity,

University of California

No information provideda

OperationCosts (i.e.wages)

No information providedb Central CarolinaCommunity College,New Mexico State

University,Sterling College,

University of BritishColumbia

Central CarolinaCommunity College,

Evergreen State College,Hampshire College,University of British

Columbia,University of California

a No institution explicitly stated their use of donations and endowments for operation costs. However, it is very likely thatinstitutions, who primarily funded their farms through large donations and endowments, used those sources to fund their operationscosts.b No institution explicitly stated their use of internal grants for small­scale projects. However, it is very likely that there areinstitutions who fund small­scale projects themselves

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Appendix 3Student Involvement by the Numbers

The Student Involvement section indicates that around 400 students are involved in many studentorganizations at Haverford that are environmentally focused. Below is a breakdown of student involvement.11

Student Organizations (Haverford) Number of Participants

EarthQuakers 77

Committee For Environmental Responsibility 10

Haverford Garden Initiative 66

Haverfordians for a Livable Future 24

eHaus 103

ETHOS (Food Justice Initiative) 40

Total 320

Student Organizations (Bryn Mawr) Number of Participants

Bryn Mawr College Community Garden 60

BikeCo 50

Environmental Justice League 10

Green Ambassadors 18

Real Food Challenge 4

Total 142

11 It should be noted that many of the same students who are concerned about environmental issues atHaverford are involved in the same student organizations. Thus, the membership numbers listed above donot necessarily represent actual student involvement.

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Appendix 4Greenhouse Efficiency , , , , 12 13 14 15 16

Since ACES is a project that emphasizes thoughtful engagement with the natural environment, we haveconsidered the effect that the greenhouse and headhouse construction and maintenance may have ongreenhouse gas emissions and Haverford’s use of limited natural resources. In this section we outline thereasons we chose a new industrial greenhouse as opposed to a recycled or re­purposed greenhouse. Wealso suggest multiple ways to outfit the selected greenhouse, the Matterhorn from Rimol, to be the mostenergy efficient and sustainable post­construction.

RECYCLED GREENHOUSES

There are many creative greenhouses on the market constructed using recycled materials such as patiodoors, old windows, or plastic soda bottles. While these designs are beautiful and represent aconservative use of natural resources, we have decided that we will not further investigate their use forACES. They are not designed to withstand winter storms, the price for repairing any future damages isimpossible to determine, and heating them in the winter would be inefficient.

RE­USED GREENHOUSES

On Ebay, a few used greenhouses were found, but most were small lean­to style greenhouses whichwould not provide space for collaboration, or disassembled single­film hoop style greenhouses which areunattractive and would be inefficient to heat in the winter. The larger greenhouses found on Ebay requiredbuyers to provide their own assembly and most troublingly, their own transportation from states as faraway as Arizona.

NEW GREENHOUSES

In general, since they have “better seals around the coverings and openings than older houses,” newgreenhouses will more efficiently use the energy expended producing heat (Latimer, 1). For this reasonand due to the various problems we found with both recycled and reused greenhouses, we haveconsidered new greenhouse models.

12 "How to Choose Your Greenhouse and Prepare for Your New Hobby." The Greenhouse Catalog. N.p., n.d. Web. 02Oct. 2013.13 Latimer, Joyce. "Dealing with the High Cost of Energy for Greenhouse Operations." Virginia Cooperative Extension,n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2013.14 National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association. "Greenhouse Heating Efficiency Design Considerations." 1998.Web. 17 Dec. 2013.15 Paparozzi, Ellen, and George Meyer. "Capillary Mats Are Back." Greenhouse Grower. N.p., 06 Aug. 2012. Web. 17Dec. 2013.16 "Siting a Greenhouse." Gardenersworld.com. Gardener's World Magazine, n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2013.

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It is important to note that not all new greenhouses are created equal. The efficiency of a greenhouseoperation depends on many factors. Below we outline various features which the most efficientgreenhouses have. The Matterhorn Greenhouse we chose has some of these features but not all of them.Once funding has been secured, we believe that time should be invested in considering all of these featuresin order to produce the best possible greenhouse which will positively impact campus for decades withoutnegatively changing Haverford’s maintenance budget or its environmental impact.

GEOGRAPHIC POSITIONING AND LANDSCAPING

As in all other gardens, the plants in a greenhouse depend on natural light and heat from the sun to grow.According to Gardener’s World Magazine, “if you want to grow crops all year round, it’s best to line upthe ridge of [your greenhouse] structure to run east­west, as this will maximise light during the winter. Itwill also help it to heat up more quickly after cold nights” (Siting a Greenhouse). Additionally, if coldwinds repeatedly beat against the side of a greenhouse, the energy needed to maintain the internaltemperature of the greenhouse will inevitably increase. Planting hardy trees or bushes, conifers forexample, near end walls can act as a windbreak and make your greenhouse more efficient (Latimer). Inour particular case, planting conifers around the greenhouse will, as an added bonus, serve to improveneighbors’ views.

