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
How to Partner with Students to Propose, Fund, and Operate a Successful Campus Sustainability Resource Center
- University of California, San Diego (CA)
UC San Diego successfully partnered with students to propose and build its first campus Sustainability Resource Center (SRC) in 2009 which has become the ultimate one-stop shop for all things ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A New Collaborative Model for Student Leadership in Sustainability
- University of Michigan (MI)
Students play a major role in the campus sustainability movement, often having a more powerful voice than the faculty or staff. It is therefore crucial to ensure that students are ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students Step Up Sustainability in Minnesota's Cities: the Green Step Cities Project
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Students from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities create sustainability plans and actions in Minnesota as part of the Sustainability Studies Minor capstone course. With faculty direction, students work on city ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Reboot-Fun and Engaging Online Sustainability Game
- University of Missouri (MO)
REBOOT is a mobile/online game for sustainability education and action created by the MU Sustainability Office and multiple partners. REBOOT is a high-tech scavenger hunt that for ten weeks ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Overcoming Silos in Student Activism
- University of Oregon (OR)
How do students break isolation between campus activists to create authentic and affective collaboration? Our university houses 106 student groups, each focused on a unique issue. Yet even with such ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Starting a Green Dorm Room Certification Program
- University of South Carolina (SC)
This presentation will describe how our EcoReps program created and now runs a green dorm room certification program. Based off of the many green office certification programs, this is one ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Promoting Sustainability Programs with Technology: A Self-guided Sustainability Tour for the Digital Age
- University of Southern California (CA)
Promoting campus sustainability programs is difficult on a campus where traditionally, sustainability has not been the highest priority and there are several other initiatives competing for attention.
The office of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How to Create a Student Sustainability Office at Your University
- Utah State University (UT)
Universities across the nation are looking into renewable-funding initiatives to support their efforts to be more sustainable. Utah State University's (USU) Blue Goes Green initiative's success has set ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Laboratory Fume Hood Campaigns: Students Educating Staff to Save Energy
- Alliance to Save Energy (CA)
Students are valuable campus leaders and effective advocates for energy savings on campus, including in unique locations like scientific laboratories. By spearheading lab fume hood campaigns and/or competitions, students ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Green First Year Experience: A Holistic Approach to Learning about Sustainability
- Appalachian State University (NC)
During this presentation a sustainability themed first year experience model is described as a way to provide transformational learning opportunities. Students who participate in this model live together in a ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability On a Rooftop: Dining, Operations and Academics Unite
- Bowling Green State University (OH)
The Green Roof at the newest campus dining center was collaborative in design/construction and continues to be a living example of successful campus partnerships in sustainability. The green roof ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Campus Re-Store Comes Into Its Own: Sustainability Meets Entrepreneurship
- Bowling Green State University (OH)
The university's Re-Use store makes variety of items available to students in a unique retail format based on the sustainable theme of re-use and resource conservation. Items are available ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating Sustainable Dining Options: Barriers and Hopeful Solutions for Feeding Hungry Students
- College of Charleston (SC)
The presenters share their experience with analyzing the College of Charleston's (SC) current student dining options. Currently there is minimal institutional and contractural support for sustainable dining options, such ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Seeing the Campus Through the Trees: Transforming Campus Sustainability Through the Tree Campus USA Program
- Denison University (OH)
Most everyone agrees that trees are an integral part of any college campus. Trees can be a common unifier among campus stakeholders and a springboard to promote campus sustainability initiatives ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Empowering Students to Build a Pipeline of Sustainable Solutions
- Focus the Nation (OR)
This session will examine successful strategies to meaningfully engage students that harnesses their youthful idealism in a pragmatic way, promotes campus and community sustainability goals, and develops the skills they ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Framing your Focus: Networking to Increase Impact
- Focus the Nation (OR)
This networking session will guide participants in assessing what resources are available on their campus and in their community to help establish a project or to increase impact of an ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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It IS Easy Being Green: Promoting Campus Sustainability as a Student Leader
- Grand Valley State University (MI)
There are three components to the Triple Bottom Line: environmental, social and economic. When separated, they are just that, but when these three components are equally emphasized, sustainable transformation for ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Introducing Sustainable Practices Into a Reluctant Environment: A Case Study of a University Library
