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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Building Better Homes: University of Arizona’s Residential Sustainability Program
- University of Arizona (AZ)
This presentation is focused on residential education. Components of the University of Arizona's (UA) on-campus sustainability program will be briefly discussed. The presenters will specifically discuss replicable and successful UA …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Greening the Greeks: Lessons learned from working with Greek Village at the University of South Carolina
- University of South Carolina (SC)
Fraternity and sorority members have long been a challenging population for offices of sustainability to reach because they tend to be insular, have their own traditions and priorities, and often …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Go Greek, Go Green: Integrating Sustainability into Daily Life for Members of the Greek Community
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
The Greek community at UNL, consisting of fraternities, sororities, multicultural, and professional groups, comprises nearly 20 percent of the student body, with nearly 30 housed chapters on campus. Greek organizations …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Growing Community: University of Louisville Eco-Reps and Blackacre Nature Preserve
- University of Louisville (KY)
The University of Louisville's Eco-Reps is a sustainability training and networking group offering certifications, hosting monthly lunches, local speakers, and field trips, and organizing volunteer projects. Blackacre State Nature Preserve …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bottled Water Policy: The six-year journey
- Bemidji State University (MN)
- College of Saint Benedict (MN)
Years of thoughtful research, consideration, and communication with other universities went into the creation of the Bottled Water Policy created by the Bemidji State University Student Senate in 2015. The …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Eco-Representatives: Peer to Peer Education on Sustainable Living Practices
- Concordia College (NY)
Student outreach programs are an integral part of sustainability efforts in higher education. Eco-Rep programs use peer-to-peer education to promote student behavioral changes and increase awareness about sustainability initiatives and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Concordia College EcoHouse
- Concordia College (NY)
The Concordia College EcoHouse is a student-initiated project that was launched in 2012. The EcoHouse is a 1950s-era house that provides an ideal living-learning environment in which to explore sustainable …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating and maintaining a Student Managed Action Fund
- University of Northern Colorado (CO)
A growing way to create and build sustainability projects on campus is to create a student fund. These are often managed by students themselves, yet despite the enthusiasm and innovative …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The UAlbany Heritage Garden: An Educational Tool for the Whole Campus
- University at Albany (NY)
In fall 2013, a task force of students, staff and faculty began developing a plan to institute a campus heritage garden. With the understanding that many student garden projects fall …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Organizing an E-Waste Festival on Campus
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
E-Waste can be a serious problem for businesses and residents in a community. At Indiana University South Bend, we hold an annual E-Waste Festival that has collected over 1.25 million …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Tested Techniques - Increase membership, organize engaging events & raise funds for your student group
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
The workshop will focus on tested techniques used by student group leaders at the University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign to engage the student body in the sustainability movement. Even …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Reclaiming Urbanity with Permaculture: The First Years of a Food Forest
- Portland State University (OR)
Food forests use sustainable methods to garden within a closed-loop system. PSU students started a community orchard in 2011 with a plot of vacant land, 21 fruit tree varieties and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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835 People - 1 Day - 1 Community - A Service Learning Story
- Moraine Valley Community College (IL)
All faculty, staff and administrators at Moraine Valley Community College stood behind the 'community' in the college's name to set an example in the MVUnity day by joining forces and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Greeks Think Green: 'Go Greek, Go Green'
- University of Arizona (AZ)
At the University of Arizona (UA), Greek Life is the largest organization on campus, making up 15% of the student population. To include this large segment of the student population …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Foil Lined Wrapper TerraCycling
- University of Virginia (VA)
The University of Virginia has been participating in a TerraCycle Program, more specifically the Energy Bar Wrapper Brigade, since August of last year. In general, TerraCycle programs work to reduce …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How Does Your Campus Talk Trash?
