Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.46
Liaison Lisa Kilgore
Submission Date March 20, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Cornell University
EN-6: Employee Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Dan Roth
Director of the Campus Sustainability Office
Energy & Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution administer or oversee an ongoing faculty/staff peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education program that meets the criteria for this credit?:
Yes

Total number of employees:
11,597

Name of the employee educators program (1st program) :
Think Big Live Green - College Engagement Program

Number of employees served by the program (1st program):
677

A brief description of how the employee educators are selected (1st program):

Green Ambassadors in the College of Engineering and College of Human Ecology are faculty, staff, and graduate students interested in community well-being and sustainability who are responsible for 1) fostering peer-to-peer education, 2) reinforcing sustainable behavior throughout their workgroups that are publicized by the broader Think Big Live Green campaign, and 3) promoting campaign programs and initiatives within their units. A call for Green Ambassador volunteers was self-selective and was shared widely across the colleges. No candidates were turned away. The volunteers were asked to serve as leaders within their own office, lab and/or department to support and encourage participation in campus sustainability initiatives.


A brief description of the formal training that the employee educators receive (1st program):

The Energy & Sustainability Department works in collaboration with Cornell Team and Leadership Center to provide monthly meetings to discuss key and/or upcoming sustainability programs that need their participation. The meetings include education on specific engagement strategies including: community-based social marketing, public pledges and commitments, and garnering support from administration in different initiatives. Additional teamwork training led by the Cornell Team and Leadership Center helps incorporate personal sustainability and enhance effective collaborations across the Colleges.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (1st program):

The Energy and Sustainability (E&S) Department hosts this program as part of the Think Big, Live Green – College Engagement Program. In this role E&S creates marketing materials, websites, and other engagement tools for use by the Green Ambassadors. The College of Engineering and College of Human Ecology provides financial support for specific events such as monthly lunches and prizes for various competitions.


The website URL where information about the program is available (1st program):
Name of the employee educators program (2nd program):
Green Teams

Number of employees served by the program (2nd program):
2,500

A brief description of how the employee educators are selected (2nd program):

This is a "grassroots" initiative - so many of the team members are self-selected. The Green Teams vary in size from 5 members in one department to college-wide initiatives that involve a dozen teams with 5-8 people in each team, as in the case of College of Engineering and Human Ecology. In a few units, leadership in the unit has nominated people to the teams.

Teams currently are active in the following areas:
- Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station Sustainability Action Team
http://cuaes.cals.cornell.edu/sustainability

- Weill Cornell Medical College Sustainability Team
http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/weill-cornell-medical-college-green-teams

- Transportation and Mail Services Green Team - http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/transportation-services-green-team

- Statler Hotel Green Team - http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/02/statler-earns-award-greenest-hotel-new-york-state

- Cornell Outdoor Education Green Team
- Johnson School Green Team


A brief description of the formal training that the employee educators receive (2nd program):

The Campus Sustainability Office’s strategy for staff engagement has been to support the development of Green Teams (green ambassadors) in different units that express interest. Interested units can contact the Campus Sustainability Office and develop a customized program to support their goals.

In the Fall of 2014, a Green Offices and Green Labs program was launched to support the existing Green Teams to help encourage the formation of additional groups.


A brief description of the financial or other support the institution provides to the program (2nd program):

The financial support varies from team to team, but includes supervisor support for time taken during the business day for Green Team/Ambassador activities, expenses associated with printing signs and educational posters, and the development of team websites.


The website URL where information about the program is available (2nd program):
Name(s) of the employee educator program(s) (all other programs):
Green Office and Green Lab Certification Programs

Number of employees served by all other programs:
8,420

A brief description of how the employee educators are selected (all other programs):

The Cornell Green Office Certification Program is a point-based, self–assessment checklist which offices and labs use to assess, their current practices, set goals to initiate new practices and be recognized for their efforts in the following areas: Community Engagement, Energy, Lab Energy, Green Events, Purchasing, Recycling, Transportation and Waste.

The Cornell Green Labs Certification Program aims to assist and educate lab users in Lab Energy Conservation, Green Chemistry, Solid Waste Management, Purchasing and Community Engagement. Labs at Cornell are the most heavily used and intensive space to manage on campus. The Cornell Green Lab Certification program supports Chemical Hygiene Safety and the Cornell University Climate Action Plan through the evaluation and implementation of resource conservation practices within labs.


A brief description of the formal training that the employee educators receive (all other programs):

Each department that signs up receives resource guides to help introduce new sustainable practices for both their offices and labs. For the lab certification the green lab program manager sets up a appointment and will do a walk through of the lab with the PI's or staff in the lab to go through the checklists with them. The office certification that is also an option but the program is a bit more straight forward and if they have any questions or would like facilitated help that is available.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program(s) (all other programs):

The Energy and Sustainability (E&S) Department hosts this program as part of the Think Big, Live Green sustainability engagement campaign. In this role E&S creates marketing materials, websites, and other engagement tools for use by those participating in the Green Office Certification Program or the Green Lab Certification Program. It provides staff time as well in support of these programs.


The website URL where information about the program(s) is available (all other programs):
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Here is the additional website for the Green Lab Program.
http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/green-your-lab


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.