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.
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The Pathway to Zero Waste at Georgia Tech
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
- Cascadia Consulting Group, Inc. (WA)
In order to significantly move the needle towards becoming a Zero Waste campus, Georgia Tech assembled a project team to assess current conditions on campus and provide recommendations for improvement. …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Implementing Centralized Waste Collection as Part of a New Zero Waste System
- Stanford University (CA)
Stanford University announced its Zero Waste Goal by 2030 in May of 2018 and developed a plan and budget in the fall of 2019. The Zero Waste Plan calls for …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Zero Waste Networking Meeting
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
This is a meetup for all students, staff, companies, and professionals that are working on campus Zero Waste efforts. Whether you're helping your campus achieve Zero Waste goals, or focusing …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Tree Week: Engaging Your Community and Celebrating Urban and Community Trees
- Urban Forest Initiative (KY)
Tree Week has become a staple for nature-lovers in Lexington, Kentucky, and the greater Bluegrass Region. Tree Week is a weeklong celebration that strives to offer a variety of tree-themed …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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How the Design of National-Scale Environmental Education Programs Support Equity and Inclusion
- University of Texas at Arlington (TX)
- University of Michigan (MI)
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
In this session, two National Wildlife Federation EcoLeader Graduate Student Fellows will present the findings and recommendations of their recent research exploring how the design of the NWF EcoLeaders Program …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Sustainability Professionals Expanding Beyond Sustainability
- Bentley University (MA)
- Smith College (MA)
- UMass Chan Medical School (MA)
- GreenerU (MA)
This panel will be a conversion among sustainability professionals who have taken the step from leading an institution's sustainability effort to also lead in other areas of the institution. Examples …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Student-led AASHE STARS Outreach to Integrate and Coordinate Sustainability Efforts Across Campus
- California State University, Fresno (CA)
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
The Central Valley experiences unique and extremely complex problems. We produce almost a quarter of the nation's food but also contain half of the state's failing water systems. California as …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Solve Climate Worldwide Teach-in / 3.30.22 / Engage 1 Millon Students
- Bard College (NY)
Time to address climate change is short. With universities returning to in-person education, as educators at this moment, we have the responsibility to engage our entire campuses in urgent discussions …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Channeling Student Energy to Expand Campus Composting Efforts
- University of Dayton (OH)
- University of Virginia (VA)
- Washington and Lee University (VA)
Are students at your institution interested in composting? Are campus leaders prioritizing composting efforts as you work towards ambitious waste minimization goals? Join students and staff from the University of …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Compost Cats Bucket Program: Bringing Composting into a Campus Community
- University of Arizona (AZ)
This proposed online session will discuss the Compost Cats' residential food scrap collection and composting program open to University of Arizona students, faculty, and staff, as well as Tucson community …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Grow Two Goals With One Seed: Maximizing Student Engagement and the STARS Report
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
- University of California, Davis (CA)
Student engagement efforts by sustainability leaders at higher education institutions have been systematically increasing. Similarly, the use of robust assessment metrics for assessing the scope and impacts of these efforts …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Embedding Sustainability in University Governance
- McGill University (QC)
Campus sustainability movements often begin as student-led, grassroots efforts, which lead to impactful operational changes and commitments to sustainable practices. At McGill University, these efforts helped create an Office of …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Collaborations for Campus Composting
- Georgia State University (GA)
Students these days want their academic experiences to not only contribute to career development but to benefit the environment and society as well. Food waste is a significant problem that …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Creating Body Centered Action
- Appalachian State University (NC)
- Chatham University (PA)
Awakening somatic intelligence and understanding sustainable body practices are important components of an enlarged conversation of sustainability. When considering our whole being, any situation that affects our physical body also …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Sign Me Up! Creating Effective Waste Bin Signage
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
What does it take to get useful sorting signage on your bins that is standardized across campus departments? We'll take you through our collaborative campus process complete with a working …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Faith-Based Institutions Connecting Mission, Values and Traditions for a Just, Sustainable Future
- University of Dayton (OH)
Religious organizations are a potentially strong ally for achieving global sustainability, since 85% of people globally identify with a religion, and the majority of the world's educational organizations have faith-based …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Fund Strategies to Develop the Most Spectacular Projects Possible
- McGill University (QC)
Campus sustainability fund managers have myriad opportunities to stimulate, encourage, and develop more robust and impactful project proposals. The Sustainability Projects Fund at McGill University is a vibrant example of …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Comparison of Eco-Rep Program Format Between Three Southeastern Universities
- Clemson University (SC)
- Elon University (NC)
- Furman University (SC)
Which program structure most effectively motivates students in an Eco-Rep program? At every university, Eco-Reps maximize different opportunities for discussing sustainability, structuring educational meetings and events according to tested methods …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Fostering a Collaborative Work Environment for Food Sustainability
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
