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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Student Experience Elevated: How high impact sustainability engagement raises the bar on student success
- Boston University (MA)
- North Carolina State University (NC)
Research has shown that high-impact educational experiences complement classroom learning, increase student retention and engagement, and maximize the collegiate experience. The proof of learning is no longer just a degree …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Financing Sustainability and How to REALLY Talk to the Business Office
- Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (PA)
- Slippery Rock University (PA)
- National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)
Two experienced vice presidents of finance will briefly discuss some of their accomplishments in sustainability and their partners at the campus that have helped or hindered. They have changed laws, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Organizational Design for a Living World: Unleashing Agility, Engagement, Idea Flow and Purpose
- Harvard University (MA)
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
All too often our best efforts to achieve deeper levels of engagement and change in higher education are hampered by underlying organizational barriers. Sources of our undoing can include finance …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Creating a Community Conversation for Sustainability Strategic Planning
- Emory University (GA)
- University of Alberta (AB)
Strategic planning for sustainability requires broad outreach and engagement to mobilize, empower, and inspire community members. This panel presents the outcomes of two successful sustainability strategic planning efforts that focused …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Net Zero Water: not a dry Topic
- Williams College (MA)
- Bruner/Cott Architects (MA)
- Integrated Eco Strategy (MA)
- Berkshire Design Group (MA)
Construction often negatively impacts the natural balance of water cycles. Even regions with historically abundant quantities of potable water are depleting aquifers, while record rainfall provides destructive amounts of storm …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Open Sesame: Low-Cost Sub-Meter Data Visualization
- Macalester College (MN)
Learn how Macalester, as the next step of the College's sub-metering initiative, has leveraged no-cost and open-source solutions through HTML and XML, Google Apps, and Tableau to display utilities consumption …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Engaging Laboratories in Sustainability
- Harvard University (MA)
- Stanford University (CA)
- My Green Lab (CA)
Laboratories contribute significantly to a university's environmental footprint. At research institutions they can account for more than half of the campus energy consumption, consume hundreds of thousands of gallons of …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Beyond the Campus: Developing Students into Employable Graduates
- Lehigh University (PA)
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
- Princeton University (NJ)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
Recent research suggests that 87% of employers give positive weight to sustainability skills when making hiring decisions. The concept of 'green careers' continues to expand as a professional niche including …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Demystifying Residence Life: Guidance on Partnering from Sustainability Professionals within Housing
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
- University of South Carolina (SC)
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Residence Life is often an isolated unit on campus, with a very unique culture and lots of policies. It can be difficult for sustainability professionals to partner with these units. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Creating Cultures of Sustainability and Diversity, On and Off Campus: Stories from Three Institutions
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
- Oberlin College (OH)
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
This session will present stories from three institutions--Georgia Tech, Oberlin College, and University of Illinois at Chicago--that are creating sustainability cultures by building on campus and community assets. Drawn from …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Meet Universities who are Reinventing Relevance via Innovation Districts that include Corporations and Cities.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
- Oklahoma State University (OK)
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
- McGill University (QC)
- Morphosis Architecture (NY)
Join Jane Talkington for a national overview on Innovation Districts, a burgeoning new form in which the university can GO BEYOND campus boundaries to create relevance by building interdisciplinary capacity …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Educational Sustainability Leadership
- University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (WI)
In this session, there will be a discussion about the importance of creating leaders in education that understand sustainability. The term educational sustainability will be defined and described in order …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Rating the New Campus Landscape: How SITES Can Engage Students + Energize your Sustainability Mission
- Grand Valley State University (MI)
SITES is to campus landscapes what LEED is to buildings. Two public institutions, Grand Valley State University (Michigan) and Nassau Community College (New York) have shown their highest commitment to …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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The State of Campus Green Funds in 2016
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
In 2013, AASHE published the How-To Guide: Campus Green Fund Implementation. Green funds have evolved since the original publication, identifying a need to review and discuss new green fund trends …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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PeopleTowels - Engaging Students in Reducing Single Use Paper Towels
- New Mexico State University (NM)
- Principia College (IL)
- University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (WI)
- PeopleTowels, LLC (NY)
Despite numerous campus sustainability initiatives, paper towel waste still comprises 30-40% of most campus waste streams. This session will reveal the results of a paper towel alternative case study and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Inspiring Change: Campus Mission and the Living Building Challenge
- Hampshire College (MA)
- Bruner/Cott Architects (MA)
- Integrated Eco Strategy (MA)
- International Living Future Institute (WA)
The RW Kern Center is designed to embody Hampshire College's mission of fostering positive change in the world, as well as to meet the Living Building Challenge. This session is …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Building Social Capital: Fostering Inclusion and Trust on Campus and in the Community
- Green Mountain College (VT)
The largest challenge facing communities who are trying to make the sustainability transition is often social. Although sociologists have found declines in social capital nationally and internationally, few higher education …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustainability and Trans Inclusiveness: More than just bathrooms
- Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TX)
Are you confused about gender identities? Are you wondering what the big deal is about bathrooms? Are you hoping to find ways to educate students, staff, and yourself about being …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Working Towards 'Inclusive Sustainability' at the University of California, Santa Cruz
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
The University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) has served as a national forerunner in many areas of campus sustainability. Both nationally and locally, environmental movements have not always been inclusive …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Bridging the Gap: Creating Partnerships to Support Off-Campus Housing Sustainability
- University of Arizona (AZ)
In 2013, the University of Arizona launched the Undergraduate Off-Campus Housing Sustainability Coordinator (OCHSC) position designed to bring sustainability into the homes of students living off-campus. The OCHSC consults with …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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It's All About the People! Let's Talk About Social Sustainability.
