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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MaryPIRG Student Climate Action Coalition (MSCAC)
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
The FUTURE Act is a piece of legislation which aims to commit all of Maryland’s Public Universities to carbon neutrality by 2035 or sooner. The legislation was introduced by Del …
- Posted May 26, 2021
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President's Sustainability Research Fellowship 20-21: Climate Community
- Swarthmore College (PA)
The 2020-2021 President's Sustainability Research Fellowship Climate Community project was conducted by Martin Tomlinson '23 and Maya Tipton '23 over the 2020-2021 Academic Year. The purpose of Climate Community was …
- Posted May 26, 2021
- Case Studies
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President's Sustainability Research Fellowship 20-21: ChesterSemesters
- Swarthmore College (PA)
The 2020-2021 President's Sustainability Research Fellowship ChesterSemester project was conducted by Ananya Bhattacharya '21 over the 2020-2021 Academic Year. The purpose of the project was to support the the recently …
- Posted May 26, 2021
- Case Studies
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Equity, Diversity, Justice, Inclusion Task Force, Catawba College
- Catawba College (NC)
The Equity, Diversity, Justice, and Inclusion (EDJI) Task Force at Catawba College aims to build a campus community where all members thrive by working to cultivate critical conversations and practices …
- Posted May 25, 2021
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What makes an effective campus climate action plan?
- Montana State University (MT)
Over the course of Spring Semester 2021, eight undergraduate students from a wide variety of majors and disciplines enrolled in a 3 credit directed independent study course in Human Geography …
- Posted May 25, 2021
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"Worry and Hope: What College Students Know, Think, Feel, and Do About Climate Change"
- University of Hawaii System Office (HI)
There is an urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of climate literacy across higher education institutions in the United States. In addition, there is a need for both research and …
- Posted May 21, 2021
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Climate Action Plan Sustainability Ambassador Course
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
The Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) ambassador course was piloted in the spring 2021 semester as an opportunity for students to have a direct role in assessing and recommending building-level …
- Posted May 21, 2021
- Case Studies
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University of St. Thomas Stewardship Garden
- University of St. Thomas (MN)
The Stewardship Garden (SG) at the University of St. Thomas (MN) is an innovative urban agriculture project that combines undergraduate-driven research, teaching, and community engagement. Established in 2010, the SG …
- Posted May 21, 2021
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Student Sustainability Coalition (SSC) Common Agenda
- University of Michigan (MI)
Establishing a Common Agenda as a significant first step under a Collective Impact Framework for rapidly improving social justice and environmental sustainability conditions on campus; using the drafting process not …
- Posted May 21, 2021
- Case Studies
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Durham Tech Break Free From Plastics
- Durham Technical Community College (NC)
- The Student PIRGs (OR)
Student leaders at Durham Tech Community College, worked with the Student PIRGs in NC to run and win a campus campaign to Break Free From Plastics in order to protect …
- Posted May 21, 2021
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Addressing Food and Housing Security among NC State University Students
- North Carolina State University (NC)
Since February 2018, when a report on student hunger and homelessness on NC State University's campus was released, the campus community has generated increased resources for students, conducted ongoing research …
- Posted May 21, 2021
- Case Studies
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Indigenous Interconnections
- Swarthmore College (PA)
Project Name: Indigenous Interconnections Student Name: Daniel Torres Balauro Project Mentors: Aurora Winslade and Carr Everbach Project Board Members: Aurora Winslade, Director of Sustainability, Office of Sustainability Carr Everbach, Professor …
- Posted May 21, 2021
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How Brandeis reduced our food carbon footprint over 20% in its first sustainable dining program
- Brandeis University (MA)
This case study reviews how Brandeis harnessed the RFP and contracting process for a new dining vendor in 2019-2021 to make huge and first-ever strides in sustainability in our dining …
- Posted May 18, 2021
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The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design – A Certified Living Building
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
In September 2015, the Georgia Tech Institute of Technology received a commitment for $30 million from The Kendeda Fund to building what the partners expected to become the most environmentally …
- Posted May 18, 2021
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Planting the Pond
- Western Dakota Technical College (SD)
For this project, Western Dakota Tech formed an interdisciplinary team comprised of Environmental Engineering, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Electrical Trades, Computer-Aided Design, and Farm and Ranch Management students to design and …
- Posted May 18, 2021
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Uniting for Organizational Change - Merging the Sustainability Office and Office of Inclusive Excellence
- California State University, Monterey Bay (CA)
In July, 2020 the Sustainability Office and the Office of Inclusive Excellence merged to form the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Sustainability.
