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
FRESH to Table: A Homegrown Dining Initiative
- Boston College (MA)
FRESH is a Boston College Dining Services (BCDS) initiative that stands for Fairly traded, Regional, Equitable, Sustainable, and Healthy. With these FRESH parameters, BCDS seeks to source food and food ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Sustainable and Healthful Food Purchasing Policy at Lehigh University
- Lehigh University (PA)
This session is designed to educate sustainability staff, university business service departments, and campus dining executives on ways to incorporate healthy and sustainable food into their campus operations. This session ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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The Role of EDI Officers in Weaving Together a More Just and Sustainable World
- Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (WA)
We know that diversity expands the collective. Beyond dimensions of race, diversity must involve the holistic engagement of peoples, systems of knowledge, experiences, and ideas. Commitments to equity that live ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Empowering Community Resilience and Enhancing Student Learning with Community and Campus Dashboards
- Oberlin College (OH)
- University of Washington, Bothell (WA)
Over the last decade Oberlin College educators and students have collaborated with community members to develop Environmental Dashboard as a communications technology for promoting more vibrant, sustainability, and climate resilient ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Leveraging Social Media to Advance Sustainability
- College of Charleston (SC)
Social media is one of the best ways to engage people with sustainability. It can be a great resource, but also a great challenge. How do you know if you ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Engaging and Empowering Students With Climate Justice Programming
- Northeastern University (MA)
- Tufts University (MA)
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
Climate change is no longer about just reducing emissions or asking individuals to change their behaviors. It is about people and ensuring the voices and lives of those who have ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Enhancing Climate Change Education Through the Power of Storytelling
- Climate Stories Project (MA)
Students and members of the higher education community are feeling overwhelmed by the scale and the pace of the climate crisis but lack a forum for speaking with others about ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Integrating Sustainability into Daily Decisions: A Path to Greener Practices for Campus Partners
- Montana State University (MT)
This presentation showcases the unique benefits of the Green Cats Program at Montana State University, and helps audience members learn how to implement similar programming at their home institutions. The ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Haul It to the Hall with Redbirds
- Illinois State University (IL)
“Haul It to the Hall Program" is one of the successful environmental stewardship initiatives that play a vital role in cultivating a sustainable culture and advancing sustainability efforts at Illinois ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Zero Waste Hero: Developing a Self-Paced Certification Program for Students
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Social media, tabling events, signage , and classroom presentations….how else can we direct students to information about zero waste on campus that they can engage with and refer to throughout ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Sustainable Choices, Sustainable Futures: Empowering Students Through an Online Training
- University of Southern California (CA)
The USC Office of Sustainability launched an online Student Sustainability Training module in April 2023. The 45-minute training allows students to explore how global sustainability imperatives connect to USC’s ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Successfully Supporting Students: A Space to Share Ideas on Effectively Managing Student Workers
- Elon University (NC)
Many sustainability offices rely on student workers to help drive their overall mission through education, programming and more. What structures work well to manage these students? How do we as ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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A Relationships-First Model for Zero Waste Coalition Building
- George Washington University (DC)
Committed to reaching Zero Waste? It cannot be done alone! Achieving this ambitious milestone requires complete cooperation across all areas of an institution, especially those responsible for the greatest share ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Storytelling for Change: Imagining a more just and sustainable future
- Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (WA)
Many of the institutions we work for and/or lead are driven by their desire to make the world a better place. As communications professionals who help them tell their ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Let’s Play Carbon Crunch – A Game for Climate Action Planning
- Colorado State University (CO)
Trying to reduce your institutions carbon emissions? Play ‘Carbon Crunch’ – a game of strategy, risk, collaboration, chance, and innovation. Tasked with achieving your university's carbon reduction goals, you and ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Exploring Novel Methods of Sustainability Outreach
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
Over the past decade, the University of Maryland, College Park, Office of Sustainability established a legacy of successful outreach and engagement initiatives. Thousands of students, staff, and faculty have received ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Foundational Ethics for Peer-to-peer Education Design
- Concordia University (CA)
The urgent need for collective response to the climate crisis has increased the value of peer-to-peer education in post-secondary schools. However, strategies for implementation vary across institutions with little standardization ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Communicating Recycling’s Relevancy to the Campus Community
- Northwestern University (IL)
- Busch Systems (ON)
Before sustainability offices existed, campuses had recycling and waste reduction programs to reduce their environmental footprint. But in recent years a perception that recycling is “broken”, or worse, a greenwashing ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Composting: Simple Changes for Meaningful Impacts
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Food loss and waste are global challenges; an estimated 40% of food in the U.S. is wasted. Food waste disposal practices correlate with issues such as food insecurity, poverty ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Rewild Your Campus With the Green Grounds Certification Program
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
Re:wild Your Campus’s Green Grounds Certification offers a new pathway for schools to improve upon campus sustainability goals, reduce synthetic pesticide usage and implement organic grounds maintenance practices ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Growing Future Change Makers: Restorative Pathways for Diverse Students and the Planet
- California State University, San Marcos (CA)
For a number of years, it has been a priority to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into sustainability programs for institutions of higher education, yet colleges and universities have struggled ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Sustainability Point 0: We’re Getting Traction So What Does the Next Step Look Like?
