Coordination & Planning
Introduction
Staff and other resources help an institution organize, implement, and publicize sustainability initiatives. These resources provide the infrastructure that fosters sustainability within an institution. Sustainability planning affords an institution the opportunity to clarify its vision of a sustainable future, establish priorities and help guide budgeting and decision making.
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Internationalisation of Higher Education and Climate Change: A Cognitive Dissonance Perspective
- San Diego State University (CA)
- Ghent University
- Eastern Institute of Technology
This article applies cognitive dissonance theory to the internationalisation of higher education sector to comment on tensions experienced by practitioners associated with their work's climate impact. The existing literature and …
- Posted June 15, 2023
- Publications
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The American University of Sharjah Sustainability Team
- American University of Sharjah
left to right Julia Carlow- Acting Head of AUS Sustainability Sahar Ibrahim- Sustainability Coordinator Nathalie Curabba- Sustainability Coordinator Rose Armour- Head of AUS Sustainability- Seconded to the Climate Envoy
- Posted June 14, 2023
- Photographs
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Hopkins Office of Sustainability Retreating Into Nature
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
The Johns Hopkins Office of Sustainability staff held their staff retreat at a local arboretum reflecting on the past year, setting team and individual goals for the next 5 years, …
- Posted June 14, 2023
- Photographs
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Endicott College Sustainability Office 2022-2023
- Endicott College (MA)
Endicott College full-time Director and Coordinator (far right, far left respectively) with 2022-2023 student staff.
- Posted June 7, 2023
- Photographs
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Ohio State's Composting Expansion
- The Ohio State University (OH)
Ohio State’s Compost Program Expansion led by Facilities, Operations, and Development (FOD), in collaboration with Student Life, Athletics, Wexner Medical Center, the Sustainability Institute, and many student groups, enabled the …
- Posted May 31, 2023
- Case Studies
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Boston University Center for Computing & Data Sciences
- Boston University (MA)
Boston University’s Center for Computing & Data Sciences is the University’s largest [academic building] addition to the Charles River Campus in 50 years and its most sustainable building to date. …
- Posted May 31, 2023
- Case Studies
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Duke University Climate Commitment
- Duke University (NC)
As Duke University enters its second century, President Vincent Price has directed the University to marshal its collective resources and capabilities to address the climate crisis. Stemming from President Price’s …
- Posted May 31, 2023
- Case Studies
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Brandeis University’s Year of Climate Action
- Brandeis University (MA)
In 2019, a task force set out to write a new climate action plan for the university. Among its recommendations was to dedicate an entire year to catalyzing and deepening …
- Posted May 31, 2023
- Case Studies
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Equity and Justice Working Group- Tufts Eco Reps
- Tufts University (MA)
I implemented an Equity and Justice Working Group (EJWG) within the Tufts Eco Rep program Fall 2022 with the goal to integrate DEIJ principles into the core of the Eco …
- Posted May 31, 2023
- Case Studies
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WSU Office of Campus Sustainability
- Wayne State University (MI)
The Office of Campus Sustainability holds around 25 engagement events throughout the year and reaches around 350 students and countless community members. Each of the student leaders within the Office …
- Posted May 31, 2023
- Case Studies
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Student-Led Organic Pilot Project at Emory University
- Emory University (GA)
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
Emory University, in partnership with Re:wild Your Campus, launched an organic pilot program to transition the campus away from synthetic weed-killers and towards organic land management. The Emory student leaders …
- Posted May 31, 2023
- Case Studies
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Ameresco leads partnership in establishing Colorado’s largest of its kind battery energy storage system complex at Colorado Mountain College
- Colorado Mountain College (CO)
- Ameresco, Inc. (MA)
As the largest installation of its kind in Colorado, completed in September 2022, the combined solar and battery work furthers HCE’s goal of increasing the clean energy sources it provides …
- Posted May 31, 2023
- Case Studies
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Campus Zero Waste Program: Toward a Better Understanding of Zero Waste Program Success
- University of Florida (FL)
This research is a part of my dissertation and I have used AASHE Data to look into Zero Waste programs in HEIs
- Posted May 31, 2023
- Publications
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UBC’s Sustainability Open Data: Research, Learning and Operations
- University of British Columbia (BC)
- AASHE (MA)
