Campus Engagement
Introduction
Engaging in sustainability issues through co-curricular activities allows students to deepen and apply their understandings of sustainability principles. Institution-sponsored co-curricular sustainability offerings, often coordinated by student affairs offices, help integrate sustainability into the campus culture and set a positive tone for the institution. Faculty and staff members’ daily decisions impact an institution’s sustainability performance. Equipping faculty and staff with the tools, knowledge, and motivation to adopt behavior changes that promote sustainability is an essential activity of a sustainable campus.
Featured Resources
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New Resources
Innovations in Assessing Sustainability Competence, Culture, Literacy, and Engagement
- Santa Clara University (CA)
- University at Albany (NY)
- University of Florida (FL)
Assess the state of sustainability on your campus! Whether you wish to assess sustainability for instructional assessment or for your institution’s AASHE STARS report, this session will cover various assessments, …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Storytelling and Activism: Charting a Path to Facilitate Effective Student Advocacy
- Marquette University (WI)
- Wesleyan University (CT)
In popular discourse on college and university campuses, “activism” is often synonymous with organized marches or protests. While this form of activism is effective, it is not a one-size-fits-all tool. …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Design Thinking for Sustainable Development Education: Practical Toolkit
- AASHE (MA)
- Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design (Jerusalem)
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design’s Sustainable Development Hub and the School of Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have collaborated to create a Practical Toolkit for Sustainable …
- Posted Feb. 8, 2024
- Videos & Webinars
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BEACON® SaaS Makes Water Visible at UC Merced
- University of California, Merced (CA)
- Badger Meter (WI)
A group of staff and students form the University of California, Merced (UC Merced) in Central Valley California joined forces to dramatically cut water, energy and gas usage per student …
- Posted Jan. 10, 2024
- Case Studies
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It’s Really Free! Patriot Packout Expands to Support George Mason University Community Members’ Basic Needs
- George Mason University (VA)
This case study focuses on George Mason University’s sustainable move-out initiative, Patriot Packout (PPO) 2023. Existing in some form (unofficial and official) since 2003, the PPO initiative was expanded in …
- Posted Dec. 7, 2023
- Case Studies
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What Is Sustainable Science, and How Can We Green Our Labs?
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- AASHE (MA)
The research and teaching conducted in university laboratories often has an outsized impact on a campus’ carbon footprint, due to the energy-intensive nature of lab air quality requirements, as well …
- Posted Nov. 9, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Management of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) in Higher Education: LGBTIQ+ in Higher Education
- Mahidol University (Bangkok)
In this project, we examine life experiences and ideas from delegates who have contributed to theDE&I policies and practices in the Thai education and business sectors. Three rounds of groupdiscussions …
- Posted Nov. 6, 2023
- Tools
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Building the Equity Loop: From Campus Move Out to Community Action
- Lafayette College (PA)
- AASHE (MA)
As outlined in the Climate Action Plan, Lafayette is committed to achieving a 40% diversion of waste to landfill by 2030 and a 60% diversion rate by 2035. Green Move …
- Posted Oct. 26, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Catalyzing Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education Ecosystems
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)
- AASHE (MA)
According to a recent Nielsen study, ~54% of Gen Z want to be entrepreneurs. Colleges and universities have taken note and are proactively tailoring their program offerings to meet the …
- Posted Oct. 13, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Rewild Your Campus with the Green Grounds Certification
- Seattle University (WA)
- University of Northern Iowa (IA)
- AASHE (MA)
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
- PJC Organic (MA)
Re:wild Your Campus’s Green Grounds Certification offers a new pathway for schools to reduce synthetic pesticide usage and implement organic grounds maintenance practices. This webinar will guide participants through the …
- Posted Sept. 29, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Clean Campus, Clean Planet: Solutions for Reducing Toxic Cleaning Chemicals on Campus
- Stanford University (CA)
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
- AASHE (MA)
- Tersano Inc. (ON)
- The Ashkin Group (CA)
- Elk Grove Unified School District (CA)
The way we clean is often overlooked when exploring sustainable solutions on campus. However, research reveals that the health, environmental, and financial impacts of the traditional chemicals we use are …
- Posted Sept. 21, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Webinar: CSA as a Benefit: Cultivating Sustainability and Improving Health
- University of Kentucky (KY)
- AASHE (MA)
- Organic Association of Kentucky (KY)
Colleges and universities have unique resources and infrastructures that allow them to develop, pilot, and study replicable employee benefits programs that fulfill Sustainability and Wellness goals. Additionally, innovations by colleges …
- Posted Sept. 14, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Reusable Goods Used at Student Run Coffee Shop
- Tufts University (MA)
The Sink, a student-run coffee shop, implements reusable dishware and fair trade coffee when serving beverages at the Tufts University campus center.