- Dartmouth College (NH)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
For many universities, Sustainability 1.0, 2.0 and maybe 3.0 are behind us. We are starting to get traction, become main streamed, be elevated in the organizational structure ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Transforming the Future of Finance Through Student Engagement
- Bentley University (MA)
- Harvard University (MA)
- Northeastern University (MA)
- Intentional Endowments Network (MA)
This session will discuss the growth and proliferation of student-managed investment funds pursuing sustainable investing strategies, as well as the growth of sustainable investing curriculum development. Speakers will highlight examples ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Fashion Forward: Navigating the Intersection of Sustainability and Inclusivity
- Connecticut College (CT)
The deluge of donated clothing that many of us get during our move-out donation programs can be so overwhelming that many of us end up donating all or most of ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Innovations in Assessing Sustainability Competence, Culture, Literacy, and Engagement
- Santa Clara University (CA)
- University at Albany (NY)
- University of Florida (FL)
Assess the state of sustainability on your campus! Whether you wish to assess sustainability for instructional assessment or for your institution’s AASHE STARS report, this session will cover various ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Storytelling and Activism: Charting a Path to Facilitate Effective Student Advocacy
- Marquette University (WI)
- Wesleyan University (CT)
In popular discourse on college and university campuses, “activism” is often synonymous with organized marches or protests. While this form of activism is effective, it is not a one-size-fits-all tool ...
- Posted Feb. 21, 2024
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Design Thinking for Sustainable Development Education: Practical Toolkit
- AASHE (MA)
- Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design (Jerusalem)
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design’s Sustainable Development Hub and the School of Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have collaborated to create a Practical Toolkit for ...
- Posted Feb. 8, 2024
- Videos & Webinars
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AASHE Member Discount: 10% Off Sulitest TASK Change Leader Program
- Sulitest
TASK™ (The Assessment of Sustainability Knowledge), by Sulitest, is a robust assessment tool to measure the sustainability knowledge of students. It provides comparable metrics (e.g., between programs or entry- ...
- Posted Jan. 26, 2024
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BEACON® SaaS Makes Water Visible at UC Merced
- University of California, Merced (CA)
- Badger Meter (WI)
A group of staff and students form the University of California, Merced (UC Merced) in Central Valley California joined forces to dramatically cut water, energy and gas usage per student ...
- Posted Jan. 10, 2024
- Case Studies
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It’s Really Free! Patriot Packout Expands to Support George Mason University Community Members’ Basic Needs
- George Mason University (VA)
This case study focuses on George Mason University’s sustainable move-out initiative, Patriot Packout (PPO) 2023. Existing in some form (unofficial and official) since 2003, the PPO initiative was expanded ...
- Posted Dec. 7, 2023
- Case Studies
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What Is Sustainable Science, and How Can We Green Our Labs?
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- AASHE (MA)
The research and teaching conducted in university laboratories often has an outsized impact on a campus’ carbon footprint, due to the energy-intensive nature of lab air quality requirements, as well ...
- Posted Nov. 9, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Management of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) in Higher Education: LGBTIQ+ in Higher Education
- Mahidol University (Bangkok)
In this project, we examine life experiences and ideas from delegates who have contributed to theDE&I policies and practices in the Thai education and business sectors. Three rounds of groupdiscussions ...
- Posted Nov. 6, 2023
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Building the Equity Loop: From Campus Move Out to Community Action
- Lafayette College (PA)
- AASHE (MA)
As outlined in the Climate Action Plan, Lafayette is committed to achieving a 40% diversion of waste to landfill by 2030 and a 60% diversion rate by 2035. Green Move ...
- Posted Oct. 26, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Catalyzing Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education Ecosystems
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)
- AASHE (MA)
According to a recent Nielsen study, ~54% of Gen Z want to be entrepreneurs. Colleges and universities have taken note and are proactively tailoring their program offerings to meet the ...
