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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Greeks Go Green
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
Greeks Going Green is a collaborative project with the student government at the University of Nebraska, which aims to show people that through simple actions, they have the power to …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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A first year Honors seminar, Exploring Sustainable Solution, challenges students with interdisciplinary case-based learning.
- Colorado State University (CO)
The first year Honors Seminar--Exploring Sustainable Solutions: A Case-Based Approach--is intended to prepare students to deepen their understanding of sustainability through active involvement in campus projects and how these can …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustainable Video Production
- Western Michigan University (MI)
The community of sustainability is constantly growing. With new practices from around the world on how we can build a better understanding of sustainability, key aspects arise from the ability …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Cultural Competencies: Developing a sustainable professional development model for a student services office
- Kent State University (OH)
This poster session describes the development of a multi-year professional development plan focused on increasing the cultural competencies of staff members in the Vacca Office of Student Services (VOSS), in …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Student wellbeing : handbook and practical tools to help French campuses
- Graines de Changement
In 2012, the network Campus Responsables concluded a partnership to display interactive plays within campuses regarding studend alcohol consumption. In 2013, the network published a practical guide about stutent wellbeing …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Entrepreneurial Thought and Action in Sustainability
- Babson College (MA)
In this presentation we will explore how the concept of Entrepreneurial Thought and Action can be applied to sustainability initiatives at your college or university. We will focus on: utilizing …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Beyond the Ivory Tower: Participating in City and State Sustainability Initiatives and Challenges
- New York University (NY)
As sustainability professionals in institutes of higher education, many of us have seen first-hand the impacts of our work. We have seen how large-scale energy, waste management, and engagement projects …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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MIT's Sustainability DataHub
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
Datasets are ubiquitous at MIT. The Institute collects large volumes of data on a variety of subjects related to the sustainability effort. However, these datasets are housed in diverse and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Enhancing Appalachian's Sustainability-Related Community Engagement
- Appalachian State University (NC)
This presentation will provide an overview of efforts at Appalachian State University to expand and improve sustainability-related community engagement. For years, Appalachian's Sustainability Council has been charged with setting and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sorting It All Out: What's in Your Garbage and Why You Should Care. How Waste Characterization Data Can Help Your Institution.
- Appalachian State University (NC)
- Kessler Consulting Inc. (FL)
Many universities are setting the recycling bar higher and higher, often targeting zero waste goals. However, 'to manage it, you need to measure it.' Before you identify strategies to divert …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Branding a Sustainability Program: The University of Rochester Go Green Initiative
- University of Rochester (NY)
Like many universities striving to make sustainability a priority without a central office for sustainability, the University of Rochester's efforts and achievements occur among multiple departments and programs. Communicating and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Establish An Organic Multicultural Vegetable Garden to Promote Sustainability and Address Diversity at Kean University
- Kean University (NJ)
A team of four students from Kean University committed to establish an organic multicultural vegetable garden in the Liberty Hall Farm located in Union County, New Jersey. Team members will …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Using the Campus as a Living Learning Laboratory: Experiential Learning & Scaffolding in Informal Sustainability Education
- University of Michigan (MI)
This poster will explore how new and existing sustainability projects at the University of Michigan are being integrated into a pathway for student sustainability engagement and leadership as we aim …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Student Recycling Competition and Reusable To-Go Containers
- Aramark (PA)
Through partnership with the University, Dining Services launched a reusable to-go program and student recycling competition to advert Styrofoam and plastic from entering the community landfill. In fall 2014, Dining …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Communicating Sustainability: Use Design Thinking To Make Your Website Better, Stronger, Faster
- University of Virginia (VA)
Your website is, without question, the superhero of your marketing team. It's sharing the story of your campus, directing traffic, and handing out information to your users. Problem is, most …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Growing the Campus Landscape and Student Botanists Through Community Partnerships
- Furman University (SC)
This poster will tell the multi-faceted story of how Furman University has leveraged longstanding partnerships with two local horticultural organizations to benefit both student learning and the award-winning campus landscape. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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The Good, the Bad and the Smelly: Changing Sustainability Perception through Behind the Scenes Tours