- Posted Sept. 7, 2023
- Photographs
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Photos of Brandeis' Year of Climate Action
- Brandeis University (MA)
For supporting the SCI 2023 publication, photos of Brandeis' Year of Climate Action
- Posted Sept. 3, 2023
- Photographs
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Closing the Sustainability Skills Gap,
- Cornell University (NY)
Submitting these images for blurb going into the SCI : Please submit one or more images for consideration by Friday, September 1 to AASHE’s Campus Sustainability Hub by following the …
- Posted Sept. 2, 2023
- Photographs
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Learning About Metal Recycling
- University of Southern California (CA)
Students from the USC Dornsife Environmental Studies program visited the SA Recycling center located on Terminal Island in San Pedro. The students toured the facility and learned about the entire …
- Posted Sept. 2, 2023
- Photographs
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Western Michigan University Bronco Challenge for Sustainable Impact
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Full outcome, story: https://wmich.edu/news/2023/05/71723
- Posted Sept. 2, 2023
- Photographs
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Ola Niuhelewai
- University of Hawaii Honolulu Community College (HI)
“Ola Niuhelewai!” Niuhelewai Lives! Ola Niuhelewai is a five-year project (10/1/2020 to 9/30/2025) entirely funded by a U.S. DOE Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program Title III Grant. The …
- Posted Aug. 31, 2023
- Photographs
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SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (NY)
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
- Posted Aug. 31, 2023
- Photographs
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Campus Sustainability’s Secret Sauce – Athletes
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- AASHE (MA)
- Switch4Good inc. (CA)
- Food System Innovations (CA)
Athletics teams can be sustainability’s secret sauce. College athletes are often treated like celebrities, making them powerful influencers for catalyzing campus-wide change and rallying enthusiasm for bold sustainability initiatives. This …
- Posted Aug. 31, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Sustainable Food Production at Yale
- Yale University (CT)
Yale is being recognized as a Top Performer in the category of Diversity & Affordability in the 2023 SCI.
- Posted Aug. 30, 2023
- Photographs
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Honolulu Community College: SCI 2023
- University of Hawaii Honolulu Community College (HI)
Student success and wellbeing initiative - Funded by a US Department of Education grant through 2025, the Ola Niuhelewai Program at University of Hawaii Honolulu Community College aims to increase …
- Posted Aug. 30, 2023
- Photographs
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University of New Hampshire - 2023 Sustainable Campus Index
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
Sustainability fellowship - The Sustainability Fellowship at University of New Hampshire pairs undergraduate students and post-baccalaureates (grad students and recent grads) from UNH and universities across the United States with …
- Posted Aug. 29, 2023
- Photographs
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John Brong Planting Day at CCU
- Coastal Carolina University (SC)
Each year, the CCU community will comes together for a day of service to honor the life of the late John Brong, who served as the CCU greenhouse manager for …
- Posted Aug. 29, 2023
- Photographs
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Zero Waste Football (Horizontal and Vertical Image)
- Coastal Carolina University (SC)
Every Chanticleer home football game is a zero-waste initiative. The goal of this effort is to divert as much waste as possible from each CCU home football game. We do …
- Posted Aug. 29, 2023
- Photographs
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Central Community College-Hastings Fall Friday Bike Ride
- Central Community College (NE)
CCC's environmental sustainability office held a bike ride from the Hastings Campus to the wind turbine in 2020. The activity was to stress the importance of alternate transportation and to …
- Posted Aug. 29, 2023
- Photographs
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Central Community College-Grand Island Pollinator Garden
- Central Community College (NE)
CCC Environmental Sustainability Director Ben Newton conducts a tour of the pollinator garden at the Grand Island Campus.