The Sustainability Hub – a central unit at UBC focused on collaboration – have created a new open data platform to share sustainability performance metrics, increase transparency, support teaching, learning, …
- Posted May 25, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Differential Vulnerability to Extreme Heat Events Among the UC Campuses: A quantitative analysis of social vulnerability to extreme heat in communities surrounding UC Campuses
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
- University of California, Davis (CA)
Extreme heat events are becoming more frequent, intense, and longer as a result of global climate change. Individual characteristics and conditions amplify exposure and impact of extreme heat events. I …
- Posted May 24, 2023
- Publications
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KAUST SDG Highlight Report 2021/2022
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Makkah)
The KAUST SDG Highlight Report 2021 & 2022 features major projects, programs, and initiatives that have been set up or have been continuously running at KAUST across three broad categories: …
- Posted May 18, 2023
- Publications
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A 6 step strategy to run measurable zero waste campaigns
- Zabble (CA)
Instead of conducting one-time or infrequent waste audits, we will share an alternative paradigm to reach concrete milestones towards your institution's zero waste journey. We will share best practices with …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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State of the Association
- AASHE (MA)
This is AASHE's annual member meeting where you can hear from AASHE leadership on highlights of the year, plans for the future, and ask questions of the board and staff. …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Organizing for a Sustainable Athletics Rating System
- Texas A&M University (TX)
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- University of Southern California (CA)
- Honeycomb Strategies (CO)
In recent years, collegiate athletic programs have implemented a wide variety of sustainability initiatives. These initiatives include zero waste and carbon neutral games, fan outreach and education, LEED-certified stadiums and …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Regional Decarbonization Framework (RDF) - Integrated Long-Term Planning from San Diego County
- San Diego County (CA)
The global scientific consensus is unequivocal: the world is in the midst of a climate crisis and our window to meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions is closing. In order to …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Divestment and its Effects on Enrollment: A Win-Win?
- University of the Incarnate Word (TX)
In the burgeoning field of research on university divestment campaigns, much has been written about the motivations, validity, and outcomes of divestment movements at campuses in North America and the …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Hemispheric University Consortium Campus Sustainability Initiative
- University of Miami (FL)
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito - USFQ (Pichincha)
We will present data gathered from the working groups experience in applying STARS in their respective campus. Real life pictures and short testimonials will give a taste to the audience …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainability Reporting in HEIs in Latin America: Lessons Learned From the Equator
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito - USFQ (Pichincha)
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have become actively engaged in assessing, addressing and implementing practices to drive sustainability solutions within the academic and research communities and with external stakeholders. Sustainability research …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Making the Case: Raise Funds, Cultivate Donors, & Position Sustainability as a Strategic Priority
- Stanford University (CA)
- Swarthmore College (PA)
Want to raise money for sustainability?! Come learn how to partner effectively with advancement officers to “make the case” to raise funds for sustainability at colleges and universities. Learn about …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Creating Institutional Change for Social and Environmental Justice
- Saint Joseph's College - ME (ME)
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
- University of the Fraser Valley (BC)
Academics and observers have for decades called for holistic conceptions of higher education for sustainable development, environmental education, and related ideas, that go beyond relatively narrow projects of “greening their …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Supporting Roles for STARS: Regional Campus Libraries in Sustainability Initiatives
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
- Indiana University Southeast (IN)
- EcoChallenge.org (OR)
Academic libraries are rich storehouses of expertise and initiatives that directly contribute to sustainability initiatives impacting both your campus and local service communities. These initiatives also contribute to ongoing reporting …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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STARS Town Hall
- California State University, Chancellor's Office (CA)
- AASHE (MA)
The STARS Town Hall provides an opportunity to learn about the development of the next version of STARS (v3.0) and provide feedback on the program.
