California Polytechnic State University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction

In the Spring of 2022, 62 faculty from six different California State University campuses representing over 30 disciplines participated in the CSU Faculty Learning Community in Teaching Climate Change and Resilience, the first multi-campus faculty learning community in CSU history. The FLC heard from over 20 speakers from inside and outside academia who connected faculty with a broad range of approaches and ideas, as well as resources that were well researched, relevant, and relatable. By June of 2022, over 75 classes spanning all fields of study—from Polymers to Plato—had been redesigned to include greater engagement of climate change and resilience.

In the Fall of 2022, The FLC received recognition by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and was awarded the Campus Sustainability Achievement Award. The FLC, and the CSU’s efforts, were later highlighted in an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, part of their Future Trends in Higher Education for 2023.

Cal Poly is going to keep implementing more green building practices on campus in the coming decades in order to reach sustainability goals, so it is only appropriate to have staff members trained on this topic. Based on an AASHE STARS gap analysis, it was determined that there is room for improvement when it comes to educating our employees on sustainability. Kori Nielsen, the former Sustainability Associate, brought in Lorne Mlotek, from Leadinggreen to educate staff members on green building practices as it pertains to the rating system, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The ultimate goal was for the staff members to earn their LEED GA, and after months of studying, over a dozen staff members earned their accreditation!

Cal Poly has historically been Lorne’s best attended school in the country for LEED GA trainings. He has prepared over 8,000 people for their LEED Green Associate and Accredited Professional exams, achieving a very high passing rate, and is personally vetted by the USGBC and recognized as an esteemed USGBC faculty for his past work and current training courses. His LEED GA trainings are broken up by the following topics: Sustainability in the 21st Century, Introduction to LEED, Location and Transportation, Sustainable sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation and Design and Regional Priority, Materials Overview, Exam registration and Exam-Writing Tips & Tricks. If you are interested in attending a LEED GA training, please fill out this form.

“This is a huge win for the Cal Poly campus, we went from having only 2 LEED trained professionals on campus to now having 15. This is a great sign for the future of our green building goals!” states Sustainability Coordinator, Kylee Singh.

The following Cal Poly staff members have successfully earned their LEED GA accreditation:



Scott Bloom: Facilities

Carla Brown: Facilities

Marlene Cramer: Transportation

Mitch Dubbers: Facilities

Bill Fitzpatrick: Facilities

Michelle Haka: Facilities

Marcus Jackson: Facilities

Colleen Lampman: Housing

Curtis McNally: Facilities

Dave Norton: Facilities

John Sandman: Facilities

Penny Sandman: Facilities

Kylee Singh: Facilities

The Cal Poly Sustainability Awards honor members of the Cal Poly community who have exhibited commitment to the value of our sustainability goals. The awards are an opportunity to recognize and celebrate individual members from the faculty, staff, and student communities as well as contributions from recognized campus organizations.