Oregon State University
EN-7: Employee Educators Program

Through OSU's Sustainability Advocate program, faculty and staff pledge to act as sustainability contacts within their campus unit by sharing information and training opportunities, networking with fellow Advocates, and promoting sustainability-related events within their unit. Examples of outreach activities include: - Sharing preformulated messaging from organizations like the Sustainability Office and Campus Recycling - Recruiting participants for professional development opportunities like WOHESC and AASHE conferences, and participating themselves. - Hanging posters for events and programs like RecycleMania - Forming teams of bicycle riders for Zap commute competitions - Sharing PowerPoint slides at a staff meeting on a current sustainability campaign or event - Recruiting Master Recyclers, Green Office Certification participants, etc. from their unit and others.

Sustainability Advocates either volunteer and are approved by a supervisor or are appointed by their department head. In some departments, less formal selection methods are appropriate. Employees with a personal passion, not necessarily a professional responsibility, for sustainability are encouraged (although having both characteristics is ideal). The Sustainability Office strategically recruits Advocates to represent and communicate with as much of the campus employee population as possible. While many advocates represent just their department or college, others represent multiple units. They communicate via their networks, and look for ways to engage other networks, to ensure all corners of the institution at least have some opportunity for communication and contact. Additionally, while the activity level of individual Advocates varies (as with any voluntary program), every department has the opportunity to designate an Advocate and we are constantly, actively recruiting to replace Advocates when they retire, move away or otherwise stop participating.

Once selected, Advocates sign a registration form committing them to be the conduit between the OSU Sustainability Office and their department. Advocates are briefed on the roles and responsibilities involved with being an Advocate and commit to attending at least one session per year where professional development is included. Professional development covers basics of sustainability organization, how to communicate and use networks at OSU, and resources offered (on campus and in the community) including: - how to share awards, scholarship and other financial opportunities with OSU students - what sustainability best practices are occurring in other OSU departments and at other schools - what policies and programs affect sustainability in their department's work or purview - what is going on in the community around sustainability, and how to get non-Advocates engaged in off-campus activities - certain sustainability competence or skill-building training - how to reduce our carbon footprint, both at work and at home. Sustainability Advocates typically have a guest speaker at each of their quarterly meetings who goes in depth about some skill, information, or topic of interest and relevance to the group.

OSU provides all costs associated with Advocate meetings and activities. It funds training materials and zero waste lunch costs for Advocates at the quarterly meetings, and provides incentives for Advocates to participate in specific programs. It also funds staff time and facility costs for any meetings.

OSU periodically uses Northwest Earth Institute course materials and modules for employee training and education about sustainability, and encourages self-formed discussion groups based on NWEI's platform. There is not a specific, institutionalized method for this training at this time so it is considered informal.