COLGATE SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL
CHARGE TO THE
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:
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.
Compliance. Assisting the institution to achieve and demonstrate compliance with institutional commitments to sustainability.
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.
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.
ABOUT
The Sustainability Council comprises faculty, administrators, staff, and students. Membership of the Sustainability Council includes the Associate Vice President for Facilities, the Associate Provost, the Director of Sustainability, and the directors of Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education is continuous. Additionally appointed by the President for three-year terms are three faculty from the Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the Social Sciences, and the Humanities, representatives from Communications, the DOC staff, the Upstate Institute, the Manager of Environmental Health and Safety, and two or more students appointed by the President. This composition will ensure strong ties and close communication among the educational and operational components of the institution. The President may also make temporary appointments to this Council when particular expertise is needed for a specific project. The Chair will be one of the faculty members, elected for a two-year term by council members.
