Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 70.33
Liaison Neha Sood
Submission Date March 3, 2022

STARS v2.2

Rochester Institute of Technology
EN-9: Staff Professional Development and Training

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.25 / 2.00 Neha Sood
Director of Sustainability
Office of the President
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution make available professional development and training opportunities in sustainability to all non-academic staff at least once per year?:
Yes

Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (the rate of staff participation in sustainability professional development and training)?:
Yes

Estimated percentage of regular, non-academic staff that participates annually in sustainability professional development and training:
1-24%

If sustainability professional development and training opportunities for staff are made available or supported, provide at least one of the following:

A brief description of any internal sustainability professional development and training opportunities that the institution makes available to non-academic staff:
Through RIT's Center for Professional Development, we offer two synchronous workshops for RIT employees:
1) Sustainability in practice: RIT is committed to employing best-in-class sustainable practices within university operations and achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. But what are sustainable practices, how will RIT become carbon neutral, and what is the role of staff members in advancing these commitments? RIT recognizes the need for all staff to become better equipped to lead sustainable change within their departments. This session, provides an introduction to sustainability and provides resources to facilitate sustainable behavior change. Participants will learn how RIT is responding to this grand challenge, and will explore tools and strategies for enacting sustainable practices within your unit and everyday work.

2) Equity, Sustainability, and the Environmental Movement: Sustainability is about more than recycling, planting trees, energy efficiency and cool green technology – it is about ensuring that all people live in harmony with their natural environment. In this workshop, we will explore the intersections of sustainability, diversity, and justice, and cover topics such as human health and wellness, access to resources, and environmental justice. Participants will learn how structural racism, sexism and classism contributes to environmental degradation, and how certain individuals are more vulnerable than others to its harmful impacts. Examples from RIT and the greater Rochester community will be shared, and participants will discuss ways to create meaningful dialogue and social change within campus and beyond.

A number of asynchronous, web-based workshops are also offered to employees:
1) Sustainability Strategies
2) Sustainability for Design, Construction, and Manufacturing
3) Learning Design for Sustainability
4) The Employee's Guide to Sustainability
5) Navigating Environmental Sustainability: A Guide for Leaders

A brief description of any external professional development and training opportunities in sustainability that are supported by the institution :
RIT facilities management team, Student Affairs team, and other staff are encouraged to attend the following:
1) Conferences based on professional affiliation (AASHE, NYCSHE, NASPA, etc.)
2) Trainings, workshops and webinars offered by institutions such as NYSERDA and DEC
3) RIT employees were encouraged to attend daily workshops during the 2019 State of New York Sustainability conference which was hosted by RIT.

Optional Fields 

Estimated percentage of regular non-academic staff for which sustainability is included in performance reviews:
1-24%

A brief description of how sustainability is included in staff performance reviews :
Performance reviews are based on job descriptions and sustainability is included in the appraisals for employees that work in sustainability-related departments and offices (such as RIT Sustainability and Strategic Planning, Golisano Institute for Sustainability, Facilities Management Services, etc.)

Website URL where information about staff professional development and training in sustainability is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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