Colgate University
EN-2: Student Orientation

"So this is Colgate" is the official welcome for incoming students from the deans, the Student Government Association and other campus representatives including the Office of Sustainability. It introduces students to Colgate's history and traditions with a snapshot of campus life. The Program Coordinator from the Office of Sustainability shares with students how they can live a more sustainable life at Colgate. The students are informed about the various student groups on campus dedicated to making Colgate more sustainable and learning more about what they can do to help reach our carbon neutrality goal by 2019. During the talk, representatives from the Sustainability Office highlight the connections among the three pillars of sustainability and highlights institutional goals of inclusivity, environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility. The “This is Colgate” publication is an inserted publication given to each incoming first-year student. The publication includes information about Sustainability at Colgate, and demonstrates how all students have a role to play to help the environment, whether it’s by turning off the lights when leaving a room, or joining one of Colgate’s action-oriented “green groups.” The publication lists opportunities for students such as the community garden, a composting club, and the green bikes program, which provides bikes to students who want to reduce their carbon footprint by driving less. The Sustainability Office also participates in the annual Wellness Fair open to all new students to share information about our programs and how to get involved. Recently, the Sustainability Office has also been working with the Orientation Planning Committee to reduce waste during move-in and orientation.