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
New Resources
Paperbark Literary Magazine
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
Paperbark Literary Magazine is an interdisciplinary journal of creativity and sustainability publishing art, writing, photography, poetry, science journalism, interviews, and other creative content both in print and online at paperbarkmag ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Portland State University: Driving Rigorous Sustainability through Top-Level Policies
- Portland State University (OR)
Portland State University (PSU), situated in the University District of downtown Portland, Oregon, is the only public urban university in the state located in a major metropolitan city. A recognized ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Departmental Sustainability Mission & Vision Statement -University of Washington Housing & Food Services
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
In the academic year 2017-18, Housing & Food Services unveiled its Sustainability Mission & Vision statement. This articulation of the department’s greater commitment to sustainability was the culmination of ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Introduction to Sustainable Living
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
My proposal for the 2018 Student Sustainability Leadership Award is for a course that I was able to develop at UCLA designed to help students learn knowledge and skills that ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
University of Michigan Campus Farm and MDining Lead Sustainable Food Movement
- University of Michigan (MI)
With the first delivery of Campus Farm fresh produce to Mosher Jordan dining hall in the summer of 2017, the University of Michigan’s MDining’s sustainability goal of using ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
University of California Merced 2020 Project
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
In 2012, UC Merced launched the “2020 Project”, an initiative to add a significant amount of new teaching, research, housing, recreation and support facilities to the campus that would accommodate ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
The Nova Scotia Community College’s (NSCC) Waste Management Improvement Project
- Nova Scotia Community College (NS)
The project began with waste audits to establish a baseline of NSCC’s waste management practices and to try and improve them. From there it progressed into education efforts at ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Stanford R&DE's Student Living Laboratory
- Stanford University (CA)
Stanford University’s Residential & Dining Enterprises in partnership with students and academic departments have transformed its facilities in to a living laboratory by performing cutting edge research on student ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
The WaterHub at Emory University – Engaging Campus & Community in Water Reclamation
- Emory University (GA)
The WaterHub at Emory University is an on-site water recycling system, utilizing biomimicry, or engineered processes that emulate natural ecological systems, to reclaim wastewater for heating and cooling buildings and ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
IEN Toolkit: How to Start and Run a Student-Managed SRI Fund
- Intentional Endowments Network (MA)
The Intentional Endowment Network's (IEN) new resource, titled "IEN Toolkit: How to Start and Run a Student-Managed SRI Fund", was designed to aid in the creation of new student-managed ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Sustainability in the University Student's Mind: Are University Endorsements, Financial Support, and Programs Making a Difference?
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (WI)
- Purdue University (IN)
Despite the increasing awareness that sustainability is an issue needing ongoing attention, and despite millions of dollars spent yearly at universities to promote sustainable behaviors, previous research has found college ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Publications
- View more
How Does Adding an Emphasis on Socioscientific Issues Influence Student Attitudes about Science, Its Relevance, and Their Interpretations of Sustainability?
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
A general consensus exists among the leaders of both developed and developing nations that their citizens should be scientifically literate. Therefore, it is important for educational systems to provide students ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Clean Plates at State: Michigan State University
- Michigan State University (MI)
Michigan State University is continually striving to build a sustainable culture on campus and in the Spartan community. Clean Plates at State helps students and members of our community understand ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Sustainability Activation Program at the University of Dayton
- University of Dayton (OH)
The Sustainability Activation Program (SAP) is an innovative, large scale, and peer-to-peer education program that began in October of 2016 with the intent to better educate our student body about ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Chesapeake College - "A Living Lab."
