Tucked away under dim parlor lights, blanketed in the scent of fresh coffee, Provost and Dean of the Faculty Lyle Roelofs knits a strap on his current project: a purse.

"I learned to knit when I was four," explained Roelofs of his surprising skill, taught to him by his mother while growing up in the Midwest. "It's less uncommon there than here perhaps, but that was nearly 50 years ago. I doubt there's much of it now."

Many Colgate folks are committed to avocations that -- conceivably -- don't mesh with what you would guess from their campus role.

"We all have demanding jobs," commented Jane Jones, coordinator of alcohol and drug education. "I think it's healthy for people to have a passion outside of work -- a place to express yourself and pursue your own interest that helps get your batteries charged and to have a balance in life."