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
The challenge of coordinated civic climate change education
- Bard College (NY)
- University of Richmond (VA)
- James Madison University (VA)
- Stanford University (CA)
- Dickinson College (PA)
- University at Albany (NY)
- St. Mary's College of Maryland (MD)
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
Many sustainability educators want to more effectively engage their students with climate policy. They also seek to support students’ civic and change agent skills and dispositions to take on critical ...
- Posted Dec. 11, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Sustainability Competition and Interactive Map
- University of Illinois at Chicago (IL)
This project was developed to accomplish grant deliverables focusing on campus education surrounding sustainability initiatives and upgrades to Illinois electrical infrastructure. The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Office of ...
- Posted Dec. 11, 2018
- Case Studies
- View more
Environmental Education at Faculty of Agriculture and Changing Awareness, Attitude and Behavior towards Environment in Turkey
- Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University
- Hitit Üniversitesi
Environmental problems have become increasingly more destructive. For this reason, environmental education and awareness have gained importance. This study had two objectives: to determine the factors affecting the attitude and ...
- Posted Nov. 26, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Students’ mobility attitudes and sustainable transport mode choice
- University of Bergamo
This study aims to explore the propensity of university students to use different sustainable transport modes, taking into account individual and specific trip characteristics, as well as students’ psychological traits ...
- Posted Nov. 15, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Sustainability: Systematic Review 1990–2016
- Universidad de Antioquia
For any transition towards sustainability to be successful, it is necessary to understand the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) – related to sustainability – in different populations. A systematic review was conducted ...
- Posted Nov. 15, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Enhancing university students’ global citizenship, public mindedness, and moral quotient for promoting sense of environmental responsibility and pro-environmental behaviours
- Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University
- King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi
Many universities have attempted to courage their students to engage in sustainable, green behaviours. However, the mere role of environmental knowledge cannot contribute to students’ engagement in pro-environmental behaviours. This ...
- Posted Nov. 15, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Impact of communication sources for achieving campus sustainability
- Cornell University (NY)
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
Using self-reported data from over 12,000 students, staff, and faculty members, this study aims to quantify the effectiveness of various sustainability information sources on the awareness and behavioral changes ...
- Posted Nov. 13, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Student team integrating aspects of sustainability in practical design education
- Chiba University
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the first experiences (activities, attitudes and inclinations) of an undergraduate student team with eco-design activities.
Design/methodology/approach Undergraduate ...
- Posted Nov. 13, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Sustaining our Communities Through Care and Action
- Western Washington University (WA)
Sustainability is becoming more expansive; ideas about social and economic justice and human health are becoming integrated into the environmental field. But is this holistic ideal replicated in the way ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
A Primer on Living Wage Policies and Just Employment
- Saint Joseph's University (PA)
This session provides an introduction to living wage policies and just employment principles, applicable not only in higher education, but in any form of organization. Intended for attendees seeking an ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Stay Rad Post Grad: Finding Your Path After College
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
Are you graduating? Are you panicking? Or maybe you know exactly what you want to do, but it's just a matter of making it happen. Join the PLAN staff ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Well-Being for All, Sustainably at Dawson College
- Dawson College (QC)
Institutes of higher education may be populated with many people, but they can be lonely places for staff and students alike. Stress is also prevalent in our schools. An ever-increasing ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Innovation: Creating a new Minor in Somatic Sustainability at Appalachian State University
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Awakening somatic intelligence and understanding sustainable body practices are important aspects of an enlarged conversation of sustainability. As a part of that dialogue, we have created a new minor in ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Secrets to Success for Your Career and Your Campus in Sustainability
- U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
Do you want tips to create a great career in sustainability? Do you also want to create more positive impacts on campus and beyond? Do you want to be a ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Resilience and Renewal - A Retreat Model: Preparing Ourselves for a Lifetime of Global Change
- Central College (IA)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Join sustainability students in discovering how a model of stepping away from our various institutions, discovering common challenges, and reflecting on our resilience can help us sustain ourselves. Central College ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Adaptation and Resilience in Sustaining Ourselves - A Micro-Retreat
- Macalester College (MN)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Join sustainability professionals across Minnesota in discovering how a model of stepping away from our various institutions, discovering common challenges and building cross-institution relationships helps us sustain ourselves. The planning ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Addressing the Global Water Crisis: One Toilet at a Time
- Niagara Conservation (TX)
Water scarcity is one of the most pressing issues in sustainability today. How can we address the global water crisis? Emily Schmidt from Niagara will explore the large scale impacts ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Urban, Rural, and On-Campus Solutions (UROC): Living Campus Accelerator Toolkit
- Arizona State University (AZ)
Arizona State University has committed to becoming carbon neutral for campus buildings by 2025. University Sustainability Practices (USP) is working tirelessly to help fulfill this vision. USP and partner universities ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Gameday Waste Minimization
- University of Arizona (AZ)
- University of Rochester (NY)
The University of Arizona will share the success story of their student-run program working to ingrain zero waste practices within athletic events. This workshop will describe the trials and tribulations ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Move Out Solutions With William & Mary's DormMania and the Post-Landfill Action Network
- College of William & Mary (VA)
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
Join the Post Landfill Action Network (PLAN) and William & Mary in a discussion about reducing waste during campus move-out! Students throw away tons of usable items every year during ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Do Dorm Move-Out Waste Reduction Programs Really Reduce Carbon Emissions?