This session hopes to encourage higher education institutions to incorporate a collaborative lens for new sustainability initiatives in order to address student turnover, communication challenges, and partnerships between student leaders …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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A Three-Sisters Approach to Sustainability at Santa Clara University
- Santa Clara University (CA)
Santa Clara University (SCU) achieved its first phase of carbon neutrality (scopes 1 and 2) in 2020. SCU employs a "three sisters" approach to climate justice and sustainability. First, its …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Sustainability "Offices of One" Solutions Circle
- California State University, Channel Islands (CA)
- California State University, Stanislaus (CA)
- University of Louisville (KY)
We all know that Sustainability Officers are amazingly talented and highly motivated. We can do anything, right? Well, the truth is that we cannot do EVERYTHING; and yet so many …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Building a Clean Energy Revolution in Your Community - Solar Ambassadors Bring Solar to Nonprofits
- RE-Volv (CA)
RE-volv helps empower people to bring solar energy to nonprofits in their communities. Through our Solar Seed Fund, community-serving nonprofits can go solar for zero down and save 15% or …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) Networking Session
- Rice University (TX)
- Texas A&M University (TX)
This is a networking meeting for Texans and other parties interested in the Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) to connect and discuss campus sustainability topics unique to the …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Libraries and Information Centers as Sustainability Partners, Energizers, and Leaders
- Binghamton University (NY)
While issues concerning the topics of sustainability and sustainable development in the library profession didn't first appear in the literature until in the early 1990s, libraries have been engaged in …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Social And Behavior Change Networking Event
- Busch Systems International Inc. (ON)
- Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) (MI)
- Center for Biological Diversity (AZ)
Join us for a short presentation about the similarities and differences between social marketing, design thinking and behavioral economics before we break up to network and learn from each other. …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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When Green Funds Collaborate with Community-Based Learning Courses: Lessons from the Field
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
Community-based learning (CBL) courses engage students in an applied learning process in direct service of a campus community. Green funds offer money for student-initiated projects that improve the sustainability of …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Making "Cents" of Green Funds: How to Start One, Keep It Going, and Innovate
- George Mason University (VA)
- Hanover College (IN)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
Let's put some "FUN" in "green fund!" Come ready to explore best practices for managing a university green fund, how to engage community partners in green fund projects, and ways …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Integrating Equity and Basic Needs Programs into Higher Education Sustainability Initiatives
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
Amidst a global pandemic the expectations and experiences for students within their higher education institutions are indicating increased challenges to well-being and student success. International to first generation and non-traditional …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Addressing the Misalignment of Retirement Options and Stated Values on a University Campus
- University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)
There is a growing interest in personal retirement investments that consider both building wealth and making long-term positive impacts on our planet, society, and future. However, at many colleges and …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Lessons of Sustainability Learned as a Disaster Mental Health Counselor
- California State University, Stanislaus (CA)
Providing services as a disaster mental health counselor involves the following for survivors: understanding their expectable reactions, employing short-term interventions, restoring their personal safety, utilizing multicultural competency and awareness, and …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Sustainability Dashboards: From Hopes & Dreams to Reality & Maintenance
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
- University of Oregon (OR)
University-wide Sustainability Dashboards can emphasize and juxtapose the various aspects of sustainability, while increasing institutional transparency. Organizing and presenting institutional performance data helps quantify universities' progress as sustainability leaders while …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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The Future of Building Science Education with the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (CO)
Experience the future of building science education with the U.S. Department Energy Solar Decathlon, from walkthroughs of winning build projects to the opportunity to ask an expert about building science …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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"Who's the Contact Person for That?": Creating Sustainability Hubs for More Effective Connection
- Binghamton University (NY)
The strengths of academic institutions are often related to research, curricula, and pedagogy. While these are critical areas to highlight, there are often several additional innovative initiatives and activities occurring …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Climate Communication: Practical Applications for Educators, Students, and Service Learning Programs
- Eckerd College (FL)
- Student Public Interest Research Group (IL)
Join Dr. Joanna Huxster, Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies at Eckerd College, and Dan Xie, Political Director for the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) for a session on the …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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What Are We Even Doing Here? Empowering Students in the Face of Overlapping Crises
- University of Oregon (OR)
Teaching and mentoring Gen-Z students can often feel full of cognitive dissonance as we talk about career possibilities or the value of upcycling a t-shirt into a tote bag even …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Leveraging Change Communication & Management Theories for Sustainable Employee Behavior Change
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
The last year has been extremely stressful with the Covid-19 global pandemic, sustainability crises looming, and employee burnout across sectors. So how do we build a suite of programs that …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Stay Rad, Post Grad!
