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
Latest News from AASHE Bulletin
New Resources
Service and Community Engaged Learning for Social and Environmental Justice
- Champlain College (VT)
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
- University of Hawaii Kapiolani Community College (HI)
- Villanova University (PA)
Service-Learning / Community Engaged Learning is a common practice in higher education and is increasingly found being paired with sustainability. This networking session will allow practitioners to share best practices, learn ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
AIM2Flourish: Transforming Management Education Through Positive Business Innovation Stories
- Case Western Reserve University (OH)
The UN Global Goals are the 'World's Must-Do List' to end poverty, combat climate change, protect life on land, and ensure a livable future for all people. Many business ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
STARS Reporting as an Undergraduate Educational Opportunity
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
The University of Illinois, a STARS Gold Campus, has a strong focus on expanding its campus sustainability efforts. Since our 2017 report, administrators have made an increased effort to align ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Leveraging the Campus Sustainability Committee: Zombie Committees vs Robust Change Agents
- Cornell University (NY)
- Duke University (NC)
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (NY)
What is the secret to successful sustainability committees? Is there a magic formula for long-term effectiveness or do the committees need to evolve over time? Once sustainability programs become more ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Go Green or Get Gone: Teachers College as a Case Study
- Teachers College, Columbia University (NY)
What is the role of graduate schools of education in the face of local and global environmental challenges? This session explores this question by presenting the development process and implementation ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Preaching Beyond the Choir: How to Institutionalize Sustainability Into Organization-Wide Culture
- Denison University (OH)
It is easy to get caught up in and become comfortable in a group that shares the same views. We know the people who have our back and who will ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Inducing Paradigm Shifts through Complementary Curricular and Co-curricular Program Engagement
- College of Charleston (SC)
The Office of Sustainability (OoS) at the College of Charleston offers a unique work environment. Housed in Business Affairs & led by 2 Staff who also serve as College Faculty ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Integrating Social Equity: Texas A&M's 2018 Sustainability Master Plan
- Texas A&M University (TX)
- Ayers Saint Gross (MD)
Released in the Spring 2018 semester, Texas A&M's new Sustainability Master Plan has three primary objectives: to better integrate social equity objectives with environmental and economic efforts, to balance ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
What is a Residence Life Sustainability Plan?
- Texas A&M University (TX)
- Ayers Saint Gross (MD)
The Department of Residence Life at Texas A&M operates as an auxiliary enterprise to provide student housing to approximately 12,000 students annually. Concurrent to the University's update to ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
A Framework for Sustainability Competencies for Your Campus
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- Stanford University (CA)
Last fall we published a study on competencies for sustainability, 'Developing a framework for sustainability meta-competencies,' based on interviews and focus groups with Penn State University employees serving in a ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Mapping the Pathway to STARS Platinum
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
- University of California, Davis (CA)
- University of California, Merced (CA)
AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) is the leading North American green/sustainable campus rating system developed by colleges and universities for colleges and universities. STARS provides ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
AASHE STARS: Field Notes From New Adopters
- Case Western Reserve University (OH)
- University of Chicago (IL)
- Sightlines (SC)
The AASHE STARS program is invaluable. It provides higher education institutions a unified platform for assessing and reporting their contributions towards the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. However, obstacles ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Got Plans? Perspectives on Developing and Implementing Campus Sustainability Plans
- East Carolina University (NC)
- Emory University (GA)
- Harvey Mudd College (CA)
- Marquette University (WI)
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
Panelists and audience members will share diverse perspectives on and experiences with sustainability strategic planning. To serve a broad audience, our panelists (and, hopefully, audience members) represent the following perspectives ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Notre Dame's Success in Developing a Sustainability Strategy Aligned to SDGs and Its Mission
- University of Notre Dame (IN)
In response to Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical Laudato si', the University of Notre Dame leadership championed a committee out of the Executive Vice President's office to take action. Using ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Leveraging the SDGs to Build a System-Wide Higher Education Sustainability Strategy
- University at Albany (NY)
- University at Buffalo (NY)
- State University of New York at Geneseo (NY)
Sixty-Four schools, nearly half a million enrolled students, 33,000 faculty and 96,000 degrees granted annually--the higher education scope and impact of the State University of New York system ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
How to Create Sustainable Solutions in Your Community
- GreenLight Solutions Foundation (AZ)
Want to learn how to implement sustainability projects with local businesses in your community? Join GreenLight Solutions Foundation for an interactive brainstorming session to create a strategic framework for catalyzing ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Imposters, Insiders, and Collaborators: Bringing Outside Expertise to the World of Sustainability
- Dickinson College (PA)
- University of Florida (FL)
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
- University of California, Merced (CA)
Sustainability is often viewed as a field reserved for those with expertise gained through an academic background in Environmental Science, Ecology, Sustainability or similar areas, and individuals from outside of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Abandoned Bikes on Campus: Redistribution and the Sustainable Development Goals
- Eastern Mennonite University (VA)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, VA and Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, VA are presented with a number of bikes abandoned by students each year. As cycling gains ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Resiliency: A Platform for Institutional Change, Case Study Cal State University San Bernardino
- California State University, San Bernardino (CA)
Historically, California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) has embraced sustainability through faculty curriculum, students initiatives, and facilities management retrofitting projects, however, sustainability efforts are not coordinated and transformational change is ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Institution Nitrogen Footprints in SIMAP: Updated Results and New Insights
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
- University of Virginia (VA)
Seven campuses that participated in the development of the nitrogen footprint tool (NFT) published findings from their initial nitrogen footprint calculations in the April 2017 special issue of Sustainability: The ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process to Perform a Materiality Study on the SDGs