COVERING MATERIAL

Greenhouse frames can be covered with various materials ranging from thin plastic sheets or films, toglass, polyethylene, and polycarbonate siding. From preliminary research, we have deducted thatpolycarbonate siding is the ideal material for our purposes. When considering “R­values,” measuredmaterial­dependent values meant to reflect insulating ability, polycarbonate siding insulates approximately80% better than poly film and about 60% better than glass (The Greenhouse Catalogue). Additionally,polycarbonate is highly impact resistant, unlike glass, and resists yellowing with age.

Additional insulation can be provided to plants within the greenhouse by way of a “thermal blanket,”which can reduce heating needs anywhere from 20% to 50% according to Latimer. Large movablethermal blankets can be easily added to all gutter­connected greenhouses.

WEATHERPROOFING OPENINGS AND FLOORWhile the walls contain the most surface area of the greenhouse, the floors, doors, and seams should notbe overlooked. During construction, additional polystyrene or polyurethane insulation can be added to thefoundation. After installation, all door openings should be caulked or weatherstripped.

TRADITIONAL HEATING SYSTEMThe most common way to heat greenhouses is to use a traditional gas heater or furnace. Most greenhousekits come with this option. If ACES is built with a traditional heater, it is important that the furnace orheater is cleaned and adjusted at least once a year to keep it working most efficiently (Latimer). For the

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most efficient greenhouse, the heat produced should be monitored using an aspirated thermostat placednear plants (rather than a wall or window) or using an electronic thermostat which is monitored regularly(Latimer). Additionally, it is important to have the ability to move air within the greenhouse. This prevents“cold pockets” from forming in colder months and helps to prevent overheating in the spring and summer.For large greenhouses, multiple horizontal air fans are recommended for this purpose.

ALTERNATIVE HEATING

While most greenhouses are heated using the traditional method outlined above, there are more efficientand innovative methods which are worthy of exploration. A simple example is the addition of a heatedfloor. By heating the floor of your greenhouse, you can take a surface which normally sucks heat out ofyour operation and turn it into a surface which heats the space. According to the National GreenhouseManufacturers Association, “a heated concrete slab floor can provide 30­50% of the total conductiveheat loss of a greenhouse” (National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association).

A greenhouse can also be heated by organic methods. For example, raising chickens and allowing them toroost in the greenhouse can produce a large amount of natural body heat and reduce the need for otherheating technologies. Similarly, committing large areas of a greenhouse floor to composting or storing freshmanure will produce heat as energy is released during the natural decomposition process.

HEAT SINKSHeat can also be added to a greenhouse by simple passive physical processes. A heat sink is simply anyobject which stores heat and energy collected from the sun throughout daylight hours and then releasesthis heat at night, warming its surroundings. Heat sinks can come in many forms. The simplest heat sinksare simply large black bottles or barrels filled with water placed in a sunny spot inside a greenhouse.Another more sophisticated heat sink can be created by digging a trench in the floor of a greenhouse andfilling it with heat absorbing materials like pea gravel, fire bricks, crushed glass, etc which have beenpainted black. During the day these materials and the air in the trench heat up. As the sun sets and coolerair falls, the warm air produced in the trench rises into the greenhouse increasing its temperature andreducing the amount of heat needed from the furnace or heater.17

ALTERNATIVE WATERING METHODS

We have received funding through Students’ Council for rain barrels to place near the greenhouse. Thiswater can be used to water plants in the greenhouse and the neighboring garden plot.

Capillary mats have been in use by greenhouse growers for decades. Capillary mats are special types oflayered fabric which, when placed under pots and then wet, produce a constant water column which isslowly released into the flower pots through holes in the bottom of the pots. When combined with drip

17 Awad, Shelley. "Create a Heat Sink – Save on Heating." Greenhouse Gab. Backyard Greenhouses, 23 Nov. 2012.Web. 17 Dec. 2013.

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tape and timed watering, these mats can create a very efficient watering regime that prevents both waterrun­off and evaporation, saving Haverford money and saving our planet an important resource.

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Appendix 5Awareness Campaign

ENVS397 participants, Shannon Murphy and Marie Greaney, created a number of artistic piecesdesigned to promote awareness of ACES at Haverford and Bryn Mawr. Below is an example ofShannon’s “Haverfarmer” poster, which was displayed around campus from Wednesday, November13th to Friday, December 20th.

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Appendix 6

Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies (ENVS397)

Students participating in the Fall 2013 Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies (ENVS397) designedseparate projects and final reports related to ACES. A summary of these projects and the studentsresponsible for them is shown below.

