COLGATE SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL

As an educational institution, Colgate recognizes its responsibility to promote the concept and practice of sustainability among faculty, staff, and students. With increased local to global awareness of the role sustainability plays in governing institutions, and with the understanding that educational institutions must exercise leadership in their communities and beyond to address current and future socio-environmental challenges, it is incumbent on the Colgate community to move towards the most sustainable future possible for our campus and community. We believe that the university’s educational mission provides us with multiple opportunities to foster institutional and educational practices related to sustainability as we determine how to most efficiently and responsibly use, preserve, and renew our institutional and educational resources. 

Comprised of faculty, staff, and students, the Sustainability Council is a collaborative body that promotes sustainability in multiple domains at Colgate.

The Sustainability Council is charged with:

1. Conservation. Encouraging coordinated visions for short- and long-term planning for the university to ensure a safe, healthy and sustainable campus environment and infrastructure, including making recommendations concerning conservation issues including resource use and development, energy efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, pollution abatement, environmentally-responsible building methods and other measures consistent with environmentally sustainable practices.

2. Compliance. Assisting the institution to achieve and demonstrate compliance with institutional commitments to sustainability.

3. Communication. Promoting and publicizing the activities and successes of the institution involving sustainability as part of our overall strategic goal of deepening Colgate’s status as a leading liberal arts institution.

4. Curriculum. Encouraging faculty and students to explore sustainability in the curriculum and co-curricular educational activities to help advance a thriving ethical and civil society.