- Villanova University (PA)
To effectively 'ignite change' in regards to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a university must first determine which of them are applicable and material to the organization. This process ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Organizational Transitions and Continuity in a University Setting
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
Turnover is the cardinal issue that plagues collegiate organizations because of the ever changing minds of the student population as well as the traditional four year system of undergraduate education ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
How to Overcome Challenges at Large, Urban Campuses
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
This will provide a space for large urban campuses to discuss challenges and accomplishments of working on sustainability on Urban campuses. AASHE has lacked the spaces for these types of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
The Design Thinking Process: User-Centered Solutions to Complex and Confounding Problems
- University of Denver (CO)
Coming out of Stanford's Institute of Design, the Design Thinking (DT) framework has taken the Architecture, and now the business world, by storm. However, this solution- and user-focused design ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
How a Team of Student Ambassadors Can Amplify and Accelerate Wins for a Small Sustainability Staff
- Case Western Reserve University (OH)
Facing the Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals of campus sustainability work with small offices can feel impossible; however, despite having a small staff, college and university sustainability offices can effect real ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Top Down and Bottom-Up: The Pitt Sustainability Planning Process
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
- SmithGroup (MI)
In 2017 Pitt embarked on their first comprehensive sustainability plan which launched early this year. This session outlines the top-down approaches to connect with leadership and link this planning effort ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
International Networking Meeting
- Portland Community College (OR)
- AASHE (PA)
Members of the international community who are attending the AASHE conference and those who are interested in international issues are invited to join in a networking meeting to share resources ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
How to Design an Annual Report People Actually Read
- Pomona College (CA)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
Have you struggled with keeping up with annual reporting for your sustainability program? Are you somebody who's on top of their annual reporting but feel like nobody reads your ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
ISSP Networking Session: Do You Have All It Takes to Be an Effective Sustainability Professional?
- Auburn University (AL)
- Colorado State University (CO)
- Michigan State University (MI)
- University of Richmond (VA)
- International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) (OR)
Calling all active and aspiring sustainability professionals: come learn about the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) community and earning ISSP's sustainability credentials. Meet with ISSP members and hear ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Latin Flavor in AASHE: Contributions to Sustainability Offices
- Cedar Valley College - DCCCD (TX)
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)
- Universidad EAN
In many institutions of higher education and universities around the world, there are offices that manage the issue of sustainability for years. AASHE is a multicultural space where many of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals: An Insiders' Account of change in a UK University
- De Montfort University
Higher Education institutions have a crucial role to play in catalysing action to address the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The call to action that the Goals represent can ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Extending Sustainability Practices to Tenant Spaces: Green Leasing at Portland State University
- Portland State University (OR)
Portland State University (PSU) is home to approximately 60 commercial tenants. Tenants range from food service and retail, to offices, banks, ATMs, and advertising. To encourage sustainability practices and behaviors ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
How Do Sustainability and Resilience Work Together in Practice?
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
Resilience and sustainability have had a confusing relationship over the past decade. While resilience has long been an important element of sustainability, for example going back to the work of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Resilience Bootcamp - Turning Threats into Opportunities
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
- St. Lawrence University (NY)
- Second Nature (MA)
Resilience is a hot topic for those who work within the campus operational and built environment. But what does it really mean for a campus community and how does it ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Leading and Integrating Sustainability 2.0: A Discussion About Deep Organizational Change
- University of Vermont (VT)
Many institutions are entering a 'Sustainability 2.0' phase, where offices have been established for up to ten years and topics such as recycling, composting, Eco-Reps, and active transportation plans ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Interactive and Captivating: How to Create a Successful Workshop
- Texas A&M University (TX)
Texas A&M University has found the most effective way to communicate the importance of sustainability with our campus community is through interactive and engaging content. Our most successful approach has ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Smith College House Sustainability Challenge
- Smith College (MA)
As part of Smith College's efforts to integrate environmentally sustainable practices into institutional operations and student life, a diverse group of campus stakeholders launched the House Sustainability Challenge in ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
From Awareness to Action: Behavior Design for Campus Sustainability
- Root Solutions (CA)
This workshop will provide participants with an overview of Root Solutions' proven human-centered design approach to environmental behavior change. You will learn how to strategically select which behavior(s) to ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Sustainability Perspectives: A Video Showcase
- Princeton University (NJ)
This session will showcase a diverse collection of videos from institutions across the country, all with different production quality, intended audiences, content, theme, and impact. Start off your morning with ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Sustainability Student Engagement Through the use of Online Platforms
- Colorado State University (CO)
This 30-minute presentation will cover two successful student engagement campaigns run at Colorado State University that primarily relies on custom online platforms. These engagement campaigns have been run for multiple ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Graduate Students Implement Sustainability During a Short Academic Window: Case Study Eden Hall
- Chatham University (PA)
Eden Hall Campus at Chatham University was built to be a living learning lab for sustainable initiatives in the Falk School of Sustainability. Although the focus of the university is ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Bees as a Bridge From Local Experiential Learning to Collaborative Global Education
- Champlain College (VT)
The Champlain College Apiary was established in 2013 in order to provide experiential learning opportunities for students and community members and to support the college's commitment to sustainability. This ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Is your staff engaged with your sustainability practices?