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainability as an Office of One
- California State University, Channel Islands (CA)
- University of Louisville (KY)
Drawing on participant discussions from the past two years of live GCSHE Networking & Discussion Sessions, the presenters will provide an overview of best practices to overcome common challenges faced …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Institutional Change Through Guiding Principles and Honors College Vision
- Virginia Wesleyan University (VA)
Over the last ten years, the environment and sustainability have become major focal areas of Virginia Wesleyan University's curriculum, operations, and identity. In the last 3 years, Virginia Wesleyan University …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Shooting for the STARS in Australasia and Helping Improve Global Application
- University of Queensland (QLD)
- University of Tasmania (TAS)
Three Australasian universities recently submitted their first STARS report, each achieving a Silver rating after many lessons learned as new participants in the self-reporting framework. Each university is now working …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Does University Sustainability Affect Performance in Private Universities in Medellín?
- Universidad de Medellin
- Universidad EIA
The current context presents sustainability as a generalized concern of society, specifically the business sector, governments, and academia. For the specific case of universities, sustainability has been approached from different …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Inclusive and Transparent Virtual Engagement for Climate Action Planning
- Swarthmore College (PA)
- University of Florida (FL)
- Trust (MA)
The University of Florida Office of Sustainability, with the assistance of Dallase Scott of Trust, implemented a robust engagement process to update our Climate Action Plan. In updating its CAP, …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Centering Sustainability and Well-Being in University Strategic Planning
- Colorado State University (CO)
When it was time to develop a new strategic plan, Colorado State University made a bold decision to put a thriving planet and a flourishing humanity at the center of …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainability Change Agent Campfire Stories: Navigating Inherent Tensions
- Georgetown University (DC)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
- Stanford University (CA)
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
Sustainability work in higher education requires a straddling of multiple dualities such as academic/operational, incremental/transformational, deliberative pace/sense of urgency, and risk averse/risk taking. This session will introduce the concept of …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Lightning Talks: Governance & Administration
- Austin College (TX)
- Ball State University (IN)
- Southern New Hampshire University (NH)
This session consists of 3 15-minute Lightning Talk sessions related to governance and administration. The Lightning Talks are: Harvesting Carbon Capital: Using the Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) - This …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Measuring Emissions From Student Travel
- Stanford University (CA)
While organizations, institutions, and companies routinely report emissions from Business Travel and Employee commuting, emissions from student travel are another source of air travel emissions that higher education institutions may …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Breakup With Your Spreadsheet: The case for a code-based ghg inventory
- Brown University (RI)
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
To combat climate change, organizations and individuals must dramatically decrease greenhouse gas emissions and fast. Many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have risen to the challenge by setting ambitious carbon reduction …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Beyond Carbon Neutral – Our Path to Climate Positive
- University of Toronto (ON)
The University of Toronto is committed to taking decisive action against climate change, one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Our commitment is to go beyond carbon neutral …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Data Visualization Speed Date
- Boston University (MA)
Are you curious how data could be visualized for advancing sustainability in higher education? On our campuses, data visualization is a tool or practice used to summarize a lot of …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Coping with Change: Responding to the Great Sustainability Resignation
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
How can we resiliently adapt and navigate a sustainable path forward for ourselves and our institutions? As baby boomers retire, COVID-inspired resignations soar, corporate sustainability hiring is on the rise, …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Twenty Years In: What Impact are Sustainability Peer Education Programs Making?