- University of Arizona (AZ)
A team of engineering researchers at the University of Arizona, led by Dr. Paul Blowers and undergraduate student Nick Deak, measured the carbon footprint associated with materials collected during a ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Measuring Success - Auditing the Zero Waste Process
- Medical University of South Carolina (SC)
At the Medical University of South Carolina we, like many campuses, are constantly improving our waste system in an effort to strive for 'Zero Waste'. During the 2016 RecycleMania competition ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Stadium Clean-up: Invest in & Engage Student Organizations, Promote Sustainability, Reduce Costs
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
The Diddle/Smith Recycling Program engages student organizations to clean the arena/stadium after football and basketball games, as well as other special events. In exchange for cleaning, volunteers receive ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
How Might we Create a Sustainable Make-A-Thon to Inform Students About Sustainable Design?
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Design U every year puts on the 10,000 makes 24 hour Make-A-Thon where we bring in engineers, designers, business students and whoever else wants to join to essentially make ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Engaging Housekeeping Staff for Zero Waste Success
- The Ohio State University (OH)
Contamination of single-stream recycling is one of the most significant obstacles to waste diversion. While campus culture promotes recycling, users do not reliably recycle correctly. The result is a contaminated ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Achieving Zero Waste and Campus-Wide Compost Bins: Progress from Swarthmore College
- Swarthmore College (PA)
In 2017, Swarthmore College formalized its commitment to achieving a Zero Waste campus, with an interim goal of reaching an 80% diversion rate by 2022. This ambitious commitment, which built ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
How to Run Initiatives on Campus That Will Lower Waste
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
Having an 'eco' conscious lifestyle has been mainly about buying 'green' items so we can lower our impact on this planet. Today, our problem is not about buying items but ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Responsible Consumption and Production: An Academic Year Deep Dive
- Lafayette College (PA)
During this session, we'll take a look at the opportunities to promote recycling and reuse during the academic year at a small liberal arts college. We'll chart out ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
A Multi-Method Approach to Increasing Campus Diversion
- Georgia State University (GA)
This session will provide insight on how the largest university in the state of Georgia went from a 10% diversion rate to 49% in just 4 years with few resources ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Fats, Oils and Grease - 'Don't Flush It'
- Georgia College & State University (GA)
Georgia College & State University (GC) in partnership with the City of Milledgeville's Waste Water Treatment Program in Milledgeville, GA, have joined to educate the campus community on waste ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Break Free From Plastic on Your Campus
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
Cities and Countries across the world are making commitments to reduce their reliance on single use disposable plastics. It's time for campuses to follow suit. From swag to coffee ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Off-Campus Student Housing Recycling Program
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
Over 68 percent of students at the University of Nebraska Lincoln live in off-campus student housing, and many are conforming to the trend of residing in luxury student apartments. In ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
From Diversion to Prevention: Re-imagining Waste
- Bow Valley College (AB)
This is a story of a campus that has moved from seeing waste as merely a municipal bylaw, to diversion targets, and is now moving toward re-imagining waste as a ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Accessible and Ethical E-Waste: Adaptability in Infrastructure
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
This presentation is a case study on implementing an accessible and ethical e-waste system in UC Berkeley, where previously no affordable options had been available to students despite the hundreds ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Western State Colorado University Role in Advancing SDGs- Road Map to Institutionalizing Zero Waste
- Western Colorado University (CO)
Higher education plays critical roles in the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More specifically, higher education should strategically strive in its physical operations in advancing the ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
A Residential Recycling Competition at Skidmore College
- Skidmore College (NY)
Energy conservation competitions are a cornerstone project in many schools' outreach efforts, and this program utilized a similar approach to address apartment waste patterns. This recycling and compost-oriented competition involved ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
A Zero Waste Campus is Possible
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
