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
Latest News from AASHE Bulletin
New Resources
The Relationship of Social Justice Beliefs to Environmental Attitudes among Students at a Private University
- University of St. Thomas Houston (TX)
The goal of the present study was to examine the relationship of social justice beliefs, gender, religiousness, and ethnicity on environmental attitudes among college students at a private university. Participants …
- Posted Oct. 17, 2016
- Publications
- View more
A Guide for Applied Sustainability Learning Projects: Advancing sustainability outcomes on campus and in the community
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Portland State University (OR)
- AASHE (MA)
This guide provides a step-by-step framework for how a new or existing applied learning for sustainability program can be systematically designed, built and scaled around two interconnected goals:
- Providing students …
- Posted Oct. 8, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Student perceptions and definitions of sustainability
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
The term sustainability encompasses a variety of concepts and therefore many disparities and misconceptions exist. As the University of Illinois and many other higher education institutions begin prioritizing sustainability, understanding …
- Posted Oct. 3, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Dissonance in students' perceptions of sustainable development and sustainability: Implications for curriculum change
- University of Plymouth (Devon)
Purpose – An online questionnaire survey was conducted to explore University of Plymouth students' perceptions and understandings of, and attitudes towards, sustainable development and related concepts and issues. In general, …
- Posted Oct. 3, 2016
- Publications
- View more
College Students’ Perceptions of Sustainability: A Regional Survey
- Georgia Southern University (GA)
- Indiana University Indianapolis (IN)
- Old Dominion University (VA)
Understanding college students’ perception of sustainability is paramount as today’s students will soon be driving our economy and taking on the responsibility of maintaining a sustainable society. This study conducted …
- Posted Oct. 3, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Hands-On LEED: Guiding College Student Engagement
- U.S. Green Building Council (DC)
As college and university leaders from across the United States work to green their campuses, students can and should play a critical role. Hands-On LEED: Guiding College Student Engagement explains …
- Posted Sept. 26, 2016
- Publications
- View more
SCI - Waste - UCCS
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (CO)
- Waste Management (TX)
Students volunteer at the annual Mt. Trashmore event. This event provides a visual display of a day's worth of campus trash, which is then sorted to determine how much of …
- Posted Sept. 23, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Athletics Department Awareness and Action Regarding the Environment: A Study of NCAA Athletics Department Sustainability Practices
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- Ohio University (OH)
The relationship of sport to sustainability management is relatively unknown. Despite the increasing recognition of the growing role of athletics in regard to environmental sustainability, it remains unclear what role …
- Posted Sept. 21, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Intercollegiate Sport and the Environment: Examining Fan Engagement Based on Athletics Department Sustainability Efforts
- Bowling Green State University (OH)
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- Ohio University (OH)
The purpose of this study was to examine how environmental education efforts at a sporting event related to environmental behavioral intentions, in the context of a promotional green game, based …
- Posted Sept. 21, 2016
- Publications
- View more
UNLV Sustainability - Water Bottle Reduction Efforts
- University of Nevada Las Vegas (NV)
Two complimentary bottled water initiatives at University of Nevada, Las Vegas are helping the university reduce bottled water waste while simultaneously raising funds for bottled water alternatives. A 5-Cent Surcharge …
- Posted Sept. 20, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Paul Quinn College Transforms Football Field to Organic Farm, Shifting Value to Students
- Paul Quinn College (TX)
At Paul Quinn College, where 83 percent of students are Pell Grant eligible (2016), students obtain both a liberal arts education and real-world work experience. This video showcases the historically …
- Posted Sept. 20, 2016
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
ESF Sustainability
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (NY)
ESF is unique among colleges and universities in that all educational and research programs are oriented toward natural resources, and toward the natural and designed environments. All that ESF is …
- Posted Sept. 16, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Green Garage at Cornell University
- Cornell University (NY)
In July 2015, Cornell University’s Forest Home Parking Garage became one of seven parking garages to receive the first Green Garage Certification from the Green Parking Council. Cornell was the …
- Posted Sept. 16, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Cornell University Energy & Engagement
- Cornell University (NY)
- Posted Sept. 16, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
American College of Greece Athletics
- The American College of Greece (Aghia Paraskevi)
A heated, Olympic size, eight lane swimming pool affords a breathtaking view of the mountain, soccer field, Aghia Paraskevi, and city of Athens. During the winter, the pool is enclosed …
- Posted Sept. 15, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Transylvania University Big Green Get Around
- Transylvania University (KY)
Faculty, staff and students participated in a variety of low or no-carbon activities during Transylvania University's Big Green Get Around
- Posted Sept. 14, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Muhlenberg College Water Conservation Native Plants
- Muhlenberg College (PA)
Muhlenberg College has a living learning experience for undergraduate students at the Treehouse. Here, students manage the permculture garden and community vegetable garden which includes a rainwater collection system. The …
- Posted Sept. 14, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Furnace Brook Center Smart Home Laboratory
- Onondaga Community College (NY)
Onondaga Community College has created a smart home laboratory at the College's Furnace Brook Center with the help of a $2.5 million grant from the Department of Energy. The building …
- Posted Sept. 14, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Chatham University Grounds and Eden Hall Campus
- Chatham University (PA)
Building on the legacy of alum Rachel Carson (‘29), Chatham University has practiced a pest management plan since 2000 that bans chemical pesticides on all campus grounds and actively preserves …
- Posted Sept. 13, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Boreas Leadership Program - University of Minnesota
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Boreas offers University of Minnesota graduate and professional students and post-doctoral fellows free co-curricular leadership development opportunities that build on the strengths of graduate education to create effective change agents. …
- Posted Sept. 13, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Water is a priority at Wellesley College
- Wellesley College (MA)
Photo shows the importance of water at Wellesley College. We have our own wells and water treatment facility for potable water. The college is also located within the Charles River …
- Posted Sept. 13, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Lehigh University Campus Engagement
- Lehigh University (PA)
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Sustainability 2020
- Green Mountain College (VT)
Ten years ago, students in an honors seminar investigated ways to reduce Green Mountain College’s ecological footprint. The class identified the biggest source of carbon emissions–the college’s heating plant, which …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
University of Minnesota Living Lab
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Campus grounds are more than a a backdrop at the University of Minnesota. Our Living Laboratories have transformed otherwise un-programmed areas into outdoor spaces for innovation, testing, demonstration, and learning. …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Western Michigan University Office for Sustainability Engagement Initiatives
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Western Michigan University's Office for Sustainability
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
UBC Sustainability
- University of British Columbia (BC)
The university is working to embed sustainability across teaching, learning and research, operations and infrastructure, and the community.