- Champlain College (VT)
- Tufts University (MA)
Since the founding of the first “Eco-Reps” program at Tufts University in 2001, many campuses created similar sustainability peer education programs. While there have been internal program evaluations of these …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Using Reflective Structured Dialogues (RSD) to Support STARS Collaboration and Performance
- Dallas College (TX)
Dallas College’s Sustainability Office will share how they use the tools and techniques of Reflective Structured Dialogues (RSD) to build effective communication and internal support for STARS reporting. The session …
- Posted May 17, 2023
- Conference Presentations
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Pregnant and Parenting Students Belonging and Thriving Framework
- California Polytechnic State University (CA)
- AASHE (MA)
College success for pregnant and parenting students has important implications for racial, ethnic, and economic equity in higher education. Among students of color, one in three black students, one in …
- Posted May 11, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Building an Embedded Sustainability Approach
- TAFE Queensland Robina Campus (QLD)
The TAFE Queensland Robina Campus has been purpose-built to lead the way as a sustainable vocational education and training (VET) provider across Australia. The campus was designed from the ground …
- Posted May 5, 2023
- Case Studies
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Campus RainWorks Challenge
- University of Texas at Arlington (TX)
The Campus RainWorks Challenge is a green infrastructure design competition for American colleges and universities that seeks to engage with the next generation of environmental professionals, foster a dialogue about …
- Posted May 3, 2023
- Case Studies
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Zero Waste Visioning – Campus Wide Solutions to Zero Waste
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (CA)
- University of Arizona (AZ)
- Williams College (MA)
- AASHE (MA)
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
In this webinar we will hear from Sustainability Staff at 3 Universities who recently published Strategic Visions for Achieving Zero Waste on their campuses.
Developing a Strategic Vision is a …
- Posted May 1, 2023
- Videos & Webinars
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Waste Diversion at University of Florida- Case of a student organization
- University of Florida (FL)
I am Ashpreet Kaur, final year PhD student at University of Florida. I got a chance to become a member of a student organization at University of Florida who does …
- Posted April 27, 2023
- Case Studies
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Works and Efforts of the Environmental Sustainability Initiatives by the Institute of Technical Education (Singapore)
- Institute of Technical Education
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) was established as a post-secondary institution in 1992, under the Ministry of Education of Singapore.
ITE is a principal provider of career and technical …
- Posted April 25, 2023
- Case Studies
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2018-22 Progress Report on the Pitt Sustainability Plan
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
The University of Pittsburgh’s sustainability journey dates back to 1990, with commitments, activities, and engagement deepening and increasing over the past three decades. In 2018, the Pitt Sustainability Plan set …
- Posted April 18, 2023
- Publications
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Implementing Sustainability in Library Instruction: The Journey to Creating a Crowdsourced Mission Statement Informed by Positionalities and Core Values
- New Mexico State University (NM)
This chapter shares the process and rationale behind a library workshop with the Reference and Research Services Department and Archives and Special Collections Department at the New Mexico State University …
- Posted April 13, 2023
- Publications
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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.
PA 1: Sustainability Coordination
- Description of the sustainability committee(s)
- Description of the sustainability office(s)
- Description of activities and accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years
- First sustainability position (upload)
- First sustainability position (text)
- Second sustainability position (upload)
- Second sustainability position (text)
- Third sustainability position (upload)
- Third sustainability position (text)
- Website URL - Sustainability Coordination
PA 2: Sustainability Coordination
- Published measurable objectives - Academics
- Published measurable objectives - Engagement
- Published measurable objectives - Operations
- Published measurable objectives - Planning & Administration
- Website URL - Highest Guiding Strategic Plan
- Sustainability plan (upload)
- Sustainability plan (website URL)
- Website URL - Sustainability planning
PA 3: Sustainability Coordination
- Description of participatory or shared governance bodies
- Percent of official members of the highest governing body that are women
- Website URL - Institution’s highest level governing body
- Description of campus-community council or equivalent body that gives external stakeholders a regular voice in institutional decisions
- Website URL - Institutional governance body
PA 4: Reporting Assurance
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.