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
Continuous Improvement: Restructuring Western Michigan University’s Office for Sustainability Internships to Facilitate Greater Comprehensive Success
- Western Michigan University (MI)
In an effort to be more relevant and more resilient, the WMU Office for Sustainability is adapting their internship program protocol and process to ensure greater success for the students ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond Operations: Collaborating Across Campus to Change Food Culture
- Williams College (MA)
Effect culture change on campus with sustainable food programming. Learn how the Williams College Sustainable Food & Agriculture Program introduces diverse student organizations, campus offices, and academic departments to sustainable ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Greening the Team: Enhancing the Sustainability of Collegiate Athletic Facilities
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- University of Southern California (CA)
- Green Sports Alliance (OR)
- Natural Resources Defense Council (DC)
Athletic facilities are often the centerpieces of higher education campuses, where people come together and school spirit is built. They are also venues offering vast opportunities for positive impact on ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating a Sustainable Campus Culture through Student Engagement: Capitalizing on Living-Learning Communities and Creative Inquiry Teams
- Clemson University (SC)
- University of South Carolina (SC)
The Leading and Innovating for Our Environment and Future (LIEF) program is a movement on Clemson University's campus to cultivate a culture of sustainability. Students, faculty, and staff are ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Endowment Transparency at Duke: a Qualitative Analysis of Effects on Environmental Sustainability and Assessment of Strategies
- Duke University (NC)
The transparency of a university's endowment affects the responsibility of its investment decisions. After researching Duke University's endowment and examining numerous protests against Duke's irresponsible investments, I ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating EcoHouse: A Student Driven Approach to Sustainability and Social Justice
- State University of New York at Geneseo (NY)
This poster discusses residential living as a venue for learning and community engagement in sustainability and social justice. At our small, rural, public liberal arts college, education extends beyond the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Guts, Focus and Endurance: When the Energy Future Calls, What Role Will You Play and How Will You Avoid Burnout?
- Focus the Nation (OR)
Changing our country's energy story is hard work. How we extract and use energy is extraordinarily complex, interwoven into every person's life, and embedded in every aspect of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Evaluating an On-Campus Farmers Market
- Berklee College of Music (MA)
You can change all the light bulbs that you want, but no one will notice except to complain about the fluorescents. On the other hand, a farmers market is a ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Eco-Reps' Sister Organization: Including Social Justice Peer Educators on Your Campus
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Research shows peer education is one of the most effective ways to reach students today. Many campuses host an Eco-Rep program, often as paid positions. These programs tend to focus ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Guide to Getting Your Hands Dirty: How Campus Green Spaces Promote Real World Problem Solving
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Green spaces on campus create opportunities for direct, participatory, interdisciplinary learning. They can include student gardens, campus garden-boxes, native landscape installations, greenhouses and even indoor displays. A number of student-led ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Changing the Campus Culture through Engagement
- Boston University (MA)
Many sustainability programs can only be successful with the participation of our entire campus community. Sustainability outreach and awareness projects have increased exponentially since the beginning of our program in ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students Making a Difference at a Community College: One year after our first AASHE Conference
- College of Lake County (IL)
In 2011, four community college student leaders were sponsored to attend their first AASHE conference. For many of them, this was their first exposure to their college's sustainability efforts ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Involvement in Revolving Loan Funds: A Case Study
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
The University of Illinois Champaign Urbana has the largest student-funded green fee pool in the nation. The funds from this fee are allocated by an appointed committee of ten students ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Sustainable City Year Program: A Radically Simple Way to Change Campus and Community
- University of Oregon (OR)
The Sustainable Cities Initiative (SCI) at the University of Oregon (USA) is a multi-disciplinary, collaborative effort to radically alter the function of a University to meet the sustainability challenges of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Education and Student Learning at the University of British Columbia