The fields of sustainability, inclusion and social justice …
- Posted May 18, 2021
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Organic University Landcare Management with Sustainability Professionals
- Seattle University (WA)
- University of Tennessee System Office (TN)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- AASHE (MA)
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
As we look to the future of making universities a safe space for all–students, groundskeepers, community members and more–we discuss the ways university staff and students are creating solutions to …
- Posted May 12, 2021
- Videos & Webinars
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The Futility and Fatality of Incremental Action: Motivations and Barriers among Undergraduates for Environmental Action that Matters
- Ithaca College (NY)
Monty Hempel was deeply engaged with the impact of sustainability education on student values and behavior. An important question that he posed was How can sustainability education provide a sound …
- Posted May 10, 2021
- Publications
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Campuses as living labs for sustainability problem-solving: trends, triumphs, and traps
- Princeton University (NJ)
Colleges and universities around the world are increasingly using their campuses as living laboratories for sustainability problem-solving and engagement. “Campus-as-lab” (CAL) projects emphasize experiential learning and campus sustainability through the …
- Posted May 5, 2021
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A sustainability internship program: strategies for creating student stewards for sustainability
- Western Michigan University (MI)
The purpose of this paper is to explore the strategies and an effective model for creating and implementing a sustainability internship program at a university campus.
- Posted May 5, 2021
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First steps towards sustainability? University freshmen perceptions on nature versus environment
- University of Bayreuth
The Global Earth Overshoot Day, the date when all annually available natural resources are consumed, is set for July this year. For densely populated European countries like Germany or Switzerland, …
- Posted May 5, 2021
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Training the Sustainers: An Undergraduate Sustainability Intern Program
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
In this article, the authors offer their reflections on the past 10 years of the student intern program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Sustainability. They first outline the …
- Posted May 5, 2021
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Sustainability survey to assess student perspectives
- Indiana State University (IN)
The purpose of this study is to assess environmental concern at a Midwest university, analyze trends in concern over time and determine the effect of the development of a campus …
- Posted May 5, 2021
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Leveraging sport as a venue and vehicle for transformative sustainability learning
- State University of New York at Cortland (NY)
- Texas A&M University (TX)
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
Given greater awareness of environmental issues and the acceleration of climate change, universities are increasingly requiring undergraduate students to complete coursework in environmental issues. Research has shown that environmental courses …
- Posted May 5, 2021
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Marketing and communicating sustainability through college athletics: the effects of pro-environmental initiatives on the belief-attitude-intention hierarchy
- Elon University (NC)
- Florida State University (FL)
This study examines the psychological mechanism of consumers’ environmentally responsible behaviors in college sport. The research is guided by a belief-attitude-intention (B-A-I) hierarchy model. The results revealed that consumers who …
- Posted May 5, 2021
- Publications
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Responsible Management Education as Socialization: Business Students’ Values, Attitudes and Intentions
- Nazareth University (NY)
- Macquarie University (NSW)
- University of Melbourne (Victoria)
The growing interest in sustainable development in all sectors of the economy has fostered a noteworthy shift toward responsible management education (RME). This emerging view underscores that business schools provide …
- Posted May 5, 2021
- Publications
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Coping With Climate Change: Examining Emotional Effects and Searching for Solutions
- University of Vermont (VT)
Inspired by experiences with college students and my own reckoning of the climate crisis, I sought to understand the indirect psychological impacts of climate change on UVM students and what …
- Posted May 4, 2021
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Co-learning for sustainable design: The case of a circular design collaborative project in Ireland
- University of Limerick
- Koç University
Incorporating concerns of sustainability and circularity into design practice is undoubtedly important for both design research and education. There is a need to equip novice designers with the skills to …
- Posted May 4, 2021
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Experimenting with sustainability education: the case of a student-driven campus initiative in Finland
- Aalto University
Experiments are deemed not only useful, but necessary in sustainability transformation to enhance local decision-making. This is especially apparent in Finland where national government programmes and city administrations promote sustainability …
- Posted May 4, 2021
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Green Building, Green Behavior? An Analysis of Building Characteristics that Support Environmentally Responsible Behaviors
- Texas Tech University (TX)
This study examines the environmentally responsible behaviors (ERBs) of undergraduates (n = 575). ERBs were measured in an online survey and the influence of situational context on behavior was explored …
- Posted May 4, 2021
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The Emotional Experience of Sustainability Courses: Learned Eco-Anxiety, Potential Ontological Adjustment
- Concordia University (QC)
- Queen's University
- York University
The knowledge content of university-level introductory sustainability courses elicits emotional reactions by students that are novel within the typical classroom context. Common negative reactions include ‘sadness’, ‘worry’, ‘guilt’ and ‘disgust’, …
- Posted May 4, 2021
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Mobilizing Youth for the SDGs: Tools for creating a Sustainable Development Goals Alliance on your campus
- The University of British Columbia (BC)
- University of Calgary (AB)
- University of Waterloo (ON)
- Université Laval (QC)
Mobilizing Youth for the Sustainable Development Goals is a toolkit created by youth, for youth, and is intended to support post-secondary students who are interested in creating campus spaces for …
- Posted May 4, 2021
- Tools
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sustainNU and Partners Host Tree Planting
- Northwestern University (IL)
In celebration of Arbor Day, Northwestern University's Office of Sustainability (sustainNU) hosted a tree planting with the City of Evanston and Chicago Gateway Green to plant ten trees with volunteers …
- Posted May 4, 2021
- Photographs
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Twinkling SNOW CROWN during Historic Winter Outbreak
- University of North Texas (TX)
This cauliflower (Twinkle SNOW CROWN) was captured on February 14th, 2021 on snowy day at UNT(University of North Texas) Denton Community Garden. UNT community garden promotes environmental education, to growing …
- Posted May 4, 2021
- Photographs
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sustainNU Holds Hybrid Planting Workshop
- Northwestern University (IL)
Northwestern University's Office of Sustainability's (sustainNU) first hybrid event was during Earth Month. With the help of Wild Roots, a student-run garden on campus, and Northwestern Dining, sustainNU hosted a …
- Posted May 4, 2021
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SFU's Living Lab
- Simon Fraser University (BC)
SFU's Living Lab is an approach that facilitates sustainability-themed research at SFU by creating structured collaborations between staff, faculty and graduate students to achieve University commitments and strategic priorities. The …
- Posted April 30, 2021
- Case Studies
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How to Make Your Lab Sustainable
- University College London (London)
If you work in a laboratory setting, this video is for you! Made by a chemistry professor at UCL, one of the biggest research universities in the UK, this video …
- Posted April 30, 2021
- Videos & Webinars
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SUNY Broome Virtual Earth Fest
- SUNY Broome Community College (NY)
Equity: The Greatest Opportunity for the Sustainability & Climate Movements?