In this workshop we will facilitate student discussion around the waste crisis including the problems, solutions, and then empowering them to take action on their campuses. We draw on our ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Thinking Outside of the Trash: Waste Policy Implementation and Education at Emory University
- Emory University (GA)
Emory University consulted with Cascadia and Burns & McDonnell during 2016-2017 to assess Emory's materials management program and make recommendations for innovative and programmatic strategies to help Emory achieve ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Using Waste Audit Data to Drive Waste Reduction, Diversion, and Engagement
- Northwestern University (IL)
- Oakton Community College (IL)
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
- University of Richmond (VA)
Unlike other utilities, such as electricity and natural gas, actual waste and recycling data are more difficult to track. The lack of ready to use data creates challenges in goal ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Zero Waste Campus: Mitigating Landfill Waste on an Urban College Campus
- College of Charleston (SC)
Charleston, South Carolina is a coastal city that is home to the College of Charleston, an integrated city campus. As the city is on the forefront to experiencing rising sea ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Vermicompost: A Study of Alternative Composting in Arid Climates
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Traditional composting methods will often yield a nutrient-rich fertilizer. However, when such methods are performed in an arid climate, such as the Sonoran Desert, additional precautions must be taken to ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Alternative Transportation in the Rural Context
- State University of New York at Cortland (NY)
SUNY Cortland and other smaller comprehensive colleges function as economic drivers to the local economy, and especially in the case of smaller colleges located in more rural settings. In this ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Designing Despite the Department of Transportation
- College of Charleston (SC)
In a state, South Caroline, that is lacking in alternative transportation infrastructure and can barely maintain the infrastructure, how can a place of higher learning creative transportation? Most roads in ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Becoming a Social Organism: Action Research Turns Environmental Research Into a Sustainable Act
- Shenkar College of Engineering and Design
"What is the impact of my work on the environment?", asks designer and educator Victor Papanek in the first chapter of his revolutionary 1995 book, The Green Imperative. Papanek's ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Ecological Grief: How Higher Education Responds to Environmental Trauma
- Bow Valley College (AB)
Grieving the loss or change of a cherished natural space has not always been recognized as a true form of grieving. With summers filled with smoke, devastating flooding, record-breaking hurricanes ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Campus Action Research Advances Sustainable Development Goals
- George Mason University (VA)
- Universidad de Monterrey (NL)
Across North American college campuses, learners seek to enhance our sustainability competency through acting locally to advance the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainability Action Research (SAR) provides a ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Lessons from Year 1 of Turning the Page on Campus Paper Use
- Portland Community College, Rock Creek Campus (OR)
- Root Solutions (CA)
Join this session to learn about the experiences of the initial cohort and AASHE's Turning the Page on Campus Paper Use program. Organized in partnership with behavior change specialists ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
@IUSBees Raising Awareness to Rise to the Challenge
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
Student Summit Case Study: @IUSBees raising awareness to rise to the Challenge. How can higher education institutions align their teaching and research activities around the SDGs?Align them in the ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Role of Higher Education Institutions in Reducing Poverty by Promoting Sustainable Tourism
- Cedar Valley College - DCCCD (TX)
All college and university campuses are imbedded in a local community. All communities have the potential to offer ecotourism opportunities to residents and visitors. Ecotourism/sustainable toursim is now defined ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Connecting Communities to Data That Matter - Linkages Through SDGs
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
In recent years, a rising number of innovative firms and entrepreneurs have intentionally coalesced around university centers to bring invention plus implementation together. These universities known as anchor institutions typically ...
- 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
American College Personnel Association (ACPA)
Washington, DCCampus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association
Bloomington, INCarrier Class Green Infrastructure
Willow Grove, PABusiness Affiliate
Coalesce
Boston, MABusiness Affiliate
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Washington, DCFairware 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
Textbooks for Change
Toronto, ONBusiness Affiliate
The Campus Kitchens Project
Washington, DCBusiness Affiliate
The GREEN Program
Philadelphia, PABusiness Affiliate