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Much has changed during Appalachian Food Services' 90 years of operation, but our commitment to being affordable, fresh and sustainable has remained constant. None of our efforts and accomplishments matter …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustainable Seafood Days: Working with Sea to Table to Grow Sustainable Seafood Purchasing at Appalachian State University
- Appalachian State University (NC)
- Sea to Table (NY)
Because Appalachian State University is a leader in sustainability, serving sustainable fish in our dining venues was something that Appalachian Food Services wanted to explore. We partnered with Sea to …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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From the Ground[s] Up
- Wells College (NY)
Wells College implemented two coffee-related activities. As the student-run GRIND Café steadily rose in popularity, its success created a waste problem. The GRIND staff daily prepared so much coffee, the …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Learning to Reboot a Campus or Commercial Recycling Program
- George Washington University (DC)
The only thing certain in the recycling field is that nothing is certain. In colleges and universities across the United States, sustainability and zero waste managers are constantly having to …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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A Residential Green Rep Program: The Case for a Program Hosted in Residence Life
- State University of New York at Cortland (NY)
At SUNY Cortland, our student Green Representatives program is run out of the Residence Life office and has been since it's inception in 2008. Each residence hall is paired up …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Mapping Bicycle Racks and Usage with ArcGIS: Connecting College and Community Initiatives
- State University of New York at Geneseo (NY)
SUNY Geneseo and the Town of Geneseo are collaborating to encourage sustainable cycling in and around Geneseo. This project is aimed at gathering preliminary information to improve the cycling experience …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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UMass Lowell Office of Sustainability: A Strategic Partnership for Campus Sustainability
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
UMass Lowell's leadership is deeply committed to campus sustainability. As part of the overall campus transformation strategy, university leadership decided to form an Office of Sustainability to integrate sustainability efforts …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Return Recycling: Zero Waste Strategies
- New York University (NY)
- Return Recycling (NY)
Return Recycling is a student-led organization devoted to building a concrete understanding for waste data, infrastructure, and engagement. Over the past year we prototyped new (self-designed) recycling bins, developed new …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Working with Zero: Maximizing Partnerships to Meet Big Sustainability Goals
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Campus sustainability practitioners are often tasked to achieve goals using little funding and staffing. By maximizing networks both within and outside the traditional sustainability lens and connecting campus resources, Zero …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Energy Maddness - A Residence Hall Energy Competition
- Saint Louis University (MO)
On a diverse campus flush with deep thinkers, how can the message of sustainability be successfully broadcasted? Our University chose to use competition as an engagement tool. This presentation will …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Moving Towards Environmentally Responsible Landscaping on Campus
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
SOU works earnestly to foster sustainability advancement in our region. Likewise, our Landscape Services Dept is deeply committed to minimizing negative impacts on our campus and surrounding ecosystems. Our landscaping …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustainability & Botanical Tours: Educating our Communities
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
SOU's Landscape Services collaborated with students, faculty, and staff across campus to develop signed Sustainability and Botanical Tours to educate our regional community about SOU's myriad of sustainability programs and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Journal of Sustainability Education: Special Issue on Hope and Agency
- Colorado Mountain College (CO)
Hope and agency are foundational to sustainability practice and leadership on and beyond the campus. Without hope and a sense of one's own efficacy, meaningful action and leadership may remain …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Breaking Through: Creative Engagement Strategies for Increasing Student Sustainable Involvement in the Dorms and Beyond
- New York University (NY)
NYC came to a standstill when Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast and the public electrical grid shutdown, but the lights were on in 22 NYU buildings, and for once …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Do You See Our STARS Now? Making an Institution's STARS Report More Visible and Relevant To Community Via Student Infographics
- Maryville College (TN)
One of the most transparent ways an institution can share their holistic sustainability story is through STARS. However, outside the sustainability community, STARS is one of the least commonly reviewed …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Exploring Student Leaders for Sustainable Development: Components and Personal Practices
- Baylor University (TX)
Presentation that shares research study structure, methodology, findings, and recommendations for future research regarding the cultivating of student leadership capabilities through personal practices focused on sustainability education. The purpose of …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Together we are Building Sustainability' - An Outreach Framework for LEED EB Projects
- University of Virginia (VA)
Though most college and university sustainability offices are charged with both improving operational efficiency AND increasing sustainability literacy and engagement, we often overlook opportunities to serve these missions concurrently in …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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The Wildcat Waste Challenge: A Collaboration Between Student Programs, University Libraries, and Facilities Management
