Campus Engagement
Introduction
Engaging in sustainability issues through co-curricular activities allows students to deepen and apply their understandings of sustainability principles. Institution-sponsored co-curricular sustainability offerings, often coordinated by student affairs offices, help integrate sustainability into the campus culture and set a positive tone for the institution. Faculty and staff members’ daily decisions impact an institution’s sustainability performance. Equipping faculty and staff with the tools, knowledge, and motivation to adopt behavior changes that promote sustainability is an essential activity of a sustainable campus.
Featured Resources
New Resources
Building a Volunteer-Based Student Internship Program
- Virginia Tech (VA)
A student internship program is an excellent way to expand the efforts of sustainability offices and engage and train student leaders to be environmental professionals after graduation. However, many offices ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The unusual case of campus sustainability from the top down
- Weber State University (UT)
Weber State University (WSU) in Ogden, Utah, a mainly commuter campus in a conservative state, has made major sustainability accomplishments in the last eight years. This session will outline these ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Short-Term Internships In Higher Education: Creating Ambassadors for Sustainability Through Leadership and Experiential Learning
- Western Michigan University (MI)
The Wesustain Internship Program is a semester-long, paid, and highly competitive opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students at Western Michigan University to gain leadership experience and explore global sustainability challenges ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bridging the Gap- Creating a culture of engagement between undergraduate and graduate students in sustainability efforts.
- Western Colorado University (CO)
Come learn how Western State Colorado University (WSCU) involved a new Environmental Management graduate program in boosting campus sustainability efforts. Graduate and undergraduate students were integrated through two main strategies ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Low-cost, High Impact Engagement & Energy Conservation Campaigns
- Western Washington University (WA)
Every campus has diverse, overlapping populations, with vastly different habits and backgrounds. Sustainability professionals and student coordinators are challenged to engage, educate and support behavior change, often with a limited ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Finding Carrots - engaging others in sustainability
- National Union of Students
Sustainability is engaging, empowering & enabling, but sometimes getting other people on board is a bit like herding cats – frustrating, resource intensive, and with no one correct way of ensuring ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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International Partnerships for Behaviour Change
- MacEwan University (AB)
- National Union of Students
Having previously worked in the United Kingdom, the Head of Sustainability at MacEwan University, Chantal Beaudoin, was aware of successful student-led behaviour change and engagement models that were being implemented ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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SOS - a global student voice on sustainability
- National Union of Students
There are 17,000 HEIs in the world and students need to leave tertiary education equipped to be part of the solution to sustainability issues, rather than part of the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Recruiting students for sustainability: Start with the ’Why?’
- Oregon State University (OR)
- EcoChallenge.org (OR)
Recruiting students for sustainability: Start with the “Why?” In this interactive world café-style session, participants will explore ways to inspire, motivate, and recruit students for sustainability initiatives on their campuses ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Plenary Session 1: Promising Practices for Transformative Sustainability Education
- Evergreen State College, The (WA)
- EcoChallenge.org (OR)
Promising Practices for Transformative Sustainability Education If you ever find yourself asking what a student’s experience of sustainability on campus is or how, through the curriculum offered, can a ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Partnerships to Develop More Sustainable Student Tenants
- Ithaca College (NY)
A landlord for off-campus student housing for Ithaca College students approached us with an interesting question: how could we work together to better prepare our students for the experience of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Lessons Learned from Eco Move Out – Discover what works and what doesn’t
- University of Alberta (AB)
Five thousand students’ cycle in and out of the University of Alberta’s (UAlberta) residences every year, and the material waste created and costs associated with this cycle are large ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Awareness Week – An incredible engagement opportunity
- University of Alberta (AB)
Originating in 2008, Sustainability Awareness Week (SAW) is an annual celebration of all things sustainable at the University of Alberta - it educates and motivates our campus community to live a ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Film and Discussion Series: 8 Years of Films & Exchange
- University of North Carolina, Greensboro (NC)
From the beginning the UNCG Sustainability Film and Discussion Series was not just about the films, but about encouraging discussion that included the campus and the surrounding community about issues ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Tips on Improving Student Engagement from Food Recovery Network