- Posted Aug. 29, 2023
- Photographs
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Year of Water
- Cornell University (NY)
Water Resources Institute’s Year of Water – an educational effort to inform students and Tompkins County residents.
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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Young African Leaders find inspiration, confidence at Cornell
- Cornell University (NY)
The Cornell Einaudi Center and Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy welcomed 25 of Africa's most promising emerging public management leaders to campus this summer for a six-week leadership …
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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Free professional wardrobe(s)
- Cornell University (NY)
Cornell Wardrobe, a student-run organization, The Wardrobe provides attire for ‘any student, any opportunity
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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Nation's first university residence hall established to celebrate American Indian culture and heritage
- Cornell University (NY)
American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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The Welcome Bazaar
- Université de Sherbrooke (QC)
Since 2016, the Université de Sherbrooke has organized the Welcome Bazaar, an event that promotes peer-to-peer exchange within the university community and thus encourages the use of second-hand goods. The …
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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Ruche campus
- Université de Sherbrooke (QC)
A student beekeeper from the Ruche Campus student group of the Université de Sherbrooke checks the condition of one of the campus hives. Made up of student volunteers, Ruche Campus …
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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Hope Forward - A pay-it-forward model for tuition - Hope College
- Hope College (MI)
A pay-it-forward model for tuition - Hope Forward is a tuition model at Hope College where students fund their education through gifts after graduation rather than paying for college through …
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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Acadia Receives Organic Campus Designation
- Acadia University (NS)
Acadia University receives its Organic Campus Certificate from the Canada Organic Trade Association making it the first university in Canada to earn the national designation.
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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Brandeis Year of Climate Action infographic
- Brandeis University (MA)
Infographic with details about Brandeis' Year of Climate Action
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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Colorado State University Photos for 2023 SCI
- Colorado State University (CO)
Academic, engagement, and research photos submitted for use in the 2023 SCI.
- Posted Aug. 28, 2023
- Photographs
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"One Sheet-One Leaf" project
- Western Caspian University (Bakı)
Western Caspian University teachers and students organised a three-day training event within the framework of the "One Sheet-One Leaf" project, which won the "Make the Idea 2022" Grant Contest.
- Posted Aug. 22, 2023
- Photographs
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RVCC's new greenhouse
- Raritan Valley Community College (NJ)
Donors to the RVCC Foundation funded the construction of a new campus greenhouse, which is devoted to student education. Environmental Science students, Environmental Club members, and Center for Environmental Studies …
- Posted Aug. 22, 2023
- Photographs
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Environmental Science major learns horticulture first-hand
- Raritan Valley Community College (NJ)
One of RVCC's Center for Environmental Studies interns growing native plants in the original campus greenhouse.
- Posted Aug. 22, 2023
- Photographs
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A campus where it's good to be
- Université Laval (QC)
Social cohesion is important for sustainable development. Every year, the University organizes activities at the start of the academic year to encourage people to take ownership of the campus and …
- Posted Aug. 22, 2023
- Photographs
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Outside yoga activities
- Université Laval (QC)
In the wake of the pandemic, Université Laval set up a number of outdoor initiatives to encourage the community to take ownership of their campus. Depending of the season, different …
- Posted Aug. 22, 2023
- Photographs
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Colgate Student Sustainability Consortium Fall 2022 Summit
- Colgate University (NY)
Gathering of student sustainability leaders to coordinate and plan for ways to advance the practice of sustainability on Colgate University's campus.