- Lehigh University (PA)
The challenge on any University campus is too change the often headstrong mindsets of both students as well as staff when it comes to issues of sustainability. Some institutions have ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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LEED Education Credit; Bridging the Gap between Design and Performance
- Lewis & Clark College (OR)
In Fall 2011 Lewis & Clark began building a new residence hall that would continue its commitment to green living. The project's goal is to ultimately increase student awareness ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Transitioning to Green: Implementing a Comprehensive Environmental Sustainability Initiative on a University Campus
- Loyola Marymount University (CA)
Environmental sustainability has become increasingly relevant to institutions of higher education. However, change in higher education is described by scholars as slow and difficult. This makes it complicated to effectively ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating and Maintaining a Sustainability Student Worker Network
- Macalester College (MN)
The initiative for sustainability at Macalester College took an unusual institutional turn in 2008, with the formation of the original Sustainability Student Worker Network. The Network is a working group ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Communicating Successes
- Media Institute for Social Change (OR)
This session provides ideas and strategies for communicating successful sustainability programs, and features winning short films produced by college students about what their communities or campuses are doing for sustainability ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Sustainability Film Festival: Winning Entries
- Media Institute for Social Change (OR)
This session features winning short films produced by college students about what their communities or campuses are doing for sustainability-and also provides guidelines and sample curriculum to help students, instructors ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Lost in Translation: The transfer of Climate Change knowledge into sustainable behaviour among the students at the University of Auckland
- Monash University (VIC)
Behaviour change has been identified broadly as a function of how people perceive particular issues based on their interests, values and norms. As such, the notion of framing issues has ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Questions? Network With Your Peers to Find Solutions to Your Biggest Challenges at Your Institution
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
Are there topics you want to dive a little deeper into? This session will harness the collective knowledge of the participants to help solve some pressing campus sustainability student initiatives ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Activism that Pays: How Student Social Entrepreneurship Can Revitalize Your Campus
- New York University (NY)
Student clubs and organizations can be a useful platform for getting students involved, but is this traditional model of engagement limiting student capacity? This workshop, aimed at students and sustainability ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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SustaiNAITability
- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (AB)
As members of a Bachelor of Technology in Technology Management capstone applied research team, we were able to establish NAIT as the first member of Polytechnics Canada to receive a ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating a Culture of Sustainable Living in Our Residence Halls
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
This poster describes two pilot programs that were implemented during the 2011-2012 academic year. The programs were funded through a university program that provides grants to graduate and undergraduate students ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Environmental Caucus: Connecting Students, Faculty and Staff Across Disciplines and Departments
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
The mission of the Environmental Caucus is to facilitate creative and strategic communication across campus to advance the institutional commitment to sustainability and to promote education, research, and collaboration on ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Sustainability at Northern Arizona University: Creating Relationships Between Grassroots and Institutional Leadership
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
Many environmental student groups in higher education have to work within the parameters of any other student group on campus. This can often be difficult when advocating for a full ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Green Student Centers' Influence on the Campus Environment
- Old Dominion University (VA)
Green building and design is an emerging trend in institutions of higher education. It is important to consider the practices and expectations of the users of green buildings. The attitudes ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Free Sustainability! From Theory to Action in the Poverty Class
- Portland Community College (OR)
Sustainability has become one of our cultures most popular virtues. Often sustainability is seen as something to be purchased whether it's higher priced organic vegetables or a carbon offset ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Eco Reps and Leadership Development
- Portland State University (OR)
Leadership development is taken to new depths when participants have an active and inclusive relationship with their program and its purpose. At [University], the Eco Rep program strives to go ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable University IdeaLab: Engaging Students Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
Universities have big budgets, big energy bills, and large carbon and waste footprints. They also waste a major resource: large numbers of students with great entrepreneurial, technological, and innovative potential ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Institutionalizing student involvement: how one not-profit focuses and develops the leadership capacity of students in the campus sustainability movement.
