Syracuse University

Syracuse University is continuing its commitment to environmental sustainable
leadership with several work-life and transportation initiatives that increase the
convenience for faculty, staff and students to engage in environmentally friendly
activities while also reducing the costs of commuting and parking.

In developing these sustainable initiatives, the University continues toward an
effective and efficient plan to ensure a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, as part of the
American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment signed in 2007:

• A new "Flexible Work and Sustainability Initiative" unveiled today will
  encourage the use of flexible work options that support the University's
  commitment to energy conservation and sustainability. Among the
  sustainable benefits of flexible work options are reduced fuel consumption and
  costs, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, less campus parking congestion,
  improved air quality, and reduced noise and traffic. Supervisors are being
  asked to explore with those who report to them various options for mutually
  beneficial flexible work schedules, such as a compressed work schedule (four-
  day, 40-hour/37.5-hour week), telecommuting one or more work days, or
  other creative approaches toward a flexible work arrangement that can meet a
  unique need of a staff member or department.
  

  
  Each proposal to participate in a flexible work schedule must be considered on
  the basis of whether the work to be performed can be accomplished in a
  flexible work option without diminishing department service; the daily needs
  of the department or the job requirements of some positions may limit
  participation. University supervisors were recently provided a Flexible Work
  and Sustainability Initiative toolkit developed by the Office of Human
  Resources to initiate and guide discussion of these options with full-time
  exempt and non-exempt staff, and an online resource for both staff and
  supervisors can be found at
  http://humanresources.syr.edu/worklife/
  
  flex_work.html.
  

  
  

• The One-Seat Rides Program encourages University employees to park their
  cars and ride a Centro bus directly to campus. SU employees can park in a
  convenient location close to home and ride Centro to the University without
  having to change buses; at the end of the day, they ride the Centro bus back
  to their cars. More information can be found at
  http://parking.syr.edu.
  

  
  

• The Centro Fare Deal program/Guaranteed Ride Home Service allows SU
  employees to purchase pre-tax bus passes and offers a Guaranteed Ride Home
  Service, which provides a ride to one location from any SU location in the
  event of an emergency, working late or in the event that all the regularly
  scheduled buses have stopped running. More information can be found at
  http://parking.syr.edu.
  

  
  

• The new carpool parking program is an option for University permit parking
  that provides parking for two or more University employees who commute to
  work together. By issuing a multi-vehicle permit valid for use with multiple
  vehicles, a carpool arrangement allows individuals to share driving
  responsibilities and lower the cost of commuting and parking, and reduces
  parking demand and traffic on campus. More information can be found at
  http://parking.syr.edu.
  

  
  

• The SU Ride Share program allows University community members to
  register with Parking and Transit Services and match themselves with people
  from the same area, sharing the driving responsibilities. There is no cost for
  this program, and each person retains his/her own permit. More information
  can be found at
  http://parking.syr.edu.
  

  
  

• The University will offer the option of Zipcar use for students, faculty and
  staff. Subscribers can rent a Zipcar for an hour or the day and not have to
  keep a car on campus. The service will be formally introduced this month.
  More information on Zipcars can be found at http://www.zipcar.com.
  

"During the past several years, we have committed ourselves at Syracuse University
to taking a national leadership role in promoting and practicing sustainability," says
Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. "As we practice Scholarship in Action and
engage the world, our students, faculty and staff are living out this commitment in
many ways. These work-life and commuting initiatives are based in the concepts of
sustainability and are intended to help relieve the personal burden felt by so many
due to fuel and commuting costs, while also reducing the amount of greenhouse gas
emissions released through daily campus travel."

This fall, a University task force will meet to evaluate additional options for
sustainability-focused work schedules, including possibly closing the University
during winter break and implementing shorter work weeks during other academic
breaks.