- Chesapeake College (MD)
Chesapeake College, founded in 1965 as Maryland’s first regional community college, serves five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, 20 percent of the state’s land, 3 percent of ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Mississippi State Community Garden
- Mississippi State University (MS)
In the spring of 2017, the Student Association at Mississippi State University secured funding to further sustainability on campus. This funding was used in part to hold a proposal competition ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
A Behavior Based Energy Conservation Program at Suffolk County Community College
- Suffolk County Community College (NY)
Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) is the largest community college in New York State, with over 26,000 students enrolled across three campuses and two extension sites. As a large ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
RU Sustainable event series
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
RU Sustainable events are designed with the purpose of bringing together faculty, students, and staff to engage with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). As described on the ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Sustainability Action Planning Program
- Yale University (CT)
In 2017, the Yale Office of Sustainability launched a cohort-based sustainability action planning program that offered students, faculty, and staff members from 10 Professional Schools and three Officer Units the ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Sustainable Nation Podcast
- Swarthmore College (PA)
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
This podcast releases three new episodes every week, consisting of interviews with global sustainability leaders in higher education, business and government. This can be a great resource for any sustainability ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Tools
- View more
The Applied Student Research Toolkit
- McGill University (QC)
This Applied Student Research (ASR) toolkit is designed to help students complete an impactful ASR project. ASR related to sustainability is an opportunity for students to address the needs of ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Tools
- View more
A Comms Plan for Running a Waste Reduction Engagement in your University
- University of London
Over the last three years at Reduce the Juice we’ve learnt a lot about running successful behaviour change engagements and now want to share what we’ve learnt with ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Tools
- View more
Using Technology to Motivate and Quantify Behavior Change: My Cardinal Green
- Stanford University (CA)
In today’s increasingly technological and personalized world, sustainability professionals must provide opportunities to engage their community in a way that is relevant for them, while also quantifying the impacts ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Southern Oregon University Dish Loan Program
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
Southern Oregon University's Ecology and Sustainability Resource Center launched a Dish Loan Program in fall 2017. The Dish Loan Program is a free alternative for campus clubs, organizations, and ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Improving office recycling
- Raritan Valley Community College (NJ)
Every semester, the Environmental Science and Sustainability (ENVI201) class studies recycling on campus and comes up with ideas for improvements. Student Deidre Supple had the idea of improving recycling in ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Cultivating the Globally Sustainable Self Summit Series - Advancing Education for Sustainable Development Through Research and Practice
- James Madison University (VA)
The Cultivating the Globally Sustainable Self Summit Series is a multi-year, multi-institution initiative that promotes transformative teaching, training, and learning in research and practice (www.jmu.edu/summitseries). The innovative ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
The U-Challenge at Texas A&M
- Texas A&M University (TX)
- Johnson Controls, Inc (WI)
- Siemens Industry, Inc. (IL)
The U-Challenge is a semester-long research competition for students that has evolved over the past two years to encompass both graduate and undergraduate teams from all majors. Student teams of ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Food Lab Compost Project
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
This project aims to reduce food waste produced by the West Chester University Food Lab. First, food scraps from the the Food Lab are collected in a sealed bin. Then ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
UC Merced's 1st Annual Earth Month Celebration
- University of California, Merced (CA)
Earth Month was an opportunity for UC Merced organizations and departments as well as Merced Community members to come together in an effort to increase student engagement with our campus ...
- Posted May 17, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Dismantling a local School to Prison Pipeline with Education for Sustainable Development
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)
UTRGV’s collaboration with an alternative school and its subsequent integration of education for sustainable development has been transformative for the country’s most vulnerable and marginalized youth.
Armed guards ...
- Posted May 17, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Mobilization Strategies for Environmental Policy Influence
- University of Saskatchewan (SK)
- AASHE (MA)
Those of us who research and teach about sustainability issues are often interested in the potential social impact of our own work, in order to help address environmental challenges of ...
- Posted May 15, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Introduction to the Leading Deep Change in Higher Education Workshop
- Wilfrid Laurier University (ON)
- AASHE (MA)
In response to member interest in higher level, leadership- and change-management focused programming AASHE has partnered with REFOCUS to offer a 1.5 day leadership development workshop in Summer 2018 ...
- Posted May 15, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Frontiers in Environmental Education: Philosophical Reflections on the Impact of Power Epistemology and Consumerist Pedagogy in Environmental Education
- The University of Newcastle (NSW)
- East China Normal University
In this paper we argue that an educational ideology, based on an epistemology of power and consumerism, has become embedded within the structural foundations of Western Education. The combination of ...
- Posted May 14, 2018
- Publications
- View more
University culture and sustainability: Designing and implementing an enabling framework
- University of Worcester
- Cranfield School of Management
Universities across the globe are giving increasing priority to the challenges of sustainability, encouraged by a variety of drivers including international and national policy, student and societal pressures. Many extant ...