- Simon Fraser University (BC)
One of the most important factors in achieving campus sustainability is the engagement of the student population. For many staff and faculty, and even students, this can be a challenging ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Learning Within the Student Recreation Center: A USGBC Research to Practice Project
- Sonoma State University (CA)
A small group of undergraduate students came together to participate in the US Green Building Council's Research to Practice pilot program. They chose to engage in a study of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Socially Just Sustainable Office Certification Program
- Texas A&M University (TX)
Planning an office certification that encompasses all aspects of sustainability can be achieved with careful planning. It can actively engage faculty and staff to be more aware of sustainable practices ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students as Key Stakeholders in Advancing Sustainability in Higher Education
- Thompson Rivers University (BC)
This research project attempted to gauge the "culture of sustainability" among students at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and to determine whether students are key stakeholders in advancing sustainability by contributing ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using Student Engagement to Drive AASHE STARS
- University at Buffalo (NY)
Our University, like many other institutions of higher education has engaged in AASHE STARS. During the Spring 2012 semester, our institution piloted a unique approach to gathering the massive amount ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Clicking Towards Campus Sustainability: Creating an Integrated University-Wide Sustainability Portal
- University at Buffalo (NY)
These days, there are countless ways to get the information we want, and even some that we don't! In an age of information overload, having a single point of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Eco-Reps: The Unpaid Alternative
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Eco-Rep programs are not uncommon. However, many of these positions are paid, necessitating often large amounts of funding before the program can begin. Unable to secure this funding, our university ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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WORK Bright Green-Building a Community Through Staff Sustainability Training
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
This session will share the recent experience of offering the first ever staff training on campus sustainability in an effort to expand the environmental community and stewardship efforts. The presentation ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Compost Initative
- University of California, Riverside (CA)
Correct post-consumer waste placement is often overlooked in many sustainable, waste diversion efforts undertaken by Universities. It is usually harder to collect because it is up to the person throwing ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bringing Your Green Fund to the Next Level: Creating Tomorrow's Leaders Through Student-Driven Internal Growth and Leadership Development
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
Campus Green Funds are a necessary component for any college campus striving towards sustainability goals, though few realize its full potential. Since its inception in 1999, the student organization, Associated ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Institute on the Environment Shorts: Answers to "Big Questions"
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
Four short, animated videos illustrate critical research done by researchers at the Institute on the Environment (IonE) at the University of Minnesota. These videos address "Big Questions"" related to global ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Games at UNC-Chapel Hill: An Innovative Approach to Engaging Students in Peer Education
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
Green Games is an environmental competition among the residence halls at UNC-Chapel Hill. Since its inception in 1994, Green Games has evolved into an active and engaging tool for promoting ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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University of North Florida Commuter Preferences Survey of a Commuter Institution
- University of North Florida (FL)
The University of North Florida's Environmental Center survey of students, faculty and staff regarding their commuting preferences when traveling to and from campus. The process of developing the survey ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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University Green Fund: Mobilizing the University Community Towards Sustainability
- University of Northern British Columbia (BC)
In the two years since its creation, the UNBC Green Fund has proven to be successful at mobilizing different university groups into action. The University of Northern British Columbia Green ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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More Than Just a "Green Building": How the Green Quad Has Become a Leader in Faculty, Staff, Student, and Community Collaboration
- Clemson University (SC)
The University of South Carolina's Green Quad was one of the early pioneers that raised everyone's awareness regarding sustainability and green issues in the Southeast. Today, the Green ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Leadership: Engaging and Supporting Civic Leaders Through Campus Sustainability Programming
- University of South Carolina (SC)
Campus sustainability organizations can be an important avenue for student leadership development. Sustainable Carolina, the umbrella sustainability organization at the University of South Carolina, is a non-hierarchical organization focused on ...
- 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.