EXPLORING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN AGRICULTURE AND THE ACADEMIC CURRICULUM

Minna Yoshikawa & Darwin KeungThis project details ways in which the Agriculture Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) can beintegrated into the academic curriculum of the Tri­College Consortium, or TriCo (which includesHaverford, Bryn Mawr, and Swarthmore colleges) and how that integration will enrich students’ overallacademic experience. Within the context of ACES as a valuable venue for hands­on learning, we aim to1) gauge faculty support for the incorporation of ACES into current and future curricular goals and 2)permanently incorporate ACES into multiple areas of curriculum. To accomplish these goals, we surveyedfaculty from various departments within the TriCo and collaborated with faculty members to provide casestudies and suggestions of how ACES can be incorporated into the academic curriculum of HaverfordCollege. It was found that faculty support and enthusiasm for ACES exists within Bryn Mawr andHaverford across the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Suggestions for integration with thesocial sciences and humanities are provided along with case studies for courses in biology, chemistry, andthe introductory Environmental Studies course (ENVS101). These results demonstrate the potential forACES to enrich curriculum across a wide variety of disciplines and reveal a strong base of faculty supportfor the space.

ENGAGING THE TRI­COLLEGE STUDENT COMMUNITY IN THE AGRICULTURAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL

STUDIES (ACES)Aaron Levine & Celia RistowThe primary objective of this study was to determine how successful environmental outreach in the Tri­Co student community could be performed, with a focus on developing interest in the proposed Agricultural Center for Environmental Studies (ACES). Since student involvement is critical for the successful maintenance of ACES, it is essential that we engage as many students as possible in order to attract a diverse and passionate group which can lead the program in the future. In order that the work in this study be useful beyond this program, we determined the “best practices” for performing student outreach in the Tri­Co, and compiled a document to serve as a resource for all student­led clubs on campus, including but not limited to groups interested in environmental issues. Our second approach involved running several different events throughout the semester to raise awareness for the ACES project and to engage the community in a dialogue about ACES. The third approach involved integrating ACES and environmental awareness into the Customs program. Through these approaches, we were able to identify effective ways

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to reach out to the community about ACES. Most of our events were well­attended, succeeded in raising awareness about ACES and enabled us to acquire valuable input from the community. Overall, we found the student body to be very receptive to the ACES project, and we were able to identify many who would be willing to be involved in the project in the future.

DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE AGRICULTURAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES(ACES) AND OFF­CAMPUS COMMUNITIES

Amanda Beardall, Fern Beetle­Moorcroft, Paige De Rosa & Chelsea MitchellThe development of the Agricultural Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) presents newopportunities to create a space that is inclusive of communities outside of the college campus. Developingprograms with these off­campus communities will enable students to connect their work at ACES withdeeper social issues, such as food security, educational inequality, and conflict resolution. In addition,these partnerships with off­campus communities will assist in sustaining and maintaining programming forthe agricultural space beyond the four years that a typical student spends at Haverford. Connectionsbetween ACES and off campus communities will be made considering the needs of both the Haverfordcommunity and off­campus communities; designing programs that meet these needs; and connecting thesegroups to ACES through outreach activities. The initial projects proposed in this document will createeducational programming focused on food justice and science, for the MAST Tutoring Program; engagethe surrounding communities of Haverford and Ardmore; and to potentially donate food from ACES bycreating a needs assessment of local emergency food providers.

AGRICULTURAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (ACES): FARM VISION AND PLANEleanor Durfee, Siena Mann & David RobinsonA proposal for the Haverford College Agricultural Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is a complexand interdisciplinary process. This proposal outlines a vision and plan for the construction andmanagement of the outdoor agricultural space. The proposal introduces three disciplines of sustainableagriculture upon which the plan is based: agroecology, permaculture, and integrated pest management(IPM). It then details both the primary and secondary research methods that were used to develop thefarm plan, which include a review of relevant literature concerning these disciplines, farm visits, farminterviews, and primary research conducted on the farm space. The results consider the environmentaldata on which the plan was based, incorporating the climatic, soil and topographical conditions, as well asthe components of the farm plan including a list of crops and plans for crop rotation, soil maintenance,planting times, and pest management. Each of the aspects of the farm plan is grounded in theaforementioned three principles of sustainable agriculture. The proposal also outlines a managementstructure that incorporates the existing student garden and a distribution plan for the farm space andhighlights ideas for future development of the space.

COMMUNICATIONS

Marie Greaney & Shannon Murphy

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An initiative to create an Agricultural Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), including a space ofactive agricultural production, is underway at Haverford College, and this study focuses on how best tocommunicate, generate support and gauge interest amongst the student body for this initiative. Researchwas conducted to examine historical methods of communicating environmental issues through art activismand other methods commonly employed by environmental campus groups, including environmentalprojects that utilized art exhibits and community outreach efforts such as workshops and presentations.We then selected some of these methods to communicate with other students, including onlinecommunications, providing information at an open forum on campus, and displaying various media acrosscampus such as posters and table cards. The effectiveness of these methods was examined usingtime­frame analysis of hits to a target Facebook page employing Facebook’s Insights functions, and byasking students who visited the Facebook page to respond to an associated survey. We found reducedreturns following recurring use of posters, an outsized effect of Facebook­internal activity, and relativelyhigh effectiveness of posts to a student forum, as well as media whose content advertised the existence ofor followed up on Outreach­organized events. Future ACES communications should consistentlyincorporate art activist principles of anonymity, recognizable visual identity, humor, and communityengagement, although methods and content should be varied based on the specific desired impact.

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