- Santa Clara University (CA)
Does your campus have waste diversion initiatives that directly engages community members? Waste characterizations attempt to directly teach proper waste diversion through a hands-on event that helps measure current waste …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Annual Waste Audit Approach at Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Niagara College Canada (ON)
The Pollution Prevention students studying in the Post-Graduate Environmental Management and Assessment Program partner with the Office of Sustainability to conduct annual waste audits for Niagara College of Applied Arts …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Greening Collegiate Sports: Facility Tour and Networking Event
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
- Green Sports Alliance (OR)
Over the past decade, an increasing number of collegiate athletic and recreation departments have initiated or expanded sustainability programs. This workshop builds on this momentum, providing both green sports novices …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Competitive Edge: Student Leadership and Professional Development Through Campus Competition
- American University (DC)
- California State University, Chico (CA)
- Claremont McKenna College (CA)
- U.S. Green Building Council (DC)
- Atrius (CA)
- GreenerU (MA)
For the last five years, Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN), the nation's largest electricity and water reduction competition on college campuses, has engaged hundreds of thousands of students, faculty and staff …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Can You Hear Me Now? Amplifying and Measuring Sustainability Communications
- College of Charleston (SC)
- Duke University (NC)
- Northwestern University (IL)
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- Princeton University (NJ)
Whether you are marketing an event, campaign, or simply advertising a service your office offers, building communications partnerships and tracking your communications success are essential to growing your audience and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Real Voice: Campus Food Systems Working Groups & Policy Development
- Gonzaga University (WA)
- University of Montana (MT)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
Pioneering universities across the country are assembling Food Systems Working Groups to guide comprehensive university food policy development. Unlike many executive committees and university task forces, these multi-stakeholder groups include …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Plenary: The Business Case for Campus Sustainability
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
- Environmental Association for Universities & Colleges (EAUC) (Gloucestershire)
How can you build greater support for sustainability on your campus? This diverse group of panelists will share their stories, tips and strategies for making the business case for sustainability.
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Changing Behaviors through Green Office Certification
- Duke University (NC)
- Pomona College (CA)
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
Developing a Green Office Certification program at your college or university is nothing new. However, measuring Green Office Certification program impacts through behavior change and tangible energy and water savings …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The PAC 12 Road to Zero Waste Competition
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- University of Southern California (CA)
- Green Sports Alliance (OR)
The Green Sports Alliance (GSA) in partnership with the PAC 12 campuses initiated a Road to Zero Waste competition this year. The group developed multiple goals and objectives to encourage …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting everyone on board with carbon neutrality: UC system best practices for faculty, student, and staff engagement
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
In 2014, University of California President Janet Napolitano announced the Carbon Neutrality Initiative, committing UC to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. President Napolitano formed a Global Climate Leadership Council to …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Monday - A Growing Global Movement and an Effective Marketing Campaign to Reduce Your Institution's Foodprint
- Columbia University (NY)
- Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
- Green Monday
Green Monday is a growing global movement that promotes green lifestyle choices. Columbia alumnus David Yeung created Green Monday in his native Hong Kong, where it has seen incredible success. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students Powering the Energy Transition
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
How can students make a positive impact on public policy and decision makers to help our energy system transition to a sustainable future? Ellen Anderson, former energy advisor to Governor …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing Energy Management Programs for a More Sustainable Campus
- California State University, Dominguez Hills (CA)
- Enlighted Inc. (CA)
In 2012, California State University Dominguez Hills' Central Plant Manager, Kenny Seeton, was tasked with finding a way to limit energy expenditures on campus in order to meet the university's …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Engagement through Dining Partnerships and Programming
- Florida Gulf Coast University (FL)
- Aramark (PA)
Want to get more people engaged in the sustainability conversation on your campus? Let's face it, food connects us all and everyone needs to eat. Your campus dining partner can …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Better Business Building' - Penn State and Leonardo Academy Connect Students, Faculty, and Facilities through LEED for Existing Buildings and LEED Campus
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- Leonardo Academy (WI)
Learn how students, faculty, and facility management staff worked together to transform the sustainability of the Smeal Business Building at Penn State through LEED-EBOM. The project served as a model …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The competition landscape: 5 years of data from Campus Conservation Nationals
- Alliance to Save Energy (CA)
- Atrius (CA)
Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN) is the nation's largest electricity and water reduction competition for college campuses. It aims to engage, educate, motivate and empower students and staff to reduce resource …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Hastily Formed and Sufficiently Executed Support for a Thesis That Changed Student Energy Use
- Middlebury College (VT)
- Atrius (CA)