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
At Carnegie Mellon University there are numerous sustainable practices on campus. Our presentation is to share the ways we engage the faculty, staff and students to raise awareness about green ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Involving the Greek Community in Sustainability
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- Washington State University, Pullman (WA)
Greek communities nationwide have large impacts on college campuses. Currently, close to one million undergraduate students are associated with Greek organizations. Influential and prominent, involving the greek community in sustainability ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Break out of a Social Media Slump: How to Create a Strategy, Build Community & Engage Your Audience
- Agnes Scott College (GA)
- University of Florida (FL)
By 2021, it's estimated that there will be more than 3 billion social media users around the world. If universities and colleges are going to be leaders in addressing ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
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 Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Student Engagement through Research Experience: The U-Challenge at Texas A&M
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
- Texas A&M University (TX)
- Johnson Controls, Inc (WI)
In the spring semester of 2017, the Department of Residence Life and Utility & Energy Services at Texas A&M partnered to host their first annual Utilities Challenge (dubbed the 'U-Challenge ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Sustainability-themed Living and Learning Communities
- Boston University (MA)
- Colgate University (NY)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
As residential living and learning communities become more commonplace across higher education, a great opportunity for sustainability emerges. Join representatives from Boston University, Colgate University and Virginia Commonwealth University to ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Students, Sustainability, and Social Media: Tools for Content and Collaboration
- American University (DC)
- New York University (NY)
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (WI)
Communicating sustainability efforts across social media platforms is an important but often challenging part of our work. As social media trends emerge and change, how can we convey our messaging ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Peer-to-Peer Educator Programs: Examining Four Common Styles
- Northern Michigan University (MI)
- Pomona College (CA)
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- University of Michigan (MI)
- University of Vermont (VT)
Based on overwhelmingly positive feedback on the EcoReps Networking Session last year, a team of sustainability staff members from four institutions has come together to provide another opportunity for further ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- 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. Additional content and advanced benchmarking tools will be added to this tab over time.
Programs and Initiatives
The following links connect to specific Content Displays on the STARS website (AASHE membership and log-in required).
- Central campus sustainability websites
- Co-curricular programs and initiatives
- Active student groups focused on sustainability
- Gardens, farms and co-curricular programs where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems
- Student-run enterprises that include sustainability
- Sustainable investment funds and initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills
- Cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience
- Wilderness or outdoors programs for sudents that follow Leave No Trace principles
- Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences
- Programs through which students learn sustainable life skills
- Sustainability-focused student employment opportunities
- Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions
- Student orientation activities that feature sustainability
- Employee orientation activities that feature sustainability
- Sustainability trainings and professional development opportunities available to staff
Scores
The following link connects to the Score Display on the STARS website (AASHE membership and log-in required).
Campus Engagement Partners
ACPA - College Student Educators International
Washington, DCCampus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association
Bloomington, INCoalesce
Boston, MABusiness Affiliate
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Washington, DCDot Cup
Evanston, ILBusiness Affiliate
Fair Labor Association
Washington, DCBusiness Affiliate
Fairware Promotional Products Ltd
Vancouver, BCBusiness Affiliate
Fit for Green Inc.
Mission Viejo, CABusiness Affiliate
GreenerU
Watertown, MABusiness Affiliate
Korean Association for Green Campus Initiative
Seoul, SeoulBusiness Affiliate
MIST
Chicago, ILBusiness Affiliate
National Wildlife Federation
Reston, VABusiness Affiliate
NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation
Corvallis, ORNOLS
Lander, WYBusiness Affiliate
Northwest Earth Institute
Portland, ORBusiness Affiliate
Post-Landfill Action Network
Dover, NHBusiness Affiliate
Rivanna Natural Designs
Richmond, VABusiness Affiliate
RRS
Ann Arbor, MIBusiness Affiliate
Strategic Energy Innovations
San Rafael, CABusiness Affiliate
Sunbolt
Willow Grove, PABusiness Affiliate
Textbooks for Change
Toronto, ONBusiness Affiliate
The Campus Kitchens Project
Washington, DCBusiness Affiliate
The GREEN Program
Philadelphia, PABusiness Affiliate