- H&A Columbus-UBC
Sustainability and student learning are key commitments of the University of British Columbia's (UBC) Place and Promise plan, with UBC's Sustainability Academic Strategy expressing the goal that every ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Leaving a Legacy: Moving From Implementation to Integration of Student Run Projects
- University of Florida (FL)
- Better World Books (GA)
Too often our student initiated projects fizzle out when we graduate or pass the torch to another. Not only can this be prevented but also many of these projects can ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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From Start to Finish (And Then Some): Collaborative Event Planning for Successful and Sustainable Projects
- Santa Clara University (CA)
Have you ever gotten really excited about a campaign only to have it fizzle-out due to lack of awareness? Have you had a great idea but got stuck because you ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Farmers' Market: An Innovative Partnership Approach to Building Consensus and Gaining Approval
- Purdue University (IN)
A successful farmers' market on campus provides access to local, healthy food, connects the campus to the local community and the regional landscape, and teaches students about where their food ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Cup: The Greek Energy Saving Competition
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
Energy saving outreach efforts focused in the residence halls, such as an energy-saving competition between residence halls are effective because they can reach a concentrated student population. Unfortunately, students who ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaging Fellow Students in the Less Glamorous Components of Campus Sustainability Work: University of Michigan Campus Farm Implementation Case Study
- University of Michigan (MI)
When students at the University of Michigan are asked if they would like to help start a campus farm that will grow sustainable food for the University, they oftentimes get ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Living and Learning Communities: Developing Sustainability Leaders Through Residential Programming
- Temple University (PA)
This session will provide a case study of how a university can develop leaders in the campus sustainability movement through an innovative partnership between Residential Life, the Provost and the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Financing Large-Scale PV for a College or University
- Appalachian State University (NC)
How can students bring about a desired change in the energy source profile of their college? How can a university student group help their school take advantage of government incentives ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting the Word Out
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
Universities do a great job of educating their students in their chosen fields of study. Why is it then that it can be such a challenge to educate students, faculty ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Fostering Sustainable Behaviour Through Energy and Water Reduction Competitions: Best Practices from Campus Conservation Nationals 2012
- Bowling Green State University (OH)
- Elon University (NC)
- Atrius (CA)
During fall of 2010 and spring of 2012 hundreds of colleges and universities participated in Campus Conservation Nationals, an electricity and water use reduction competition in residential housing. The goals ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students Collaborating and Organizing Opportunities and Projects for Sustainability (SCOOPS): Supporting student leaders, fostering collaboration, enhancing events, preventing burn-out
- Santa Clara University (CA)
Oftentimes student leaders have a lot of great ideas and want to do them all, but can't do it alone! Sustainability also is personal sustainability: people over-commit and get ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Leadership Programs: An Assessment of Paradigms and Methods
- University of Michigan (MI)
Academic programs purporting to create "sustainability leaders" are emerging at institutions of higher education across the U.S. and world. Designed to capitalize on student interest and professional development needs ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Campus Sustainability Cultural Indicators Project: Focus Groups Results
- University of Michigan (MI)
The University of Michigan is undertaking an ambitious project to identify, track and improve cultural indicators of sustainability on campus. The goal is to assess and find leverage points to ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Social Sustainability Month: Creating Campus-wide Networks to Build a More Holistic Sustainability Movement
- Portland State University (OR)
By institutionalizing an annual designated time for dialogue between students, staff, faculty, and community, projects like Social Sustainability Month (SSM) can increase capacity for university collaboration and partnerships. This session ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Turn Your Dorm into a 'Super Dorm'!