- Food Recovery Network (MD)
Food Recovery Network (FRN) unites students at colleges and universities to fight food waste and hunger by recovering surplus food from their campuses that would otherwise go to waste and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Journey: from the Classroom to the Living Room
- Elmhurst University (IL)
The concept of social responsibility and sustainable use of resources is getting widespread acceptance in industry. Consequently schools are experimenting with various ways of incorporating sustainability into their programs. Starting ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Growing Skills for Ecological Engagement
- Lane Community College (OR)
The Learning Garden at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon serves as a living laboratory for students, staff, and the greater community in the fields of sustainable agriculture, experiential education ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Videos Tell Sustainability Stories, Work toward Sustainable Futures
- University of Vermont (VT)
As an effective pedagogical approach for addressing planetary-scale Anthropocene challenges at the local level, I consider storytelling—enhanced by videos-- as a social transformation tool to work toward sustainable futures ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Pathways to Success: Opening Lines of Communication that Lead to Bigger Conversations
- Texas A&M University (TX)
The noise vying for student’s attention on campus is steadily increasing. This communication traffic jam makes it more challenging to reach your campus community with your sustainability message. To ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting Trashy: Measurable Pilot Projects to Identify Best Practices
- University of Denver (CO)
Pilot projects targeting increased diversion rates are a direct means of engaging the community, determining best practices, and driving change through measurable results. At the University of Denver, we launched ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Promoting Conservation on Conservative Campuses
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock (AR)
- Utah State University (UT)
Both Utah State University (USU) and University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) are home to motivated faculty, staff, and students with polarized views of sustainability. Both universities are located ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Pledge to Travel Green and Student Travel
- East Carolina University (NC)
This session will introduce the nation’s “Pledge to Travel Green” initiative and its applicability to student travel, whether for club sports, study abroad or for general student leisure or ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building Connections Between Students, Faculty and Staff
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Creating successful campus sustainability projects can be extremely difficult for university students. Frequently universities have rules, marketing standards, politics, and departments that seem siloed and disconnected. It is important for ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Guides- Guiding Students Through Green Opportunities
- University of Arizona (AZ)
The University of Arizona is the top ranked university in the United States for environmental research, and as a part of that leadership, the UA offers its students a plethora ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Transformative Learning Through Small Group Discussion: Course Book Resources to Accelerate Change
- EcoChallenge.org (OR)
At the 2013 AASHE conference, Stephen Mulkey, President of Unity College, offered a plenary session on Organizational Change for Sustainability Education, which highlighted the need for increased initiatives working to ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Smart Housing Project: Measuring Use and Motivating Change
- Clarkson University (NY)
Thirteen million college students live in on-campus housing in the United States. Since these students typically do not pay their utility bills directly, efforts to motivate efficiency and conservation changes ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Taking Stock/Getting Started: Finding Opportunities to Take Action
- Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TX)
Taking Stock/Getting Started: Finding Opportunities to Take Action Are you an individual on your campus who knows how important sustainability is, but doesn’t know what it takes to ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Social Media Engagement: How #HigherEd should #Talk2Targets
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Social media outreach goes far beyond a traditional campaign approach. While successful marketing efforts can ignite interest and raise awareness of a program, initiative or an institution itself, the true ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Philosophy, Blisters, Sustainability: Deep Thinking and Dirty Hands
- Wright State University (OH)
The typical recruiter doesn’t use a line like, roll up your sleeves, come work on our campus to entice students to select their school but with an increased emphasis ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing an Effective Peer Education Program
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
The Sustainability Peer Educator Program (SPEP) at Indiana University has recently begun training undergraduate student leaders to deliver sustainability lessons and workshops to their peers. This type of peer-to-peer learning ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How can an Academic Library support a University’s Sustainability Plan?