- Posted Aug. 18, 2023
- Photographs
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Greening the Bottom Line: Advancing Institutional Sustainability Goals With Green Revolving Funds
- Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)
Greening the Bottom Line: Advancing Institutional Sustainability Goals with Green Revolving Funds tracks the latest trends and highlights best practices to enable more institutions and communities to learn about and …
- Posted Aug. 17, 2023
- Publications
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Aligning with Place: A case study in xeriscaping at Gonzaga University's Office of Sustainability.
- Gonzaga University (WA)
This project's goal was to xeriscape the front lawn of the Office of Sustainability, transforming it from a grass lawn into a lawn with mulch and drought-tolerant plants. The xeriscape …
- Posted July 17, 2023
- Case Studies
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Sustainability Tour of the Yale Farm
- Yale University (CT)
As part of Celebrate Sustainability Week at Yale in October 2022, the Yale Office of Sustainability, in partnership with the Office of International Students & Scholars, organized a “Lunch and …
- Posted June 27, 2023
- Photographs
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Reducing students’ ecological footprints through self-developed interventions
- Nelson Mandela University (Eastern Cape)
- University of Pretoria
An increasing emphasis on taking personal responsibility for making changes to address climate change and support sustainable development is hindered by the limited tools and guidance available that enable the …
- Posted June 15, 2023
- Publications
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At the moment of disposal: how messaging techniques at university public outdoor waste receptacles can improve the solid waste stream
- University of Florida (FL)
Purpose: This study aims to test how waste disposal behaviors can be changed such as higher recycling diversion and lower contamination rates using signage and messaging techniques at public outdoor …
- Posted June 15, 2023
- Publications
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
EN 1: Student Educators Program
- Percent of students served by a peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education program
- Description of the student educators program (1st program)
- Description of the student educators program (2nd program)
- Brief description of the student educators program (3rd program)
- Hours worked annually by trained student sustainability educators per students served
- Website URL - Student sustainability educators programs
EN 2: Student Orientation
- Percent of entering students that have an opportunity to participate in sustainability-inclusive orientation activities and programming
- Description of how sustainability is included prominently in new student orientation
- Website URL - Information about sustainability in student orientation
EN 3: Student Life
- Description of the active student groups focused on sustainability
- Description of student gardens, farms, CSAs, fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects
- Description of the student-run enterprises
- Description of student sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives
- Description of sustainability-focused conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events for students
- Description of sustainability-focused cultural arts events, installations, or performances
- Description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles
- Description of sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences
- Description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills
- Description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution
- Description of graduation pledge(s)
- Description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives
EN 4: Student Life
- Website URL - Central sustainability website
- Description of sustainability newsletter or social media platform(s)
- Description of the signage that highlights campus sustainability features
- Description of the sustainability walking map or tour
- Description of the guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience
- Description of other comprehensive sustainability outreach materials and publications
EN 5: Student Life
- Description of the first sustainability outreach campaign
- Description of the second sustainability outreach campaign
- Description of other sustainability-related outreach campaigns
EN 6: Assessing Sustainability Culture
- Description of how and when the cultural assessment(s) were developed and/or adopted
- Copy or sample of the questions related to sustainability culture (upload)
- Copy or sample of the questions related to sustainability culture (description)
- Website URL - Assessment of sustainability culture
EN 7: Employee Educators Program
- Percent of employees served by a peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education program
- Description of the employee educators program (1st program)
- Description of the employee educators program (2nd program)
- Hours worked annually by trained employee sustainability educators per employees served
- Website URL - Employee sustainability educators programs
EN 8: Employee Orientation
- Percent of new employees that have an opportunity to participate in sustainability-inclusive orientation activities and programming
- Description of how sustainability is included prominently in new employee orientation
- Website URL - Information about sustainability in employee orientation
EN 9: Staff Professional Development & Training
- Estimated percentage of regular, non-academic staff that participates annually in sustainability professional development and training
- Description of any internal sustainability professional development and training opportunities
- Description of any external professional development and training opportunities in sustainability that are supported by the institution
- Estimated percentage of staff for which sustainability is included in performance reviews
- Description of how sustainability is included in staff performance reviews
- Website URL - Information about staff professional development and training in sustainability
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.