Campus Engagement
Introduction
Engaging in sustainability issues through co-curricular activities allows students to deepen and apply their understandings of sustainability principles. Institution-sponsored co-curricular sustainability offerings, often coordinated by student affairs offices, help integrate sustainability into the campus culture and set a positive tone for the institution. Faculty and staff members’ daily decisions impact an institution’s sustainability performance. Equipping faculty and staff with the tools, knowledge, and motivation to adopt behavior changes that promote sustainability is an essential activity of a sustainable campus.
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UNC Charlotte Campus Beautification Day
- University of North Carolina, Charlotte (NC)
University of North Carolina Charlotte staff, students, faculty, and alumni planted trees and picked up litter around campus on April 17th in celebration of Earth Month.
- Posted April 23, 2024
- Photographs
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How Michigan State University and Sparty Celebrate Earth Month
- Michigan State University (MI)
These pictures are from our Environmental Education Fair that Michigan State University's Office of Sustainability hosted in partnership with MSU student leadership. Our beloved mascot Sparty came to visit the …
- Posted April 17, 2024
- Photographs
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A Comparison of Single-Use and Reusable Drinkware A Life Cycle Assessment
- Michigan Technological University (MI)
Sponsored by Sussex Injection Molding from Sussex, WI, the OneTumbler Sustainability team in the Consumer Product Manufacturing Enterprise aims to encourage sustainability on Michigan Technological University’s campus through promoting a …
- Posted April 16, 2024
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Get all the 17 SDGs for the Earth
- Mahidol University (Bangkok)
At Mahidol University, we work hard to push SDGs agenda to all members. We don't just teach about SDGs, but we live the SDGs.
- Posted April 5, 2024
- Photographs
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Higher Education Foodscapes as Sites of Action and Transformation
- AASHE (MA)
- University of Melbourne (Victoria)
This webinar presents an in-depth look at foodscapes in higher education. Initially it will look at defining both campus foodscapes and higher education foodscapes and then detail various aspects of …
- Posted March 4, 2024
- Videos & Webinars
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Fostering Sustainability in Higher Education Leveraging Human Behavior in Organizations Home Book
- Macalester College (MN)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (IL)
- University of St. Thomas (MN)
Sustainability is one of the most critical challenges facing humanity. Changing Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is crucial to overcoming that challenge because of their roles providing cutting edge knowledge and …
- Posted Feb. 28, 2024
- Publications
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TASK™ by Sulitest – Measuring and Reporting Sustainability Literacy
- AASHE (MA)
- HEC Montréal (QC)
- KEDGE Business School (Bordeaux)
Assessing the sustainability literacy of students helps institutions evaluate the success of their sustainability education initiatives. It can also earn points in the Sustainability Literacy Assessment credit of STARS, the …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Videos & Webinars
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It’s Our Future: Sustainability Through Student Leadership
- The Student PIRGs (OR)
This session will demonstrate how students in higher education can spearhead sustainable change on and off campus when institutions and organizations provide them with the tools to do so. Utilizing …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Intersectional Pathways for Sustainability: Empowering Students through Diverse Experiences
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
This session explores how real-world experiences for undergraduates drive sustainability progress within universities, offering multiple pathways and entry points to a four-year sustainability-focused journey. It emphasizes the importance of hands-on …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Small but Mighty: Designing Micro Projects for Outsized Impact
- Davidson College (NC)
- East Carolina University (NC)
- University of Georgia (GA)
Small-scale projects can feel like a distraction. With limited resources and unlimited potential projects, focusing on big picture priorities like reducing emissions or improving waste diversion rates makes sense. However, …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Inner Development Goals for Sustainable Development Goal Success
- Auburn University (AL)
- Mount Holyoke College (MA)
Is it possible to influence the outer world by changing our inner world? If so, what skills, abilities, and qualities does one need to effectively bring about change, and how …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Progress Not Perfection: How to Tell Your Story Along the Way
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
- Colorado State University (CO)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
Communicating about sustainability initiatives and climate action can be hard. Sharing your story about climate neutrality goals, engagement initiatives, and small victories throughout a project can be even more challenging. …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Sustainability is a Home Run
- Texas A&M University (TX)
Athletic Departments are the front porch of the university. This visibility provides opportunities for storytelling, demonstrating impact, and engagement. Although it may not be the most important department, it is …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Sustainable Lab Ambassadors: Using students as green lab guides
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
The Penn State Sustainable Lab Ambassador (SLA) program is an engaged scholarship approach to creating a more sustainable research lab culture and operation while preparing researchers to build a more …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Designing Effective Sustainability Communications in Higher Education
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
In pursuit of increasing the effectiveness of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's (UNL) communications efforts surrounding sustainability, UNL’s Office of Sustainability (OS) and University Communications department collaborated to develop a message …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Growing Your People: Advancing Sustainability Through Employee Empowerment
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (NY)
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
Learn how to harness the potential of existing employees to help further your organization’s sustainability goals by designing thriving Green Ambassador & professional development programs that empower employees to embed …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Utilizing Bees to Strengthen Relationships in Higher Education
- Hillsborough Community College (FL)
Finding funding to support sustainability related initiatives can be difficult in any institution. Come learn about how a Florida community college utilizes their bee hives to strengthen relationships throughout the …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Changing the Way Sustainability Feels by Engaging the Five Senses
- University of Southern Maine (ME)
Too often, Universities’ sustainability outreach efforts feel transactional and lacking in human empathy for the intended audience. Sometimes we, the practitioners, get so caught up in crafting the perfect arguments …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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FRESH to Table: A Homegrown Dining Initiative
