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
Breaking Down 'Drawdown' - Explaining Global Sustainability Solutions at the Community Level
- University of Virginia (VA)
There's a new framework for climate action in town - Project Drawdown is self-described as a comprehensive efforts to 'identify, research, and model the 100 most substantive, existing solutions to ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement and Student Activism at Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF
- The Ohio State University (OH)
On April 1, 2015, Syracuse University announced that it would divest its $1.18 billion endowment from fossil fuels. Shortly thereafter, its partner institution, SUNY-ESF, made the same commitment. These ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Biophilic Design Principles and Green Infrastructure: Forging New Possibilities for Nature, Harmony and Resiliency in Urban Environments
- Urban Horticulture Consulting, LLC (GA)
- GreenStructure, Ltd (IL)
Green Infrastructure practices are being mandated and implemented in urban communities for multiple beneficial outcomes. Often referred to as grey infrastructure alternatives, these practices include the design, installation, and maintenance ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Hampshire College's R.W. Kern Center- A Living & Learning Building
- Hampshire College (MA)
Located at the heart of Hampshire College campus, the R.W. Kern Center is a certified Living Building: generating its own energy, capturing and treating its own water, and processing ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Trials and Tribulations of Building a Living-Learning Sustainable Campus
- Chatham University (PA)
What does it truly mean to be a living-learning sustainable campus? Eden Hall, just outside Pittsburgh, is a new 388 campus site, encompassing farmland, forests and two head-water catchments. Acquired ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Rising to the Challenge of Creating and Maintaining Living Buildings and a Living Campus Community
- International Living Future Institute (WA)
Campuses have been early adopters of livability, equity, and climate commitments. This session takes a deep look at how campuses can and are taking action to achieve these commitments and ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Evolving Pennsylvania State University's Sustainability Policy Within a Regenerative Paradigm
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
Penn State University (PSU) is a public research university serving Pennsylvania and the global community with a vision to integrate sustainability throughout its campuses and to prepare students to be ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Creating an Ecologically Restorative, Socially Just, and Culturally Rich Campus
- International Living Future Institute (WA)
The higher education campus, what better place to implement the most innovative & forward-thinking design frameworks? As HEIs support the next generation's transition into the workforce, it's time ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Creative Approaches for Engaging People in Climate Action
- Care About Climate, Inc (AZ)
During this workshop participants will discuss innovative ways to engage both their campus population and general public in climate action initiatives. These approaches may include incentivizing people to take responsible ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Boston University's Climate Action Plan and The Public Process
- Boston University (MA)
Boston University's Climate Action Plan provides a roadmap to address energy use and sourcing, resiliency and climate preparedness, transportation, supply chain, and waste. Moreover it recommends the creation of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Assessing Campus and Community Resilience in Rural America
- Central Community College (NE)
- Green Mountain College (VT)
- Second Nature (MA)
Rural colleges and universities face unique considerations when assessing campus and community climate resilience. While there are common elements to resilience at any institution, the political and economic landscape for ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Putting A Price On Carbon: Fighting for Strong Climate Policy on the Campus, State and Federal Level
- Our Climate (OR)
We already face the disastrous impacts of climate change: unprecedented droughts and heatwaves, stronger hurricanes, ocean acidification, sea level rise, the spread of infectious disease. The cost of these changes ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Role of Campuses in Driving Climate Resilience Planning
- Dickinson College (PA)
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
- Second Nature (MA)
As impacts from climate change intensify, a growing number of initiatives are emerging to increase resilience locally and globally. Campuses across the US are stepping up to prepare for climate ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Advancing Carbon Pricing at Your Institution
- Smith College (MA)
- Swarthmore College (PA)
- Yale University (CT)
Carbon pricing is a fair, feasible, and powerful solution to accelerate a transition to a clean energy economy. With a growing number of carbon pricing policies around the world and ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Position your Student Sustainability Committee as a Leadership Training Opportunity
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
- AASHE (MA)
Johnson County Community College’s Student Sustainability Committee is our campuswide student sustainability leadership group. The Committee, formed in 2011 as part of a student-led initiative for a dollar-per-credit hour ...
- Posted Oct. 25, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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2018 AASHE Conference & Expo Closing Keynote Address
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- AASHE (MA)
Dr. Paul Shrivastava, Chief Sustainability Officer at Penn State University and the Director of the Sustainability Institute and Professor of Organizations at the Smeal School of Business, was the closing ...