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
University at Albany Harvest Festival
- University at Albany (NY)
This photo depicts students from the Office of Sustainability tabling at the Office of Residential Life's annual Harvest Festival, which celebrates local food and healthy eating.
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
University at Albany Trashion Fashion show
- University at Albany (NY)
This is a picture of our Trashion Fashion award winners. Trashion Fashion is the annual centerpiece event of Recyclemania. The Office of Sustainability partners with the Office of Residential Life …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
DoubleMap Bus Tracking Systems
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
Students at Indiana University Bloomington formed the DoubleMap startup company and developed the DoubleMap bus tracking system in collaboration with campus stakeholders and with financial assistance from the IU Student …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
EMC 2016 summer ANR team created several short focused videos about recycling and composting intiatives
- Champlain College (VT)
The Emergent Media Center (EMC) is a Center of Excellence at Champlain College. We hire students to work on projects, the students work with the clients, work under deadlines utilizing …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Bowdoin Green Athletics
- Bowdoin College (ME)
The Bowdoin College sustainability office and Green Athletics student group work closely on the Green Athletics Team Challenge, which encourages sports teams to commit to sustainability goals and compete against …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
SUNY Polytechnic Institute Campus Conservation Nationals Flyers
- State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (NY)
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Outreach Materials
- View more
A collaborative programme in sustainability and social responsibility
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to collect methodological strategies used in the training of future teachers to develop competences in sustainability and social responsibility (SSR). The proposal in …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Integrating sustainability across the university curriculum
- University of Pennsylvania (PA)
Purpose
Colleges and universities increasingly have the mandate and motivation to integrate sustainability into their curricula. The purpose of this paper is to share the strategy used at the University …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Is sustainability knowledge half the battle?: An examination of sustainability knowledge, attitudes, norms, and efficacy to understand sustainable behaviours
- Michigan State University (MI)
- The Ohio State University (OH)
- University of Washington, Tacoma (WA)
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of sustainability knowledge to pro-environmental behaviour. A common misperception is that unsustainable behaviours are largely driven by a lack …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Sustainable facility development: perceived benefits and challenges
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the perceived benefits and challenges of implementing sustainable initiatives in collegiate recreational sports facilities. Additionally, this paper intends to contribute to …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Supporting Solar Energy through a Student-Financed Renewable Energy Initiative
- Appalachian State University (NC)
- Second Nature (MA)
- Midwest Renewable Energy Association (WI)
The "Solar University Network: Innovation in Solar Energy Finance & Development" case study series highlights higher education investment in solar energy projects. The purpose of these case studies is to …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Root Program at Williams College
- Williams College (MA)
Williams College Root leaders emulate the Mighty Food Farm flexing tomato logo after an afternoon of volunteering on the Southern Vermont farm.
The non profit organization Manos Unidas led Williams …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Appalachian State University students have a hands-on sustainability experience
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Appalachian State University’s leadership in sustainability education can be traced back to more than 25 years. The university houses the nation’s longest running Sustainable Development Program (est. 1991) and has …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
New System Can Help Save Water with a Couple of Clicks
- University of California, Merced (CA)
Quick-response codes are posted in each restroom in SSM so people can submit repair requests just by scanning with their smart phones.
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
SUNY Polytechnic Institute Building Energy Dashboard
- State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (NY)
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Beyond LEED: Living Buildings Earth Week Lecture 2014
- State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (NY)
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
2016 LIU Post Sustainability Award Recipients
- LIU Post (NY)
This is a photo of LIU Post's 2016 campus sustainability award recipients and our guest speaker, L. Hunter Lovins. Each spring, LIU Post hosts a sustainability banquet to showcase successes …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
UCR Green Lab in Action
- University of California, Riverside (CA)
UCR is implementing a Green Lab Program to engage researchers on the Sustainability. An energy efficient Ultra-Low Temperature freezer is loan to encourage the defrost of their ULT, allowing to …
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
New Student Sustainability Fee Impacts Buildings, Research, and Student Activities
- Frostburg State University (MD)
A part of the newly implemented Student Sustainability Fee was allocated to competitive grants open to students, faculty and staff. In the first round of competition, the fee was able …
- Posted Sept. 9, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
NC State Students Champion Solar Installation
- North Carolina State University (NC)
In 2016, the Park Scholarships program celebrates its 20th year. Each class of Park Scholars chooses a legacy gift to leave the university, and the Class of 2015 chose to …
- Posted Sept. 9, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Elon Students at Environmental Center at Loy Farm
- Elon University (NC)
- Posted Sept. 9, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Good Business Friday Discussion
- Babson College (MA)
Weekly discussion of sustainability in business hosted by the Lewis Institute at Babson.
- Posted Sept. 9, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
Student at event recycling station
- Babson College (MA)
Student at zero waste station at Babson College's From Day One Fest event
- Posted Sept. 9, 2016
- Photographs
- View more
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.