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
Are you graduating? Are you panicking? Or maybe you know exactly what you want to do, but it's just a matter of making it happen. Join the PLAN staff (with …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Advising for Sustainability
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
All campus spaces and interactions are pedagogical, and since NACADA, the main professional organization devoted to academic advising, maintains that advising is teaching, we can use advising as a powerful …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Building Resilient, Long Lasting Student Led Movements
- University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (WI)
Often times university student movements come and go due to graduating leaders and loss of knowledge. These groups are full of fire and passion and at points drift into nothing …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Zero Waste as a Tool for Transformation: How Swarthmore College Engages Campus and Reduces Waste
- Swarthmore College (PA)
Swarthmore College’s Office of Sustainability hires 20 student employees annually to participate in its Green Advisor program. Green Advisors act as campus sustainability advocates and often express concern about living …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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A Fresh Take on Recycling Contamination Education: Moving Beyond the Traditional Waste Audit
- University of Arizona (AZ)
The University of Arizona began a residential waste auditing program over ten years ago. What started as a typical waste audit project with sorting and weighing has grown into something …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Creating Meaningful Volunteer Opportunities for Students Online
- University of Guelph (ON)
- Humber College (ON)
COVID-19 has uprooted our day-to-day lives and has made it challenging to provide meaningful learning experiences for students who are now pursuing their education and extracurricular activities entirely online. In …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Fun with Food Systems: Creative Ways to Increase Food Sovereignty and Build Community Remotely
- Portland Community College (OR)
Food shortages skyrocketed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and community college students were notably affected. Normal campus supports such as in-person food pantries, learning gardens, and our campus …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Creating Alumni Connections Through a Sustainability Course
- Connecticut College (CT)
Once per year, the Office of Sustainability offers a 2-credit course called SUS 293: Applied Sustainability. The course is designed for interns in the Office and other students interested in …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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College Campuses as the "Great Equalizer" - Or Are They: A Critical Perspective to Sustainability
- Winthrop University (SC)
College campuses have often been touted as the great equalizer, a place where those who are marginalized, either racially or economically, have as much ability to succeed as their non-marginalized …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Growing Future Leaders: How to Foster Growth in Sustainability Leadership Programs
- Bentley University (MA)
- Boston University (MA)
- Tufts University (MA)
- GreenerU (MA)
In this session, you will hear from the sustainability offices with well-developed student leadership programs, and share your questions, suggestions, and learn lessons from being a student leader or managing …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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A Zero Waste Campus Is Possible
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
In this workshop we will facilitate a discussion around how students can lead specific efforts to solve waste issues on their campuses. We start with a short presentation on the …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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STARS Assessment as a Curricular Opportunity
- Furman University (SC)
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework used to measure a university’s overall sustainability performance. In most cases the STARS assessment is conducted by …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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Virtually Vital-Going Green, Globally
- Dallas College (TX)
The members of the Cedar Valley Student Green Club used creativity to utilize a virtual platform to pioneer a variety of firsts for our campus at a time when many …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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TreeCATs (Collegiate Arborist Trainings): A Model for Campus Tree Engagement
- University of Kentucky (KY)
The TreeCATs (Collegiate Arborist Training) workshops, facilitated by the UK Urban Forest Initiative (UFI), promote knowledge, insights, skills, and engagement for college students, emboldening them to take a more active …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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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.