- Posted Oct. 24, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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2018 AASHE Conference & Expo Opening Keynote Address
- AASHE (MA)
- United Nations Environment Programme
Ms. Akpezi Ogbuigwe, former Head of Environmental Education and Training at the United Nations Environmental Program, was the opening keynote speaker for the 2018 AASHE Conference & Expo.
NOTE: Ms ...
- Posted Oct. 24, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Enhancing student engagement in business sustainability through games
- University of Worcester
This paper aims to explore the value students place on the sustainable strategies game (SSG) which seeks to improve student engagement in business sustainability through enhanced game-based learning. This game ...
- Posted Oct. 23, 2018
- Publications
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AASHE 2018 Sustainability Award Winners Announced
- AASHE (MA)
The 2018 AASHE Sustainability Award Winners, selected from more than 300 submissions, were recently announced.
- Posted Oct. 10, 2018
- Publications
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Greening the Lab (and Beyond!) A Guide to Applying Green Chemistry to Practical Settings and Creating Displays to Spread the Word
- Cornell University (NY)
- Harvard University (MA)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (WI)
- University of British Columbia (BC)
Not all chemistry laboratories are created equal. Broken fume hoods, confusing waste beakers, and distillations that have been running (as far as anyone can tell) since the lab bench was ...
- Posted Oct. 10, 2018
- Publications
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In planting campus gardens, university students root themselves in the larger world
- George Washington University (DC)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (IL)
- AASHE (MA)
- The Washington Post (DC)
Campus gardens allow students an opportunity to tackle food deserts and take action on climate concerns they may have.
- Posted Sept. 7, 2018
- Publications
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Election Imperatives: Ten Recommendations to Increase College Student Voting and Improve Political Learning and Engagement in Democracy
- Tufts University (MA)
Drawing from our research on college student voting and the campus climates of highly politically engaged institutions, this report offers ten recommendations to increase student voting and to improve campus ...
- Posted Aug. 29, 2018
- Publications
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Engagement Experiments for the CMC Sustainability Action Plan
- Colorado Mountain College (CO)
The Colorado Mountain College's Spring Valley campus conducted a couple experiments in the "Fostering Sustainable Behavior" class of Fall 2017. This included an action team, survey team, and an ...
- Posted Aug. 29, 2018
- Publications
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If We’d Known Then: Lessons in Sustainability Engagement
- AASHE (MA)
- MacEwan University (AB)
- National Union of Students
In 2012 MacEwan University entered an unique and innovative partnership with the National Union of Students (NUS) to be the first non-UK university to run the award winning Green Impact ...
- Posted Aug. 23, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Campus bottled water bans, not always the solution
- Allegheny College (PA)
The purpose of this study was to identify how to reduce bottled water use on our campus, given that the majority of students were bringing it onto campus from outside ...
- Posted Aug. 6, 2018
- Publications
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Creating a water-saver self-identity reduces water use in residence halls
- James Madison University (VA)
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
Water scarcity is a pressing social problem. Attempts to increase conservation that focus on education or attitudes produce limited success. Installing efficient appliances reduces water use, but can be costly ...
- Posted Aug. 6, 2018
- Publications
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Fair Trade Fair at Seattle University
- Seattle University (WA)
In 2015, Seattle University was the first University in the Pacific Northwest to be designated as a Fair Trade University, building awareness about Fair Trade and getting Fair Trade products ...
- Posted Aug. 3, 2018
- Photographs
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Accelerating Change through the President’s Sustainability Research Program
- Swarthmore College (PA)
- AASHE (MA)
This webinar describes the President’s Sustainability Research Fellowship (PSRF) model, an innovative program at Swarthmore College that matches motivated students with staff and faculty mentors to research, develop, and ...
- Posted Aug. 2, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Environmental JustICE Cream Social - part 1
- Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
As the semester opens in early September, the Environmental Justice Initiative hosts an ice cream social that features a facilitated "speed networking" circle to connect students from across campus who ...
