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
Dishing the Dirt: Challenges and Successes with Campus Compost
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
- US Composting Council (MD)
What's the difference between windrows and in-vessel composting? What's the story with PLA? How do you build successful source separation? Whether you're revamping your compost collection system ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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A Shareable Economy and the Use of Ride Shares
- University of Louisville (KY)
A 'shareable economy' is where profit is still made, but the environmental impacts are mitigated or reduced. This type relies on the temporary ownership of goods and/or the purchase ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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How Providing Public Transit Passes Not Only Helps Students Financially, But Empowers Them Too
- Augsburg University (MN)
Environmental Action Committee (EAC) is a student led campus organization working on sustainable initiatives that benefit both the campus and student body at Augsburg University. One of the group's ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Green Behaviors and Preferences Among College Students
- Manhattan College (NY)
Our article contributes to the literature by investigating college students' environmental preferences and behavior by investigating their recycling attitudes and frequencies, their preference between tap versus bottled water, their willingness ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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The Best Worst Way to Pick a Sustainability Culture Instrument, and How to do Better Next Time
- University of Northern Colorado (CO)
Sustainability culture can't be measured using using meters or gauges, so community members and researchers need a different kind of instrument. The go-to instruments are surveys to support a ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Outdoor Program Gear Purchasing: Applying Leave No Trace Ethics to Create a Circular Economy
- Auburn University (AL)
- University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)
This session will explore how outdoor programs can become more sustainable in regard to purchasing, maintenance, and transportation while effectively educating the student population on these topics. Presenters are two ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Leveraging Funding to Provide Student Experience and Community Enrichment
- Furman University (SC)
Would you like to learn how to provide consistent funding for a resilient student fellowship program? We have some thoughts and experiences to share. Furman University, a liberal arts school ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Breaking the Bubble: Using Video to Demystify Sustainable Living
- University of Kentucky (KY)
This poster presentation details an online video series entitled 'What Can You Do to Live More Sustainably.' Nine videos featuring students, staff and faculty across the University of Kentucky provide ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Challenges, Successes, and Opportunities of Collegiate Farming
- Colgate University (NY)
The Colgate Community Garden was started in 2011 by Green Thumbs, a student group that works to manage and promote the activities of the garden. The purpose of the garden ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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University + Business = Force for Good
- University of Georgia (GA)
Business can be a force for good in our communities and our world. Universities are contributing to a sustainable economy by supporting local businesses to document and expand their sustainability ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Sustainable Energy Education Through Demonstration (SEED) in Secondary Education
- State University of New York at Geneseo (NY)
Sustainable Energy Education through Demonstration (SEED) is a ten-week program that educates students on the mechanics of renewable energy production and the value of these energies in combating climate change ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Green STEAM: Rocket Fuel for a Sustainable Economy
- Moraine Valley Community College (IL)
- Oakton Community College (IL)
- Joey FineRhyme (IL)
For decades, the environmental movement has been trying to infuse sustainability into the mainstream ethos. While the science is irrefutable, most people are not moved by science alone. One example ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Growing Sustainable Communities Together Through Leadership in Higher Education
- Joliet Junior College (IL)
- Lewis University (IL)
- Prairie State College (IL)
- University of Saint Francis (IN)
The South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium (SMHEC) is a unique partnership of 10 higher education institutions in the south metropolitan area of Chicago extending west to Joliet, south to Kankakee ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Bringing the Campus Community Together Through Gardening and Gardening Workshops
- University of Louisville (KY)
The Garden Commons is a community garden space on the campus of the University of Louisville, located next to the Cultural Center and the Student Activities Center. It exists as ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Empowering Students and the Community Through Green Chemistry and Sustainable Science Outreach
- Beyond Benign (MA)
- State of Washington (WA)
Sustainable STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) outreach can have a significant impact on youth, empowering students to be problem-solvers and engage in their communities as change makers, and inspiring ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Spreading the Word: Crafting Communications Around Large Campus Sustainability Events
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
UW Sustainability works with student groups and other organizations across campus in hosting two large-scale campus-wide sustainability events each year: the Sustainability Fair in October as part of Campus Sustainability ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Creating Positive Energy: Using Utility Rebates to Power Student-led Contributions to Society
- Millersville University (PA)
In the spring of 2019, Millersville University established a Positive Energy Award Program in celebration of the first-year anniversary of the University's positive energy Lombardo Welcome Center. The Positive ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Harvard's Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund: Bringing Students, Faculty, and Staff Together
- Harvard University (MA)
In 2016, Harvard University enhanced its Living Lab Initiative by launching the Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund. This fund supports projects that use Harvard's campus or the neighboring community as ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Student Approved Projects on Campus: What Could Go Wrong and What Could Go Right?