- New York University (NY)
Student residence halls have a unique ecological and cost footprint within most Universities. As a result, taking advantage of the many options to improve environmental performance in dorms can save ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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USGBC Students: An Untapped Resource
- University of California, San Diego (CA)
USGBC Center of Green Schools Mission: Green Schools for everyone within this generation. Students and staff at UC San Diego have proven that engaging the emerging generation in this mission ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building Alumni Engagement in Campus Sustainability Initiatives
- Yale University (CT)
As stated on the front cover of its Sustainability Strategic Plan, "Success depends on the active contribution of every member of the Yale community." The Yale Office of Sustainability prioritizes ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing Active and Engaged Student-Citizens Through Residential Learning Communities
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
The goals of our university's strategic plan include preparing students to contribute to the environmental, economic, social, and cultural vitality of our communities and for global citizenship through both ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using Pilot Programs to Maximize Effectiveness and to Increase Student Participation and Buy-In
- University of Denver (CO)
"Ready, Fire, Aim!" Come to this session to learn ideas for developing pilot programs that will help you quickly, easily, and efficiently make the best programming, purchasing, and facilities-improvement decisions ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Ball State Energy Action Team: The Initiatives of a Sustainable Group and its Future Endeavors
- Ball State University (IN)
The Ball State Energy Action Team is a student-led group aimed at increasing awareness of Energy use, Sustainability Practices, and Living Practices at Ball State University. We aim to create ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Bike as a Didactic Tool
- The New School (NY)
At The New School the bicycle does more than bring people to campus; it is a pedagogic device to both the benefit of the student and the institution. Parsons The ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Sustainable Village at UAF: A Student Driven and Focused Program
- University of Alaska Fairbanks (AK)
What happens when building industry research leaders partner with college students to design and build a sustainable community on a college campus? A dynamic, first of its kind, evolving community- ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bridging the Gaps Between Student Affairs and Sustainability Professionals
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
- Ohio University (OH)
Many sustainability professionals are asked to expertly navigate student engagement despite a lack of formal training in student affairs. Management of such efforts can become frustrating; leading to poorly attended ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students Leading the Campus Climate Movement: Tackling Challenges and Engaging Possibilities
- Second Nature (MA)
Students aren't just organizing events or acting as sustainability interns in the campus sustainability movement - they are leading the climate leadership revolution through regional organizing, collaboration with faculty, staff ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students and Food Security in the North: UNBC's Dome Greenhouse
- University of Northern British Columbia (BC)
Northern climates present major food security challenges, but students at the University of Northern British Columbia are eager to overcome these barriers in creative and effective ways. UNBC, "Canada's ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating an Interactive Campus Sustainability Map
- University of California, Davis (CA)
Most campuses look for ways to communicate what they are doing to make their campuses more sustainable. This abstract argues that a key piece of a sustainability communications strategy is ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Utilizing Student Engagement for a Startup Composting Program
- University of South Carolina (SC)
Over the course of the 2011-2012 academic year, the University of South Carolina has engaged its students in a campus-wide composting project which has become a proven example of student ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing an Authentic Undergraduate Sustainability Experience: Connecting Curriculum and Campus
- Portland State University (OR)
While initiatives to "green" campuses have increased within campus operations, curricular innovations for sustainability have lagged behind. [University] has made integration of sustainability across its academic programs an institutional priority ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Advantages and Challenges of Incorporating Greek Life into an Eco-Rep Program
- Lehigh University (PA)
Lehigh University's Greek Eco-Rep Program was established in Fall 2011, after the incorporation of sustainability into Greek accreditation requirements, and alongside an expanded Residential Eco-Rep Program which began Fall ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Empowering Ecoliteracy: A Transformative Art & Design Education Bridges Academics, Operations, and Facilities
- The New School (NY)
Parsons The New School for Design in New York City has approached sustainability holistically to engage students - shaping how they work, study, and participate in the material world - while also ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Chandler Gilbert Community College Environmental Technology Center: An Authentic Model for Sustainability Education
- Chandler-Gilbert Community College (AZ)
This paper will reflect on a transformational vision of sustainability that was implemented at community college in the Southwest. The transformational process involved the development of an interdisciplinary academic certificate ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Facilitating Sustainability Conversations on Campus: Challenges and Successes of a Sustainability and Civic Engagement Book Group
- University of Minnesota, Duluth (MN)
During the fall 2011 semester, thirty university faculty, staff and students gathered to share ideas about sustainability on campus. Discussions were structured by the book The Sustainable Learning Community: One ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Free Bikes For Students: UAF Green Bikes
- University of Alaska Fairbanks (AK)
Ever biked at -40ºF? Students in Alaska do! UAF Green Bikes program strives to make UAF a more enjoyable place to study, work and live by increasing sustainable transportation, student ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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First-Year Students as Agents of Campus Change
- Hartwick College (NY)
In academia, sustainability offers structured and spontaneous opportunities for the curriculum to infiltrate campus operations, student life, and the regional community. Since 2008, I have been teaching a first-year seminar ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Honors Society for Sustainability: Student Initiative Catalyzing Sustainable Change
- Arizona State University (AZ)
A group of high-achieving sustainability students at ASU recognized the need for an outlet to discuss their ideas and connect with other like-minded individuals in order to achieve sustainable change ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Student-Governed Sustainability Project Fund at The University of British Columbia: Increasing Engagement on Sustainability
- University of British Columbia (BC)
In September 2011 a team of students and university administration members at a large institution began allocating over $100,000 annually to student sustainability projects. This fund was founded and ...
- 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.