- Boston College (MA)
FRESH is a Boston College Dining Services (BCDS) initiative that stands for Fairly traded, Regional, Equitable, Sustainable, and Healthy. With these FRESH parameters, BCDS seeks to source food and food …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Sustainable and Healthful Food Purchasing Policy at Lehigh University
- Lehigh University (PA)
This session is designed to educate sustainability staff, university business service departments, and campus dining executives on ways to incorporate healthy and sustainable food into their campus operations. This session …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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The Role of EDI Officers in Weaving Together a More Just and Sustainable World
- Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (WA)
We know that diversity expands the collective. Beyond dimensions of race, diversity must involve the holistic engagement of peoples, systems of knowledge, experiences, and ideas. Commitments to equity that live …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Empowering Community Resilience and Enhancing Student Learning with Community and Campus Dashboards
- Oberlin College (OH)
- University of Washington, Bothell (WA)
Over the last decade Oberlin College educators and students have collaborated with community members to develop Environmental Dashboard as a communications technology for promoting more vibrant, sustainability, and climate resilient …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Leveraging Social Media to Advance Sustainability
- College of Charleston (SC)
Social media is one of the best ways to engage people with sustainability. It can be a great resource, but also a great challenge. How do you know if you're …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Engaging and Empowering Students With Climate Justice Programming
- Northeastern University (MA)
- Tufts University (MA)
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
Climate change is no longer about just reducing emissions or asking individuals to change their behaviors. It is about people and ensuring the voices and lives of those who have …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Enhancing Climate Change Education Through the Power of Storytelling
- Climate Stories Project (MA)
Students and members of the higher education community are feeling overwhelmed by the scale and the pace of the climate crisis but lack a forum for speaking with others about …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Integrating Sustainability into Daily Decisions: A Path to Greener Practices for Campus Partners
- Montana State University (MT)
This presentation showcases the unique benefits of the Green Cats Program at Montana State University, and helps audience members learn how to implement similar programming at their home institutions. The …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Haul It to the Hall with Redbirds
- Illinois State University (IL)
“Haul It to the Hall Program" is one of the successful environmental stewardship initiatives that play a vital role in cultivating a sustainable culture and advancing sustainability efforts at Illinois …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Zero Waste Hero: Developing a Self-Paced Certification Program for Students
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Social media, tabling events, signage , and classroom presentations….how else can we direct students to information about zero waste on campus that they can engage with and refer to throughout …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Sustainable Choices, Sustainable Futures: Empowering Students Through an Online Training
- University of Southern California (CA)
The USC Office of Sustainability launched an online Student Sustainability Training module in April 2023. The 45-minute training allows students to explore how global sustainability imperatives connect to USC’s Assignment: …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Successfully Supporting Students: A Space to Share Ideas on Effectively Managing Student Workers
- Elon University (NC)
Many sustainability offices rely on student workers to help drive their overall mission through education, programming and more. What structures work well to manage these students? How do we as …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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A Relationships-First Model for Zero Waste Coalition Building
- George Washington University (DC)
Committed to reaching Zero Waste? It cannot be done alone! Achieving this ambitious milestone requires complete cooperation across all areas of an institution, especially those responsible for the greatest share …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Storytelling for Change: Imagining a more just and sustainable future
- Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (WA)
Many of the institutions we work for and/or lead are driven by their desire to make the world a better place. As communications professionals who help them tell their stories, …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Let’s Play Carbon Crunch – A Game for Climate Action Planning
- Colorado State University (CO)
Trying to reduce your institutions carbon emissions? Play ‘Carbon Crunch’ – a game of strategy, risk, collaboration, chance, and innovation. Tasked with achieving your university's carbon reduction goals, you and …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Exploring Novel Methods of Sustainability Outreach
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
Over the past decade, the University of Maryland, College Park, Office of Sustainability established a legacy of successful outreach and engagement initiatives. Thousands of students, staff, and faculty have received …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Foundational Ethics for Peer-to-peer Education Design
- Concordia University (CA)
The urgent need for collective response to the climate crisis has increased the value of peer-to-peer education in post-secondary schools. However, strategies for implementation vary across institutions with little standardization. …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Communicating Recycling’s Relevancy to the Campus Community
- Northwestern University (IL)
- Busch Systems International Inc. (ON)
Before sustainability offices existed, campuses had recycling and waste reduction programs to reduce their environmental footprint. But in recent years a perception that recycling is “broken”, or worse, a greenwashing …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Composting: Simple Changes for Meaningful Impacts
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Food loss and waste are global challenges; an estimated 40% of food in the U.S. is wasted. Food waste disposal practices correlate with issues such as food insecurity, poverty, and …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Rewild Your Campus With the Green Grounds Certification Program
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
Re:wild Your Campus’s Green Grounds Certification offers a new pathway for schools to improve upon campus sustainability goals, reduce synthetic pesticide usage and implement organic grounds maintenance practices. This webinar …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Growing Future Change Makers: Restorative Pathways for Diverse Students and the Planet
- California State University, San Marcos (CA)
For a number of years, it has been a priority to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into sustainability programs for institutions of higher education, yet colleges and universities have struggled …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainability Point 0: We’re Getting Traction So What Does the Next Step Look Like?
