Saint Louis University’s Barnes & Noble Scholars have organized a paper and aluminum recycling program for the residence halls, to be put into effect in the 2001-2002 academic year.

Nine sophomores crafted the program as part of the scholarship program to meet its leadership-oriented challenge to find an on-campus problem and fix it.

“We had three criteria for our project: We wanted to have an impact on the SLU community, an impact on the community at large and a tangible way to see that we have succeeded,” said Mike Rozier, a scholarship recipient.

Their plan involves the placement of aluminum recycling bins on every floor of every residence hall and paper recycling bins on the ground floor of every residence hall.

Smurfitt Recycling will process the aluminum and paper.

As part of the Newspaper Readership Program, USA Today offered to transport the recyclable paper for SLU.

The housekeeping staff will run the program once it is initialized in the Fall 2001 semester, with minimal extra requirements of them, Rozier said.

In addition, one student in a work-study position in the Student Outreach Center will supervise the program. Current Barnes and Nobles Scholars plan to oversee the project through next year.

Rozier said that education and motivation are important for the program’s success.

The Barnes & Noble Scholars plan to raise awareness of the program through campus advertisements, an appearance at the SLU101 sessions, and a campus kick-off in the Griesedieck quad in the fall.

“We really want the students’ support,” said scholarship recipient Chad Kreikemeier. “It’s been tried in the past, but the trouble has been keeping it going.”

To reward the residence halls housekeeping staff, the scholars plan to hold raffles for prizes each month.

A student incentive program is currently in planning stages, Kreikemeier said.

The scholars estimate the program will cost $9,500, though a projected revenue of $6,000 is anticipated, in coordination with the recycling program in SLU’s administrative offices. The scholars plan to receive program funding through the Department of Student Life.

“We expect the revenue to triple or quadruple the current amount from the administrative offices,” Rozier said.

On April 17, the scholars presented the program to the SLU Department of Student Development, and received positive feedback.

A meeting with the Department of Facilities Services will be scheduled.

Through continued planning and work in the summer, the scholars plan to have the bins in place before the start of the fall semester.