- Posted May 14, 2018
- Publications
- View more
University ad Sustainable Urban Development Indicators for Analysis and Evaluation
- Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Madrid)
- Carlos III University of Madrid
University is an institution with a high potential to promote changes that lead to better social outcomes in terms of sustainability and social responsibility. Therefore, it is seems highly necessary ...
- Posted May 14, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Students' Perception of and Engagement with Sustainability at Humber College
- Humber College (ON)
ProjectSustainability aims to explore Humber College students’ perception of sustainability, and their engagement with the Office of Sustainability - including the effectiveness of current sustainability initiatives, as well as improvement and ...
- Posted May 14, 2018
- Publications
- View more
The Razorback Food Recovery
- University of Arkansas (AR)
Food recovery – the practice of preventing surplus foodstuffs from being dumped in the trash – takes numerous forms and provides a variety of social, economic, and environmental benefits. According to the ...
- Posted May 11, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Upgrade Project
- Northwestern University (IL)
Northwestern University is committed to fostering environmental and ethical stewardship. The University’s Strategic Sustainability Plan establishes a vision for reducing the University’s environmental impacts. In the area of ...
- Posted May 10, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities
The most comprehensive review of place-based education – its pedagogy and its practice – yet to appear, by the author of the highly influential book Beyond Ecophobia. Through academic research, practical examples ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Sustainability University–Community Partnerships: Lessons for practitioners and scholars from highly sustainable communities
- Colorado State University (CO)
- Missouri State University (MO)
As local communities face increasing pressure to address environmental concerns, town–gown partnerships are one avenue for improving environmental conditions and sustainability planning for the future. Partnerships between community leaders ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Barriers to Pro-Environmental Behaviours at Bournemouth University
- Bournemouth University (Dorset)
This study investigates the main barriers to pro-environmental behaviours at Bournemouth University (BU). The University is committed to help achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and over the years has ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Publications
- View more
The process of social accounting and reporting at University of Torino: main challenges and managerial implications
- Università degli Studi di Torino
The process of social accounting and reporting performed by universities is a voluntary mechanism through which academic institutions could freely communicate the fulfilment of their social responsibilities to the open ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Publications
- View more
The Personal Context of Student Learning for Sustainability: Results of a multi-university research study
- Victoria University (Victoria)
The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD, 2005–2014) was an important framework and catalyst for increasing Sustainable Development (SD) efforts within academic institutions, worldwide. Tertiary institutions began ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Publications
- View more
What is your Communication Strategy? - Tools for Marketing Sustainability Across Campus (Webinar)
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- GreenerU (MA)
Join GreenerU and Penn State in this insightful webinar targeted at improving your school's communication strategies when it comes to sustainability. Learn helpful marketing tips from Penn State's ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Where does it go? Composting at GWU
- George Washington University (DC)
In February 2018, the George Washington University’s Office of Sustainability and Campaign GW embarked upon a new, risk-taking endeavor to expand access to composting and sustainable food waste across ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Earth Week at Universidad de Monterrey
- Universidad de Monterrey
During Earth Week at UDEM, students and staff have the change to participate in different workshops, keynotes and activities that promote the three main topics for this year's Earth ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Photographs
- View more
Wesleyan launches Spin bikeshare
- Wesleyan University (CT)
- Spin (CA)
Wesleyan students enjoy the new Wesleyan bikeshare program with Spin.
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Photographs
- View more
Earth Day Fair at UI Health
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
Join the UI Health Green Team and outside organizations focused on sustainability at our upcoming Earth Day Fair on Friday, April 20! The event is open to both staff and ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Photographs
- View more
Gardening for a Changing Climate
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
Thousands of students enjoyed the spring weather as they celebrated Earth Day and the UIC Climate Commitments at the Earth Day fair. This outdoor pop-up event, planned by UIC students ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Photographs
- View more
Northwestern Promotes Recycling during Earth Month
- Northwestern University (IL)
Northwestern University celebrates Earth Month throughout April. One of the highlights of the month is Mount Trashmore, and event that calls attention to the amount of waste generated on campus ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Photographs
- View more
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.