Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.19
Liaison John Pumilio
Submission Date Aug. 11, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Colgate University
EN-7: Employee Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.57 / 3.00 John Pumilio
Director of Sustainability
Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total number of employees (staff + faculty, headcount):
1,005

Number of employees served (i.e. directly targeted) by a peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education program (avoid double-counting):
190

Percentage of employees served by a peer-to-peer educator program:
18.91

Name of the employee educators program:
Sustainability Passport Program

Number of employees served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (headcount):
190

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities:

The Sustainability Passport Program strives to advance a culture of sustainability at Colgate by offering and supporting engaging educational programming for employees. This professional development program creates better environmental stewards and advocates for sustainability on campus further supporting our sustainability and carbon neutrality goals. Additionally, the program assists employees looking to meet the sustainability behavioral competency as highlighted in Colgate’s job description update that can be highlighted during the employee's annual review. Elements of the Passport program include 6-week courses, one-time lunch and learn programs and a "credit-based" program for participation in sustainability-oriented educational events/lectures on campus. Employees served by this program include offices that pursued and achieved green office certification.

Through these programs, participants create groups within their departments to address sustainability-related issues and create change within their department or division. Representatives from this program educate their peers with the intent to implement sustainability in various departments on campus.


A brief description of how the employee educators are selected:

Employees register for targeted sessions and targeted programs of their choice, earning credits for each program they participate in.


A brief description of the formal training that the employee educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach:

One hour focused programs that are offered as breakfast seminars, brown bag lunches, or with supervisor's permission, during work hours. Topics cover themes such as energy and water conservation, green buildings, renewable energy, food and food systems, transportation, climate change, waste and recycling, purchasing, and any one of a number of sustainability-related issues. Each program is one-hour long and participants receive short-readings or videos in advance of the session. The in-class portion is designed to be interactive and focuses on Colgate’s practices and goals as well as actions individuals can take to support sustainability on campus.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or paid faculty/staff coordination):

The Director of Sustainability and the Sustainability Office Program Coordinator help to run the program. This is funded by the sustainability and climate action fund.


Name of the employee educators program (2nd program):
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Number of employees served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (headcount) (2nd program):
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):
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A brief description of how the employee educators are selected (2nd program):
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A brief description of the formal training that the employee educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (2nd program):
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A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or paid faculty/staff coordination) (2nd program):
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A brief description of all other employee peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education programs, including the number of employees served and how employee educators are selected, trained, and supported by the institution:
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Total number of hours employee educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Foundations of Sustainability Course

A six-week interactive discussion course that explores the principles and practice of sustainability at Colgate and beyond. The program is designed to be fun, educational, and interactive. A community-building course that provides faculty and staff the opportunity to discuss a variety of sustainability issues and personal reflections of those issues. Ultimately, creates sustainability “fellow-travelers” through an understanding of complex environmental, social, and political issues related to sustainability through shared feelings and experiences.

During the summer months, the group meets weekly to discuss an aspect or topic on sustainability based on short readings and articles. Action items are discussed and behavior change is encouraged.

This is a program facilitated by the Colgate Office of Sustainability and funded by our sustainability and climate action fund. Employees are provided lunch, as the discussions take place over the lunch hour.


Foundations of Sustainability Course

A six-week interactive discussion course that explores the principles and practice of sustainability at Colgate and beyond. The program is designed to be fun, educational, and interactive. A community-building course that provides faculty and staff the opportunity to discuss a variety of sustainability issues and personal reflections of those issues. Ultimately, creates sustainability “fellow-travelers” through an understanding of complex environmental, social, and political issues related to sustainability through shared feelings and experiences.

During the summer months, the group meets weekly to discuss an aspect or topic on sustainability based on short readings and articles. Action items are discussed and behavior change is encouraged.

This is a program facilitated by the Colgate Office of Sustainability and funded by our sustainability and climate action fund. Employees are provided lunch, as the discussions take place over the lunch hour.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.