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Two significant barriers to increased recycling rates are confusion surrounding what is and is not recyclable and the convenience factor of waste disposal. Many students view recycling as a confusing …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustainability, Dignity and Higher Education
- Widener University (PA)
Sustainability discourse in higher education seldom considers human dignity as an institutional objective or a means to achieve it. Dignity embodies subjects as diverse as health care, imprisonment, privacy, education, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Engaging at Home and Abroad Through COPs: Higher Education Leadership on Climate Change
- University of Connecticut (CT)
Higher education has the unique opportunity to act as a leader and generator of positive climate action both domestically and abroad. Through research, interdisciplinary educational programs, experiential learning opportunities, at …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Greening the Supply and Purchasing Chain
- Chlorine Free Products Association (IL)
In today's world there are those who make claims about their sustainability based on an outdated data, inefficient process, or outright lies. Recently we all found out to what lengths …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Capitalizing on Faculty-Administration Collaborations to Build Sustainable Campus Communities
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY)
This session will provide insight into the collaboration between administration and faculty on the creation and assessment of a sustainability-themed learning community for first-year students at a liberal arts college. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Why a Social Justice Framework Is the Only Way to Climate Justice and Deep Sustainability
- Hackman Consulting Group
This poster session lays out the rationale for the absolute need for a social justice framework when doing climate justice and sustainability work by making three essential points: 1. How …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Novel cost-neutral programs that advance your campus waste reduction goals
- GreeniPhi (VA)
As budgets are slashed on campuses, realizing ambitious sustainability goals requires novel thinking in order to create self-financed and cost-neutral projects. Experiential fundraisers may not seem to be the clearest …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Campus and Community Partnerships: Celebrating Earth Day
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
The project created an annual Earth Day event for a joint celebration between the campus and the community of Lowell, Massachusetts. Faculty, staff and the Office of Sustainability have partnered …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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It's all Greek to me: leaning into bias against sustainability initiatives in higher education
- GreeniPhi (VA)
Join us for a discussion that will help sustainability staff, administrators and students develop an understanding of Greek values of citizenship and philanthropy and learn new strategies for engaging your …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Beyond Captain Planet: Curriculum Design for EcoReps & Peer Educators
- Texas A&M University (TX)
Captain Planet inspired millennials to embrace sustainability through the avenue of television. Utilizing Captain Planet's inspiration and efforts within the Department of Residence Life at Texas A&M as the backdrop, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Sustainability Plan - Embedding Sustainability into the DNA of the Campus
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
- Buro Happold (NY)
UNC is a recognized leader in sustainability (AASHE STARS - Gold campus), leading in the tangible aspects of water and energy conservation with a mature recycling and composting program, sustainable …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Never too many C O O K S in the Campus Kitchen IUPUI : Collaboration On Our Campus Kitchen Services - a Hunger Relief Initiative
- Indiana University Indianapolis (IN)
This presentation will address how it has taken collaboration and support from many 'COOKS' in the development, operation, and ongoing program expansion to fulfill all of the opportunities the Campus …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Promoting College-Community Collaboration
- Concordia College (NY)
Several years ago, as Concordia College was increasing its efforts to embrace sustainability as a priority, it was recognized that engagement with the surrounding community should be a core part …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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How Signage Increases Recycling Rates
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
It is well known that recycling can be confusing, especially when deciding which materials are accepted into a recycling program at point of disposal (aka the bin). This can lead …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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GreenCampusPoints Shop to Save the Planet
- Boston University (MA)
There are 20.2 million college students in the US, which together account for over 150 billion dollars in discretionary spending each year. Imagine if for every one of those dollars …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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An Eco-Rep Program at a Liberal Arts College: Challenges Faced and Lessons Learned
- Concordia College (NY)
In 2013, the Sustainability Coordinator at Concordia College created an Eco-Reps Program, with the intention of having two students serve as an Eco-Rep in each residence hall. The program is …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Partnerships: The Key Accelerant to Fire up Sustainability on and off Campus
- Pittsburg State University (KS)
Since the institutionalization of a campus-wide recycling program in 2012, Pittsburg State University (PSU) has had substantial success in not only becoming a more sustainability-oriented campus, but in developing of …
- 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.