- Posted Oct. 13, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Rewild Your Campus with the Green Grounds Certification
- Seattle University (WA)
- University of Northern Iowa (IA)
- AASHE (MA)
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
- PJC Organic (MA)
Re:wild Your Campus’s Green Grounds Certification offers a new pathway for schools to reduce synthetic pesticide usage and implement organic grounds maintenance practices. This webinar will guide participants ...
- Posted Sept. 29, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Clean Campus, Clean Planet: Solutions for Reducing Toxic Cleaning Chemicals on Campus
- Stanford University (CA)
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
- AASHE (MA)
- Tersano Inc. (ON)
- The Ashkin Group (CA)
- Elk Grove Unified School District (CA)
The way we clean is often overlooked when exploring sustainable solutions on campus. However, research reveals that the health, environmental, and financial impacts of the traditional chemicals we use are ...
- Posted Sept. 21, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Webinar: CSA as a Benefit: Cultivating Sustainability and Improving Health
- University of Kentucky (KY)
- AASHE (MA)
- Organic Association of Kentucky (KY)
Colleges and universities have unique resources and infrastructures that allow them to develop, pilot, and study replicable employee benefits programs that fulfill Sustainability and Wellness goals. Additionally, innovations by colleges ...
- Posted Sept. 14, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Reusable Goods Used at Student Run Coffee Shop
- Tufts University (MA)
The Sink, a student-run coffee shop, implements reusable dishware and fair trade coffee when serving beverages at the Tufts University campus center.
- Posted Sept. 7, 2023
- Photographs
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Photos of Brandeis' Year of Climate Action
- Brandeis University (MA)
For supporting the SCI 2023 publication, photos of Brandeis' Year of Climate Action
- Posted Sept. 3, 2023
- Photographs
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Closing the Sustainability Skills Gap,
- Cornell University (NY)
Submitting these images for blurb going into the SCI : Please submit one or more images for consideration by Friday, September 1 to AASHE’s Campus Sustainability Hub by following the ...
- Posted Sept. 2, 2023
- Photographs
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Learning About Metal Recycling
- University of Southern California (CA)
Students from the USC Dornsife Environmental Studies program visited the SA Recycling center located on Terminal Island in San Pedro. The students toured the facility and learned about the entire ...
- Posted Sept. 2, 2023
- Photographs
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Western Michigan University Bronco Challenge for Sustainable Impact
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Full outcome, story: https://wmich.edu/news/2023/05/71723
- Posted Sept. 2, 2023
- Photographs
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Ola Niuhelewai
- University of Hawaii Honolulu Community College (HI)
“Ola Niuhelewai!” Niuhelewai Lives! Ola Niuhelewai is a five-year project (10/1/2020 to 9/30/2025) entirely funded by a U.S. DOE Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions ...
- Posted Aug. 31, 2023
- Photographs
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SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (NY)
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
- Posted Aug. 31, 2023
- Photographs
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Campus Sustainability’s Secret Sauce – Athletes
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- AASHE (MA)
- Switch4Good inc. (CA)
- Food System Innovations (CA)
Athletics teams can be sustainability’s secret sauce. College athletes are often treated like celebrities, making them powerful influencers for catalyzing campus-wide change and rallying enthusiasm for bold sustainability initiatives ...
- Posted Aug. 31, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Sustainable Food Production at Yale
- Yale University (CT)
Yale is being recognized as a Top Performer in the category of Diversity & Affordability in the 2023 SCI.
- Posted Aug. 30, 2023
- Photographs
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Honolulu Community College: SCI 2023
- University of Hawaii Honolulu Community College (HI)
Student success and wellbeing initiative - Funded by a US Department of Education grant through 2025, the Ola Niuhelewai Program at University of Hawaii Honolulu Community College aims to increase Native ...
- Posted Aug. 30, 2023
- Photographs
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University of New Hampshire - 2023 Sustainable Campus Index
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
Sustainability fellowship - The Sustainability Fellowship at University of New Hampshire pairs undergraduate students and post-baccalaureates (grad students and recent grads) from UNH and universities across the United States with municipal ...
- Posted Aug. 29, 2023
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John Brong Planting Day at CCU
- Coastal Carolina University (SC)
Each year, the CCU community will comes together for a day of service to honor the life of the late John Brong, who served as the CCU greenhouse manager for ...
- Posted Aug. 29, 2023
- Photographs
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Zero Waste Football (Horizontal and Vertical Image)
- Coastal Carolina University (SC)
Every Chanticleer home football game is a zero-waste initiative. The goal of this effort is to divert as much waste as possible from each CCU home football game. We do ...
- Posted Aug. 29, 2023
- Photographs
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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.