- Texas A&M University (TX)
As industry professionals, you are already aware that we must balance the environment, the economy, and social equity if we are to achieve a sustainable society. The reality is that …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Campus Greenhouse: Growing Greens for Campus Dining Halls at George Mason University
- George Mason University (VA)
Since its grand opening event during Earth Month of 2015, the President's Park Greenhouse (PPG) has received countless requests for tours, integration with academic courses, hands-on learning and volunteering opportunities, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Building Community and University Collaboration on Food Justice in Mississippi: Lessons from the MSU Learn and Grow Garden
- Mississippi State University (MS)
Mississippi is the most food insecure state in the nation. In 2014, 22% of families reported some level of hunger. However, Mississippi remains an agriculture-focused state with some of the …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Communicating Sustainability Progress in a Busy World
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
The University of Maryland publishes an annual Sustainability Progress Report to keep the campus community informed of overall progress toward the university's sustainability goals. The intended audience, format, structure, look …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Launching & Sustaining an Educational Partnership for Innovation in Communities (EPIC): PALS at UMD
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
Universities around the country are implementing a powerful learning framework in which students and faculty address local community sustainability issues through adapting current courses to provide real world learning and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Impact beyond the campus: Promoting non-competitive and caring sustainability scholars training through collaborative writing.
- University of Saskatchewan (SK)
This session explores experiences of four doctoral students engaged in a collective project of place exploration at the university of Saskatchewan. Our goals for the project include: contesting the paradigm …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Putting the People First: A look at UT Austin's Sustainability Master Plan
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Sustainability plans often align with traditional university functions: academics, operations and administration. UT Austin took a different approach to their first ever Sustainability Master Plan, resulting in a people-centric plan. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Fuelling a Place-Based Sustainability Movement
- University at Buffalo (NY)
Building a better future by definition is a collective effort, but often at times throughout higher education we focus inward within our own institutions. While this is a practical and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Black Hills South Dakota Food Hub
- Black Hills State University (SD)
Black Hills State University (BHSU) conducted an assessment of cafeteria needs for local foods in the winter of 2015, and we have specific knowledge of which large-quantity food providers have …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Carolina Survivors Initiative: Building Cultures of Inclusivity and Healing in South Carolina
- University of South Carolina (SC)
Launched in Fall 2015, the Carolina Survivors Initiative (CSI) serves the needs of recently resettled survivors of torture in Columbia, SC. With a goal of bringing global health to the …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustainability Leadership Program at DePauw University
- DePauw University (IN)
DePauw's Sustainability Leadership Program (SLP) is a hands-on, co-curricular initiative that pairs student cohorts with sustainability projects on campus and in the community. Through both paid and volunteer hands-on opportunities, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Is it 'Socially Sustainable' if no one Hears About It?: Living Wage Policies, Practices, and Adoption in Higher Education
- Saint Joseph's University (PA)
Concern for the rights and dignity of workers have fueled growing calls for laws either increasing the minimum wage or adopting a living wage scheme. In lieu of wage legislation, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Advancing Climate Equity: Urban University-Community Networks
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)
- Urban Serving Universities Coalition (DC)
Our presentation will focus on the urban serving university as a critical stakeholder in local sustainability efforts, and in addressing environmental equity as a critical cornerstone of urban sustainability efforts. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustainability Education in Northern Appalachia: Connecting Gender, Race and Class in Interdisciplinary Sustainability Studies
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania (PA)
This case study will address our efforts to connect gender, race and class in an interdisciplinary sustainability program at a university historically tied to the fossil fuel industry. Our efforts …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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How Higher Education Can Engage International Students to Achieve Sustainability, Social Justice, and Equity
- University of Saskatchewan (SK)
This session explores how higher education can address international students issues around recruitment, funding, research, intercultural connections and other support venues to facilitate social and environmental sustainability. As institutions across …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Beyond Campus: Does Student Leadership Translate to Professional Success?
