Syracuse University

A total of 571 Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry employees participated in the Campus Commuter Challenge, which ran for one month beginning Sept. 24, by leaving their cars at home at least once over the period of the competition. Three hundred and forty-five of these participants ordinarily drive to work, and 89 members of this group left their car at home for the first time. Altogether, by leaving the car at home one day, the participants saved at least 7,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Winners for the competition were announced Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 24) as part of Campus Sustainability Day at SU. The competition was divided into two categories: 1) departments, schools or colleges with more than 200 employees, and 2) those with fewer than 200.

The 2007 Campus Commuter Challenge winners are, in the under-200 employee category:

• First prize -- the School of Education, with 40 percent participation. The School of Education was led by team captains Victoria Kohl and Mara Sapon-Shevin.
  

  
  

• First runner up -- SU Division of Public Affairs with 30 percent participation. Public Affairs was led by captain Carol Boll.
  
  

• Second runner up -- University College with 28 percent participation, led by captain Joey Tse.
  

Winners in the over-200 category are:

• First prize -- the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs with 28 percent participation. Captain: Jonnell Allen.
  

  
  

• First runner up -- The Division of Student Affairs with 17 percent participation, led by captain Jeannette Steffes.
  

  
  

• Second runner up -- SU Chancellor's and Vice Chancellor's offices, including Institutional Research and Enrollment Management, with 16 percent participation and led by captain Nancy Impelizzieri.
  

A special Campus Commuter Challenge award was presented to the Office of Business, Finance, and Administrative Services, captained by Roseanne Brasher, for having the most employees -- 26 -- try a sustainable mode of transportation for the first time.

Prizes will go to the winning teams, to be distributed by a drawing among team members. All winning and runner-up teams will receive gift certificates to the University Bookstore and the Syracuse Real Food Cooperative, and the top teams in each category will also receive grand prizes appropriate to the theme of sustainable transportation: a choice of a bicycle, a car-free trip to Niagara Falls or an iPod.