http://earthdaysoutherntier.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Earth-Fest-2021-Events-Flyer.pdf
SUNY Broome Earth Fest Lecture – Saturday, April 24th Schedule of Events: 10:00 am: Reducing Household Waste, Chris Burger, …
- Posted April 30, 2021
- Photographs
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Bowie State University Stream Clean Up: Two distinct generations come together to help Mother Earth
- Bowie State University (MD)
Through a partnership with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Bowie State University invited nearby Collington Retirement Community to join together for an Earth Day stream clean up event in …
- Posted April 30, 2021
- Photographs
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CVE 100 students, University of Buea: Cerebration of World Earth Day 2021
- University of Buea
CVE100 Students University of Buea, Cameroon. Campus clean up campaign activities for celebrating World Earth Day - 22nd April 2021 Supervision and coordination, Dr. Frida Besong, University of Buea.
- Posted April 30, 2021
- Photographs
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Up”cycling” - Creating a Biking Campus Culture
- Furman University (SC)
In an effort to foster a biking campus culture, reduce our carbon footprint, encourage student health and wellness, and provide access and needed infrastructure for supporting a vibrant biking community, …
- Posted April 29, 2021
- Case Studies
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JMU Sustainable Development Goals Dialogues
- James Madison University (VA)
As a first step toward JMU's commitment to the University Global Coalition, on March 29, 2021, for 90 minutes, 29 faculty members, 16 students, and 3 community partners participated in …
- Posted April 29, 2021
- Photographs
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Soil Erosion Service Project
- Oregon State University-Cascades Campus (OR)
Students, staff, and faculty at the OSU-Cascades participated in an erosion control service project lead by OSU-Cascades Sustainability Program on a construction site on Oregon State University's campus in Bend, …
- Posted April 29, 2021
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Terrarium Building at Oregon State
- Oregon State University-Cascades Campus (OR)
Students, staff, and faculty built Terrariums.
- Posted April 29, 2021
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Tufts University EarthFest 2021
- Tufts University (MA)
On Friday, April 23rd, 2021, the Tufts Office of Sustainability and the Tufts Eco-Reps organized many sustainability-related student organizations at Tufts to offer an in-person, Covid-safe event. EarthFest has historically …
- Posted April 29, 2021
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ISU Dining Compost Giveaway
- Iowa State University (IA)
ISU Dining handed out pots, seeds, and compost to students. The compost was from our campus compost facility, which takes in food waste from our dining centers. ISU Dining contributes …
- Posted April 23, 2021
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"When it Comes to Sustainability, the Earth is Our Nest," say BGSU Falcons
- Bowling Green State University (OH)
In celebration of Earth Month and sustainability on campus, students from Bowling Green State University came together to plant trees for the benefit of the University community. BGSU's Office of …
- Posted April 23, 2021
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Exhausted: Education and the Response to the Planetary Crisis
- University College London (London)
The climate crisis is of a severity that fills many with a sense of hopelessness. The modest steps that ordinary citizens can take to reduce energy consumption and waste seem …
- Posted April 22, 2021
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Towards energy transition at the Faculty of Education of Bilbao (UPV/EHU): diagnosing community and building
- University of the Basque Country
Purpose This paper aims to present the results of a study aimed at performing a first diagnosis of energy literacy and energy use in a Faculty of Education, by means …
- Posted April 22, 2021
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Designing an extension Climate Stewards volunteer program: incorporating sense of community, social practice, and self-efficacy theories
- Cornell University (NY)
This paper examines the feasibility of developing a new Master Volunteer training program to help communities adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Traditional models of volunteer training …
- Posted April 22, 2021
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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.