- Dominican University (IL)
The discussion will be facilitated by a Public Services Librarian and a Sustainability Coordinator who will outline how they are collaborating to meet the sustainability goals of the University. The ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Channel Sustainability: Applying & Sharing though Video Projects
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
How better to teach students about an interdisciplinary topic such as sustainability than by using an interdisciplinary approach to assignments? Integrating video projects and assignments in courses as well as ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Evolution of an Eco-Reps Program to Advance Institutional Goals
- Lehigh University (PA)
The Eco-Reps program at Lehigh University began in the fall of 2010 as a pilot project by environmentally-minded students. Eco-Reps started out as an informal club but quickly became a ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Case studies on behavior change and energy efficiency
- Alliance to Save Energy (CA)
Like many other areas of sustainability, energy efficiency solutions require a multifaceted approach. Retrofits and advancements in technology aren’t effective enough on their own. Behavior change strategies can be ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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There’s No Place Like A Sustainable Home: Greening Off-Campus Housing
- University of Arizona (AZ)
In the summer of 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 ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Sustainability Survey : From Data, Dialogue, and Action
- Western Michigan University (MI)
A redesigned 2014 Western Michigan University Student Sustainability Survey asked students to rank their campus sustainability priorities (e.g., renewable energy infrastructure, sustainable food systems, curriculum/program development, green buildings ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Innovative Water Collection and Filtration of Garage Contaminants
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Students for Sustainability’s (SfS) Water Committee, a program of Associated Students of the University of Arizona, focuses on water conservation and education on water related issues at the University ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bleed Orange, Act Green: Developing Student Leaders with Athletics
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Students are an essential component of sustainability initiatives within the University of Texas at Austin’s Athletics department. This team of students, the Sustainability Squad, work to create a culture ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building a Living Learning Community: Big Problems and Big Success
- University of Minnesota, Duluth (MN)
’A sustainability-themed living/learning community is a bad idea. This sort of thing has been tried before. It was a failure then, and this will be no different.’ This was ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Fostering Social Change through Action and Recognition Programs
- Western Washington University (WA)
Sustainability is often approached from economic and environmental viewpoints which, while exceptionally valid, can be restrictive when approaching a project with limited quantitative data. Through the Residents’ Resource Awareness Program ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Workers Building Sustainable Communities
- Evergreen State College, The (WA)
The Evergreen State College has a unique student worker program in its residence halls since its founding in 1971. Students work with professional staff to perform the custodial and maintenance ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Fostering Sustainable Behavior: Energy and Water Reduction Competitions
- U.S. Green Building Council (DC)
- Atrius (CA)
Excited about the idea of running an energy and/or water reduction competition on your campus, but not sure where to start? If so, this interactive workshop is for you ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond Eco-Reps: Deepening Engagement through an Effective Residential Life Partnership
- University at Albany (NY)
UAlbany’s Office of Environmental Sustainability has partnered with Residential Life to provide a communication and training channel to students as well as robust peer-to-peer education program in resident housing ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Learning for Sustainability Scotland
- Environmental Association for Universities & Colleges (EAUC) (Gloucestershire)
There is an undeniable need for a world that is sustainable: where people and communities value and are engaged with the natural environment; societies are inclusive and equitable; and a ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Energy Hog in the House: Bringing Energy Efficiency to Life
- Alliance to Save Energy (CA)
The Energy Hog program is an entertaining and extremely effective outreach tool for college students to engage interested audiences from their community on topics related to energy. For many people ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Learning by Living: The Berea College Deep Green Student Residence Experience
- Berea College (KY)
- Hellmuth + Bicknese Architects (MO)
The Berea College LEED Platinum Deep Green Residence Hall, also seeking Living Building Challenge Petal Recognition, will have over a full year of occupancy by October 2014. Residential life, facilities ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Can you Hear me Now? Metrics for Sustainability Communications
- American University (DC)
- College of Charleston (SC)
- Duke University (NC)
- Northwestern University (IL)
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- Princeton University (NJ)
Whether you are marketing an event, campaign, or simply advertising a service your office offers, tracking your communications success is essential to growing your audience and engaging your community. Every ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Implementing a Student-Led Move-Out Waste Program: UMass Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
For the last year, UMass Amherst has been partnering with a newly-formed nonprofit organization, The Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN), to launch a student-led move-out waste collection and resale program. PLAN ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Designing and Assessing Learning Outcomes in Co-curricular Sustainability Programs
- Portland State University (OR)
In recent years, co-curricular sustainability programs have been established at many higher education institutions. However, few such programs have developed learning outcomes (LOs) or assessment processes to measure the types ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Growing Community, Education, and Action through UC Berkeley’s Student Environmental Resource Center
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
The Student Environmental Resource Center (SERC) at UC Berkeley cultivates a collaborative space for strengthening the collective effectiveness of the sustainability community, and provides resources for students to actualize their ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 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.