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Like many universities, Western Michigan University has instituted a grant to fund student-led sustainable change on campus. What sets Western Michigan University apart, however, is that the allocations of these ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Creating a Strong Alumni Base for Meaningful Engagement and Mutual Economic Benefit
- Lafayette College (PA)
Many sustainability practitioners seek to engage alumni in various ways: fundraising, expertise, guest speakers, jobs/internships and mentorship for students. Learn from Lehigh University and the University of Virginia about ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Bridge Building: Translating Green Fund Ideas into Practice
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
This networking session offers opportunities for Green Fund project partners to share experiences, ask questions, and connect with others engaged in campus Green Fund efforts. We welcome educators, students, facilities ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Monetizing Campus Sustainability: Converting Operations Into Assets to Increase Revenues
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA)
- Learfield IMG College (TX)
During the first couple of decades of growth in campus sustainability, 'green' operations were perceived as causing additional costs with limited direct paybacks. However, as sustainability has grown in college ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Creating Living Laboratories Through Campus Ecological Restoration
- Eastern Washington University (WA)
At Eastern Washington University we are currently working to restore 120 acres of campus farmland back to native habitat with the goal to preserve natural landscapes, sequester carbon, promote sustainable ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Creating a Buzz Across America: Supporting a Healthy Food Economy with Beekeeping
- Central Community College (NE)
- Delta College (MI)
- Portland Community College, Rock Creek Campus (OR)
Higher education is an ideal platform to champion environmental practices toward a sustainable economy. Community colleges are at the forefront of raising awareness of the role pollinators have on their ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Apiculture: A Case for Producing Local Honey
- Winthrop University (SC)
Humans have been harvesting honey from honeybees since prehistoric times. Raw honey is a natural food with many nutritional benefits, contains powerful antioxidants, counters pollen allergies and is a natural ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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How to Start an Herbicide-Free Campaign on Your Campus!
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
Herbicide-Free UC's mission is to stop the use of toxic herbicides across all University of California campuses. We are currently at four UC campuses, but the UC system is ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Meatless to Mindful Monday: The Progression of Promoting Less and Better Meat at UNC Asheville
- University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)
In this presentation, we will review the evolution of one school's efforts to promote less and better meat eating on campus. In 2015, UNC Asheville Dining Services began hosting ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Combating Food Insecurity Through Sustainable Student-Led Initiatives
- Baldwin Wallace University (OH)
This case study will include information on the efforts of staff, faculty, and students to eliminate food insecurity among students on Baldwin Wallace's campus. The project began about three ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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The Pursuit of Delicious, Carbon-Friendly Food
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
This year, with customer health and the environment in mind, Cal Dining defined their vision statement as 'serving delicious food that happens to be nutritious and sustainable', understanding that serving ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Implementing Experiential Education to Change Food Culture in Non-Land Grant Universities
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
This presentation will cover lessons learned in creating and adapting an experiential sustainable agriculture program as it applies to a non-land grant university, without a dedicated agriculture program. Indiana University ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Big Red Eats Green: Empowering Students to Engage in their University Food System
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
This presentation will share the details of an established, multi-year endeavor that focuses on the relationship between students and the university food system. An event that celebrates and showcases that ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Food as a Conduit: A Toolkit for Leading Institutional Change
- Boston College (MA)
Change is hard. This interactive session will explore how non-academic campus services like dining, auxiliary and facilities can inspire a culture of sustainability and collaboration across campus and beyond. Boston ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Training Future Food System Leaders Using Campus Food Economies
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
- University of Utah (UT)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
This session is guided by two principle questions: 1. What are all the aspects of a campus food economy and how are students engaged? 2. What structures are in place ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Gonzaga's Journey to Create a Sustainable Food Culture on Campus
- Gonzaga University (WA)
Real Food Club has been working to shift purchasing in our dining facilities to 'Real food' (meaning local, humane, fair-trade, or ecologically sound) since 2013. We are nearing upon the ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Harvard University's Holistic Approach and Model for a Sustainable Food System