Using the campus as a learning laboratory is a great concept. Doing it well often means busy people from different quarters of the campus community coming together to plan and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Why students should shower with their phones: The call for shorter showers
- University of Rhode Island (RI)
- NORESCO (NC)
Do students know how long they are in the shower? Are students able to mentally time their shower? How can we encourage students to decrease their time in the shower? …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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360 Degrees of Recognition: How and Why It Matters
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Recognition is about noticing and honoring. It may encourage and support an action' (Hansen, Smith, & Hansen, 2002). Recognition can be a powerful and transformative tool for sustainability education by …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Real Food Challenge: Empowering Students, Creating Just, Local Food Systems
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
Campus food service is a $18 billion dollar industry that spends $5 billion on food annually. This food is largely sourced from unsustainable sources due to the complex supplies chains …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Art of Conversation: Overcome Obstacles by Making Connections
- Smith College (MA)
- GreenerU (MA)
As a sustainability professional good relationships are essential. You are responsible for making sure your institution sets and meets ambitious goals; however, you will not be the person who does …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Fostering Behavior Change: hosted by the organizers of RecycleMania and Campus Conservation Nationals
- U.S. Green Building Council (DC)
- Keep America Beautiful (CT)
The coordinators of RecycleMania and Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN), two of the largest behavior change competitions in higher education, are inviting campus stakeholders to a networking session designed to share …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Professionals in Student Affairs Networking Session
- The Ohio State University (OH)
- University of Oregon (OR)
This networking session is designed to give sustainability professionals that work in student affairs departments an opportunity to interact in a structured environment. The session will begin with introductions and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A new classroom environment: Extending sustainability education into living & learning residential communities
- University of Rhode Island (RI)
- NORESCO (NC)
Over the past 8 years, the University of Rhode Island (URI) has been working with the Energy Service Company, NORESCO, to increase energy efficiency for campus buildings. Multiple phases of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability, the Musical: A Case-based Exchange of Ideas for Integrating the Arts, Popular Culture, and Creative Expression into Environmental Pedagogy, Research, and Service on Campus.
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
The goal of this session is for all participants to exchange ideas about integrating the arts into campus sustainability initiatives. In other words, it is a GIFTS session (Great Ideas …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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EcoLeaders Community Supports Student Sustainability Projects & Helps Build Career Skills to be Competitive in the Workforce
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
National Wildlife Federation's EcoLeaders Initiative is a sustainability leadership certification program for college students. EcoLeaders features the first web-based community to provide students with the virtual space to initiate projects …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Overcoming Barriers to Sustainability Education for International and Culturally Diverse Students
- Portland State University (OR)
A sure way to transform sustainability education is to make it more inclusive and incorporate multiple perspectives. To do this, the dominant sustainability education culture must engage in a paradigm …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Successful Campus Move Out Drives
- Southwestern College (OH)
The Southwestern Green Team has held numerous successful move-out collection drives over the years. We hold one at the end of every semester, collecting clothes, food, appliances, furniture, etc. We …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Football Program Scores with Waste Reduction.
- University of North Carolina, Charlotte (NC)
UNC Charlotte is a large urban university that recently added a football program and built a 15,000-seat stadium. Some students saw this as an opportunity to start a major program …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Residential Living: Energy Monitoring on a College Campus
- Macalester College (MN)
This panel presentation will analyze the unique benefits and challenges associated with the installation of an energy monitoring system on a college campus from multiple perspectives. Macalester College recently installed …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Food Matters: Growing a Sustainable Food Culture in America's Heartland
- University of Northern Iowa (IA)
The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is a leader in developing a sustainable food culture. In the mid 1990's, the Local Food Program emerged. Since then, collaboration between different programs …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaging Students in Food Waste Reduction - Aramark, UNC-Chapel Hill & Feeding The 5,000
- Aramark (PA)
A review & discussion of the genesis, planning & execution of an innovative food waste reduction event conducted by Aramark at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In partnership with …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Fossil Fuel Free Fish House
- Bemidji State University (MN)
For the past year, the Bemidji State University Sustainability Office has been working with several partners to create a fossil fuel-free fish house. The house will eventually be placed on …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Renewable Power of a Simple #Hashtag - Using Social Media to Build Global, Cross-Sector Relationships
- Boston University (MA)
How do you share your message in 140 characters or less? Engaging a diverse, inclusive and wide-ranging set of stakeholders across the globe on Twitter requires social media strategy and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using Technology for Live Intercampus Conversations and Student Engagement Across a Region
- Central Community College (NE)
Central Community College (CCC) is a college system with multiple campuses and centers in rural Nebraska. As a way to increase student engagement in sustainability, CCC created a monthly (facilitated) …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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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.