Syracuse University
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Provide leadership to Syracuse University and the global community through the identification and promotion of sustainable practices that reduce the University’s environmental impact in an economically responsible manner.

Melissa Cadwell, Sustainability Coordinator - Sustainability Management 

Lydia Knox, Sustainability Project Manager - Sustainability Management 

Jason Plumpton, Assistant Director, Engineering, Utilities, and Sustainability 

Students from the Student Association - The students change every year.

The Sustainability Management team coordinates sustainability efforts at Syracuse University in the  Sustainability Management department, at 161 Farm Acre Road, Syracuse NY 13244, and 1320 Jamesville Ave, Syracuse NY 13244

The Sustainability Coordinator and Sustainability Project Manager oversees campus-wide events such as the following: 

• Overseeing the food scraps program for students living in apartment-style housing or for offices on campus.  Residents and staff can now deliver their food scraps to the on-campus compost area, which is then transferred to an off-campus composting facility.
• Syracuse University has proudly become the 70th educational institution in the nation to be certified as a Bee Campus USA affiliate. This initiative leverages the resources of campuses to benefit pollinators. Syracuse now joins over 150 other cities and campuses committed to enhancing their landscapes for pollinators.
• A collaborative effort between Energy Systems and Sustainability Management, the Food Studies Program at Falk College, Hendricks Chapel, and Physical Plant led to the construction of a campus vegetable garden. The garden is tackling student food insecurity, with all produce distributed through the university’s two on-campus food pantries. We hire two students to oversee the garden throughout the growing season.
• We oversee one of the two food pantries on campus to ensure our students have access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and pantry staples. 
• We are overseeing the reduction of single-use plastics on campus

The the Sustainability Coordinator, key facilitator and organizational strategist to lead Syracuse University’s efforts to achieve its vision of instilling a culture of sustainability on campus. They are responsible for The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, the University’s sustainability metrics system, the Climate Action Plan development of consistent plans to reach long- and short-range programs, the Greenhouse Gas Inventory, and provides leadership and coordination to the many distinct sustainability efforts on campus. They work with faculty to support the development of academic components to enhance the sustainability curriculum in our schools and colleges, including the development of research partnerships and internships for sustainability development.

As the Sustainability Project Manager, they manage projects focused on reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. They also manage the Sustainability Management social media accounts and update and create marketing material. This position also updates the campus’s annual greenhouse gas inventory and oversees the honeybees on South Campus as well as the department’s move-out/donation program. Overall, they promote sustainable practices on campus while working towards a goal of carbon neutrality by 2032.

The role involves managing the internal engineering team responsible for designing, reviewing, and overseeing all campus construction projects. This position also includes developing and maintaining building construction and energy standards and planning and prioritizing climate action initiatives. Additionally, the manager oversees the sustainability department staff and provides engineering support to facilities services to ensure efficient operations.