- American University (DC)
Many students join peer-to-peer education programs to promote campus sustainability while building their resume. Serving in these leadership roles alongside faculty and staff enables students to gain valuable project management, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Car sharing on Campuses: What We've Learned
- Zipcar (MA)
Car sharing, once the domain of only big urban cities is now a fixture on college campuses across the country. It's a great fit for dollar-conscious students that don't need …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Two Sides of the Same Coin: An Integrative Education Model for Sustainability and Global Citizenship
- Dallas College (TX)
Two Sides of the Same Coin' is a case study of curricular and co-curricular education programs at North Lake College in Irving, Texas, part of the Dallas County Community College …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Carbon On-Setting: Community Impact Through Home Weatherizations in Greenville, SC
- Furman University (SC)
This case study will tell the story of the Community Conservation Corps (CCC), the program highlighted by Second Nature in Furman University's selection as a Climate Leadership Finalist in 2014. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Experiential Sustainability Certificates - Connecting the Classroom to the Real World
- Duke University (NC)
- University of Kansas (KS)
The 'living lab' concept is not new in the higher ed. sustainability world. However, developing robust programs that allow students, across disciplines, to study these complex issues while linking curricular …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Infusing Sustainability Across the Campus: Sustainability Learning in Expected and Unexpected Places at Beloit College
- Beloit College (WI)
Beloit College's Pathways to Sustainability Leadership Program engages students in sustainability learning and leadership development through its 'Liberal Arts in Practice' curriculum. Students develop expertise and capacity for action in …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Finding Heart: Generating and Maintaining Hope and Agency through Sustainability Education
- Colorado Mountain College (CO)
Indigenous educator Gregory Cajete (2000) articulates the motivations and questions that drive the presenter's research. For Cajete, effective education entails 'finding heart,' an active process within and beyond the person …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Preparing Students for Life Beyond the Campus through Integrative Learning and Employability Coaching
- University of South Carolina (SC)
Pressure is mounting for colleges to graduate students in four years with jobs. As professionals in higher education, how do we help students turn content into currency? The answer: integrative …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Green Meets Brown: University of Louisville Eco-Reps and Community Composting
- University of Louisville (KY)
The University of Louisville Eco-Reps are a sustainability training & networking group offering certifications, hosting monthly lunches, local speakers, & field trips, and organizing volunteer projects. Our longest-running project was …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Student Activism with Sustainability in Higher Education across Canada
- University of Saskatchewan (SK)
The purpose of this case study is to share the results of the Sustainability and Education Policy Network's research with student sustainability leaders from six higher education institutions in Canada. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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A Zero Net Energy Teaching Laboratory
- Sasaki Associates, Inc. (MA)
- BR+A (MA)
The ACUPCC and the 2030 Challenge set the trajectory for a carbon-neutral future in the building industry. This goal may seem out of reach for laboratory buildings with high plug-loads …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustaining the Memory of Enslaved Laborers at the University of Virginia: a Participatory and Collaborative Public Art Project
- University of Virginia (VA)
The University of Virginia's Rotunda and Lawn are majestic institutional symbols of the only US campus recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site. Yet Jefferson's architectural masterpiece harbor a painful …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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The integration of Sustainability Practices in College Athletics
- University of Florida (FL)
This three-part case study explores large-scale college athletic programs tackling the challenges of becoming zero waste & carbon neutral with a range of internal and campus-wide goals. Focused mainly on …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Tackling the PAC-12: a Zero Waste Challenge
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Here at the University of Arizona, there is a strong fan base towards the athletic events, from our large-scale football games to our famous and impressive basketball games. The amount …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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RIT FoodShare: Collaboration Across Campus to Address Food Insecurity and Sustainability
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
RIT FoodShare was conceived by students in the Fall of 2014 who were challenged in a class to research food insecurity and reduce food waste. Their initiative, combined with an …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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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.