- Dartmouth College (NH)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
For many universities, Sustainability 1.0, 2.0 and maybe 3.0 are behind us. We are starting to get traction, become main streamed, be elevated in the organizational structure. As we crest …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Transforming the Future of Finance Through Student Engagement
- Bentley University (MA)
- Harvard University (MA)
- Northeastern University (MA)
- Intentional Endowments Network (MA)
This session will discuss the growth and proliferation of student-managed investment funds pursuing sustainable investing strategies, as well as the growth of sustainable investing curriculum development. Speakers will highlight examples …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Fashion Forward: Navigating the Intersection of Sustainability and Inclusivity
- Connecticut College (CT)
The deluge of donated clothing that many of us get during our move-out donation programs can be so overwhelming that many of us end up donating all or most of …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Innovations in Assessing Sustainability Competence, Culture, Literacy, and Engagement
- Santa Clara University (CA)
- University at Albany (NY)
- University of Florida (FL)
Assess the state of sustainability on your campus! Whether you wish to assess sustainability for instructional assessment or for your institution’s AASHE STARS report, this session will cover various assessments, …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Storytelling and Activism: Charting a Path to Facilitate Effective Student Advocacy
- Marquette University (WI)
- Wesleyan University (CT)
In popular discourse on college and university campuses, “activism” is often synonymous with organized marches or protests. While this form of activism is effective, it is not a one-size-fits-all tool. …
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
- Conference Presentations
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Design Thinking for Sustainable Development Education: Practical Toolkit
- AASHE (MA)
- Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design (Jerusalem)
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design’s Sustainable Development Hub and the School of Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have collaborated to create a Practical Toolkit for Sustainable …
- Posted Feb. 8, 2024
- Videos & Webinars
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BEACON® SaaS Makes Water Visible at UC Merced
- University of California, Merced (CA)
- Badger Meter (WI)
A group of staff and students form the University of California, Merced (UC Merced) in Central Valley California joined forces to dramatically cut water, energy and gas usage per student …
- Posted Jan. 10, 2024
- Case Studies
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It’s Really Free! Patriot Packout Expands to Support George Mason University Community Members’ Basic Needs
- George Mason University (VA)
This case study focuses on George Mason University’s sustainable move-out initiative, Patriot Packout (PPO) 2023. Existing in some form (unofficial and official) since 2003, the PPO initiative was expanded in …
- Posted Dec. 7, 2023
- Case Studies
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What Is Sustainable Science, and How Can We Green Our Labs?
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- AASHE (MA)
The research and teaching conducted in university laboratories often has an outsized impact on a campus’ carbon footprint, due to the energy-intensive nature of lab air quality requirements, as well …
- Posted Nov. 9, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Management of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) in Higher Education: LGBTIQ+ in Higher Education
- Mahidol University (Bangkok)
In this project, we examine life experiences and ideas from delegates who have contributed to theDE&I policies and practices in the Thai education and business sectors. Three rounds of groupdiscussions …
- Posted Nov. 6, 2023
- Tools
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Building the Equity Loop: From Campus Move Out to Community Action
- Lafayette College (PA)
- AASHE (MA)
As outlined in the Climate Action Plan, Lafayette is committed to achieving a 40% diversion of waste to landfill by 2030 and a 60% diversion rate by 2035. Green Move …
- Posted Oct. 26, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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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.