- Posted Aug. 2, 2018
- Photographs
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UMN Morris Native American Student Success (NASS) program
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
University of Minnesota Morris is the only four-year Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution in the Upper Midwest. Twenty-one percent of Morris students are Native American with 65 federally recognized tribes represented ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Energy Research: Sustainability @ Dickinson
- Dickinson College (PA)
Dickinson students and faculty conduct research that contributes to creating sustainable solutions to pressing problems of our times. Our research encompasses a wide range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches, ranging ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
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Campus Engagement: The Handlebar- Dickinson's Bicycle Cooperative
- Dickinson College (PA)
The Biking@Dickinson initiative promotes sustainable transportation, builds community and provides biking education to the campus. Students can borrow bikes from the college, including Green Bike, refurbished by students in ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
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Campus Engagement: Sustainability @ Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA
- Dickinson College (PA)
The Hive, Dickinson's beekeeping cooperative, is our newest living laboratory. The Hive engages students, staff, and faculty in learning about sustainability problems and solutions through the direct experience of ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Emory University adopted a Pollinator Protection Policy in 2014
- Emory University (GA)
Emory University adopted a comprehensive Pollinator Protection Policy in 2014, a first of its kind policy at U.S. colleges and universities that bans neonicotinoid application, plants pre-treated with neonicotinoids ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Dickinson's Online Sustainability Dashboard
- Dickinson College (PA)
Dickinson is monitoring our sustainability performance over time and holding ourselves accountable for advancing sustainability practices. Our online sustainability dashboard allows users to explore up to date performance metrics for ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Colorado College Net-Zero Library
- Colorado College (CO)
Main entrance of Colorado College's net-zero energy/net-zero carbon Tutt Library. Sustainable features highlighted in the photo include a rain screen, open design and natural lighting, green roofs and ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Colorado College Net-Zero Energy/Carbon Tutt Library
- Colorado College (CO)
Balcony view of Colorado College's net-zero energy/net-zero carbon Tutt Library. Highlighting rainscreen, shading structures, black locust domestic hardwoods, green roofs and planters, photovoltaic shade structures, and open views.
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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University of Dayton Energy GPA
- University of Dayton (OH)
The Energy GPA program provides students in University-owned student neighborhood houses with a grade of their monthly energy use. Monthly "report cards" include electricity and gas usage and a monthly ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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CU Boulder PIPs Rewards App
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
University of Colorado Boulder introduced the PIPs Rewards App in 2017-2018. The app tracks and rewards the ‘good’ one does everyday, such as riding the bus, biking, recycling, refilling water ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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College of the Atlantic SCI 2018 1
- College of the Atlantic (ME)
The College of the Atlantic Thoreau Environmental Leaders Initiative aims to cultivate effective advocates for renewable energy and climate change issues. Through speakers, workshops and events, the initiative provides a ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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Connecticut College Lending Library
- Connecticut College (CT)
The Lending Library at Connecticut College allows students to rent a textbook at no cost for the duration of a course, and is an attempt to address the issue of ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
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UC San Diego Sustainability Alumni Network members get a tour of Birch Aquarium on campus during alumni weekend in June 2018.
- University of California, San Diego (CA)
The Sustainability Alumni Network (SAN) at the University of California, San Diego was founded by the Sustainability Programs Office in May 2017 to bring together alumni who are working in ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
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Student Sustainability Educators at American University, 2017-2018
- American University (DC)
Student Sustainability Educators at American University engage the campus community in sustainability throughout the 2017-2018 academic year.
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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Climate Change Commitment Wall
- American University (DC)
American University student signs chalkboard commitment wall to fight climate change.
- Posted July 30, 2018
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![BYO[Bag] in use by students](https://storage.googleapis.com/hub-private/cache/d7/8a/d78abdcdc4660cf0bd6e8d97c4ef3818.jpg)
University of Pittsburgh BYO[Bag] Program
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
The University of Pittsburgh BYO[Bag] (Bring Your Own Bag) program launched through Pitt Housing & Dining in 2014 after more than five years of student initiatives to reduce plastic ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania
- University of Pennsylvania (PA)
Penn's main, academic campus was accredited as a Level I ArbNet-certified Arboretum as of April 2017, and Level II in November 20107. The Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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University of Dayton Energy Team
- University of Dayton (OH)
Since its founding in 2016, the green revolving fund has funded over 30 projects. The completed projects have reduced emissions by 980 metric tonnes of CO2 (MTCO2) equivalent, or 1 ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
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University of Dayton Composting Bins
- University of Dayton (OH)
Students in the University of Dayton Hanley Sustainability Institute built two 4’x6’ bins to compost campus food.
- Posted July 30, 2018
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Food Waste Composting Bin Construction
- University of Dayton (OH)
Student leaders in the University of Dayton Hanley Sustainability Institute work with campus Master Carpenter to build two 4’x6’ bins to compost campus food waste.
- Posted July 30, 2018
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Food Waste Composting Bin Construction
- University of Dayton (OH)
Student leaders in the University of Dayton Hanley Sustainability Institute are building two 4’x6’ bins to compost campus food waste.
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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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.