- Harvard University (MA)
The Harvard Office for Sustainability (OFS) convened a multi-disciplinary committee of world-renowned faculty to translate their research into action on campus to create a more sustainable food system that contributes ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Fair Trade Campus Advocacy for a Sustainable Economy
- Gonzaga University (WA)
- Fair Trade Colleges & Universities
Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and in communities across the U.S. Our Fair Trade Colleges ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Leveraging the Power of Institutional Purchasing to Create a Sustainable Economy through Fair Trade
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
- Aramark (PA)
- Fair Trade Colleges & Universities
Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and in communities across the U.S. Our Fair Trade Colleges ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Food Systems Down Under: Lessons from the Australian Context and The Fair Food Challenge
- University of Melbourne (Victoria)
This presentation will look at action in campus food systems in Australian universities. Australia has been slow to adopt action in campus foodscape transformation and there have been recent advancements ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Bring More Plant-Based Options to Your Campus
- Balanced.org (KS)
In this session, attendees will learn how to work with their university's food service department to increase the amount of plant-based foods on dining hall menus. They'll learn ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Creating a Student-Led Campaign for a Self-Operated Dining System: How to get Started at Your School
- Western Washington University (WA)
At Western Washington University, students have been leading a multi-year effort to implement a self-operated dining system after the decade long contract with Aramark expires in 2021. Currently, WWU is ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Lessons Learned from a Campus Food Pantry: Sustainability, Social Justice, and Campus Partnerships
- University of Denver (CO)
Hunger and food insecurity are growing problems on college campuses. The rising cost of a college education and the increasing number of nontraditional students mean that more students are struggling ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Student Food Security: Multi-Tiered Solutions to Reach all Food-Insecure Students
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
- Sodexo USA (MD)
- Swipe Out Hunger (CA)
Student food insecurity is a social justice issue that University and College Boards, Administrators, and Students are looking to solve. There are no silver bullet solutions, a comprehensive, multi-faceted solution ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Combating Food Waste and Addressing Food Insecurity
- Appalachian State University (NC)
- University of the Incarnate Word (TX)
- Utah State University (UT)
Three Universities, from three different areas of the United States, will present on how each has responded to the issue of Food Insecurity on College Campuses in unique ways. University ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Diverting Waste, Feeding Communities: The Cardinal Cupboard
- University of Louisville (KY)
Facing the highest rates of food insecurity amongst faculty, staff, and students of the University of Louisville and large amounts of food waste from on-campus dining facilities, student leaders opened ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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The Energy Challenge at IUPUI
- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) (IN)
The IUPUI Energy Challenge is a brand-new engagement program between the buildings on campus to reduce their energy use. This is achieved through encouraging behavior changes of the people who ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Making the Case for Campus-Wide Energy Monitoring and Student-Led Initiatives for Implementation
- Creighton University (NE)
We present the case for campus-wide energy monitoring, a community-engaged energy dashboard, and how these initiatives become feasible with student leadership. At Creighton University, we have developed a holistic, detailed ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Data, Data, Data: Longitudinal Importance of Assessing Student Energy Behaviors
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (MA)
- NORESCO (NC)
UMass Dartmouth has partnered with NORESCO for eight years on a behavior change program called Energy Conservation Through Behavior Change® as a part of a larger energy savings project. The ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Vampire Energy Slayers 2.0
- University of San Diego (CA)
The Vampire Energy Slayers program was first developed at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). At the University of San Diego, we have embraced the program and aim ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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University of Denver's Renter Efficiency Program for Students
- University of Denver (CO)
The Renter Efficiency Program for Students (REPS), at the University of Denver, provides free energy audits to students who rent off campus. The audits consist of teaching the tenants about ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Using Technology to Achieve Sustainability
- University of Mississippi (MS)
Numerous academic and residential buildings, thousands of people subsisting together, and various facilities to support the establishment, it won't be wrong to compare a college campus to a small ...
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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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.