Eco House

Eco House was established in 2010 by students who wanted a place to explore and increase sustainability awareness on Geneseo's campus. Eco House residents educate themselves and others on the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental, and work to implement new practices and policies on the Geneseo campus.

Social Justice Sundays - a weekly event in Eco House

Monroe Hall

Quick Facts

  • Students of all years interested in the three pillars of sustainability and support Geneseo's endorsement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
  • Located in the campus's first LEED Gold Certified Building
  • Residential Fellows engage with students from across academic departments: the Office of the Sustainability, Chemistry, Biology, English, Political Science, and more.
  • Students in any year in Eco House are encouraged to take the Genesee Valley Sustainability Experience during August
  • Course offered exclusively for students in Eco House - XLRN 102: Introduction to Eco House
  • Students participate in A Little Knight-Time Reading (common read over the summer)

What is a Living-Learning Community?

A Living-Learning Community (LLC) is a group of students who choose to live together in a Residence Hall to explore a common interest. Each LLC has a shared academic component (e.g., a course, faculty-led workshops, a service trip) and is strengthened by co-curricular experiences that align with the community's interests and goals.

The Learning Outcomes of our Living-Learning Communities are from the GLOBE document, which outlines outcomes for all SUNY Geneseo students upon graduation:

  1. Integrative Inquiry: To ask meaningful questions connecting personal experiences to academic study and co-curricular life; to synthesize multiple bodies of knowledge to address real-world problems and issues.
  2. Application and Transfer: To adapt and apply skills, theories, and methods gained in one or more domains to new situations.
  3. Reflection: To reflect upon changes in learning and outlook over time; to make personal, professional, and civic plans based on that self-reflection.

Values

Sustainability | Innovation | Integration

More Information

Eco House is located in Monroe Hall, a LEED Gold certified building. Monroe Hall boasts 60 geothermal wells for heating and cooling along a rainwater collection system that collects and treats the water for use in supplying water to bathroom urinals and water closets. A monitor with a 24-hour live energy and water usage data for the building is in the lobby. Monroe is also located next to the campus’s eGarden (energy garden) where student research is focused on wind, solar, and algae as mechanisms to generate energy. With its residential fellows, this community explores the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental.

Course Information

XLRN 101: Intro to Eco House is a one-credit course, offered MF from 2:30-3:20 pm for the first half of the semester.  It is taught by Dan DeZarn, MFA, Director of Sustainability and Meg Reitz, PhD, Co-Chair of the President's Commission on Sustainability.  The course is aimed to build community among all Eco House residents.  It will introduce students to the three pillars of sustainability, to various initiatives on campus, ways to get involved, and resources that are available, and help the residents get their projects and ideas off the ground.  The course is by instructor permission and is dependent upon your acceptance into Eco House.  Once the fall housing roster is set, we will reach out to enroll students.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Students living in Eco House will learn and teach others about sustainable environments and demonstrate how to live a sustainable lifestyle.

How to Apply

All housing placements for Eco House are based upon application review. Applicants must have submitted complete answers to all questions in the application to be considered for placement. Only those who submit an application by the housing deadlines listed on the housing selection website may be considered for placement. You can find more information on the housing process at housing for incoming students.

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For any questions or concerns, contact the Department of Residence Life (reslife@geneseo.edu or 585-245-5726) or the Associate Director for Educational Initiatives, Dr. Meg Reitz, (reitzm@geneseo.edu or 585-245-6363)

Are you a faculty or staff member interested in getting involved?

Fill out the general interest form or contact Dr. Meg Reitz directly at x6363 or reitzm@geneseo.edu