Coordination & Planning

2858 resources

How universities understand sustainability and its implications for action

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)

The integration of sustainability across Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has produced an emerging field around defining sustainability. Despite the increase in universities transitioning towards more sustainable institutions, and the importance ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Green Events Ambassadors: Student Interns Share Zero Waste Knowledge Across Institutions

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)

This informational session will provide attendees with an in-depth look at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Sustainability's intern-run Green Events Program, its zero waste planning, and how this ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Move Out Programs: Finding the Solution for your Campus

  • Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)

Every year when students move out of their dorms and apartments, tons of useful stuff is left behind or discarded. Over the past decade or so, campuses all across the ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

A Zero Waste Campus is Possible!

  • Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)

In this workshop we will facilitate a discussion around how students can lead specific efforts to solve waste issues on their campuses. We start with a short presentation on the ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Achieving University Circularity in 2050

  • Ayers Saint Gross (MD)
  • CannonDesign (NY)
  • Ellen MacArthur Foundation

It's 2050 and the world's civilizations have successfully implemented 100% recycled materials, 100% material waste diversion, 100% renewable energy-fueled systems and perpetual environmental regeneration. Within the design field ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Project Management for Sustainability Offices to Keep Moving Forward

  • University of Florida (FL)
  • University of Southern Maine (ME)

Whether you're a single-person operation, have a team of staff members, or have a group of fantastic student volunteers or interns, we are all facing more requests for our ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Go DefaultVeg: Using Behavioral Nudges to Reduce Food-Related GHG Emissions at Your Institution

  • Harvard University (MA)
  • Better Food Foundation (DC)

Colleges and universities are increasingly attempting to measure and reduce their Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. Among the largest contributors of Scope 3 emissions are transportation and food. In 2019 ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Transforming Your Supply Chain for a Sustainable Future

  • Aramark (PA)
  • Better Food Foundation (DC)
  • Harvest Table Culinary Group (PA)

Developing a resilient food system is a crucial task for de-escalating and reversing the interrelated social and ecological crises unfolding as a result of industrial scale animal agriculture. Universities and ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Beyond the Ivory Walls: Community Based Sustainable Solutions for Building Local Resilience

  • University of Dayton (OH)

In an era of climate change, a just transition requires solutions that marry sustainability and resilience. Commonly, resilience is perceived as an adaptation strategy that builds capacity to withstand disturbances ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

The Challenge and Promise of a Living Building Project in a Dynamic Urban Ecosystem

  • Unity Environmental University (ME)
  • Thornton Tomasetti (ME)
  • Simons Architects (ME)

Where many people see an unassuming drab brick building in a corner of Portland, Maine's, historic waterfront, Unity College sees an unprecedented opportunity for a physical manifestation our sustainability ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Incorporating Social Equity Considerations into Sustainability & Climate Action Planning

  • Portland Community College (OR)

Equity is playing an increasing role in the process of sustainability and climate action planning. Asking 'Who benefits?' and 'Who gets to decide?' from the outcomes is a critical component ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Organics for Everyone: Lessons Learned from a Large-Scale Campus-wide Organics Rollout

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
  • University of Minnesota System Office (MN)

Implementing post-consumer organics collection on campus is a big step. But it can be done! The University of Minnesota has confronted the challenges associated with front-of-house organics collection head-on with ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Navigating Options for Scaling-Up Campus Renewables: PPAs, Onsite, Offsite, Leases, & More

  • Loyola University Chicago (IL)
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)
  • University of Wisconsin-Parkside (WI)
  • University of Wisconsin-Platteville (WI)
  • Coho Climate Advisors (MD)

The renewable energy marketplace is opaque and complex. Onsite solar, community solar, offsite wind and solar, direct ownership, lease, utility partnerships, third party PPAs? What's legal? What's prohibited ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Collaborating for Resilience: The Power of Campus-Community Conversations

  • Agnes Scott College (GA)
  • University of Florida (FL)

We are already beginning to feel the impacts of climate change on our campuses and within our communities. It is increasingly important that universities and colleges anticipate these impacts by ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Creating Intersectionality with Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Sustainability with UC Berkeley

  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)

In the realm of establishing a sustainable campus, a clear understanding and commitment from leaders (staff and students) are necessary to execute those goals. Often times, communities who are underrepresented ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Student Support 101: A Guide for Sustainability Professionals

  • Florida State University (FL)

Across the country, universities are solidifying their commitment to a more sustainable future through the creation of sustainability offices. Often times, these offices are located within facilities departments with professionals ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Connecting University Sustainability Efforts to Your Health System

  • Duke University (NC)
  • Emory University (GA)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (CA)

Sustainability is defined as the nexus between society, the environment and the economy. Hundreds of universities are making significant progress toward incorporating sustainability across their campus operations, educational efforts and ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Strategies, Priorities and Movement Building Tactics of the Environmental Justice Movement

  • The New School (NY)

Climate change is one of the most significant threats to humanity. Frontline, environmental justice (EJ) communities will be the most impacted by these threats and are already facing the devastating ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Going Zero Waste: It's not Just Business, it's Personal

  • California State University, Northridge (CA)

There are many long-established zero waste best practices addressing bins, signage, reusables and more. Unlike LED retrofits, low-flow faucets or other infrastructure projects, a zero waste initiative requires the participation ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Just Transition: To a Circular Economy

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
  • Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Moving from our current extractive economy to a regenerative economy is no longer a question of how but a question of how quickly'. Learn ways to help your institution transition ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

How Do OTHER Associations Assist Your Campus Sustainability?

  • Yale University (CT)
  • Society for College and University Planning (MI)

AASHE's prime mission is sustainability, yet many other campus organizations have a portion of their mission devoted to advancing sustainability. Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) has fourteen major ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Sustainability Rankings: Comparing STARS with Times Higher Education University Impact Ranking

  • University of Calgary (AB)

STARS has long been the key performance indicator for sustainability in UCalgary's Eyes High strategic vision. It is also the most broadly used sustainability assessment tool in higher education ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Student Employment and Internships as the Foundation of a Sustainability Program

  • University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (WI)

The Sustainability Office at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is focused on student engagement through several High-Impact Practices to support co-curricular education, but the core of this activity is centered on ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Protect the Roots: Promoting Sustainability with Policy and Planning that Prioritizes Campus Trees

  • University of Kentucky (KY)
  • University of Louisville (KY)

As the popularity of programs like Tree Campus USA demonstrate, there is widespread agreement that trees provide tremendous value to our campuses across a broad spectrum of key campus metrics ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Engaging Alumni in Sustainability: Working with Development & Alumni Relations

  • Lehigh University (PA)

Alumni are one of a college or university's greatest assets and their contributions back to an institution do not go unnoticed. Many sustainability professionals want to engage alumni in ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

College & University Recycling Coalition (CURC) Campus Recycling Session

  • Appalachian State University (NC)

The College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC), in partnership with the United States Composting Council and Elevate Packaging, recently administered a survey to colleges and universities to understand how their ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Energy Management During a Global Pandemic

  • University of Dayton (OH)

COVID-19 shutdowns and reopenings present new challenges and opportunities for the energy management profession. Generally, this has included reducing energy consumption during campus shutdowns, modifying facilities to accomodate new COVID-19 ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Graduate Student Opportunities for Innovative Pedagogy & Institutional Leverage: How We Can Plug In

  • Princeton University (NJ)

Graduate students often serve as educators-in-training with an ear to the ground of the undergraduate experience. What role can we uniquely play in expanding sustainability curricula at our institutions? How ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Harnessing Student Enthusiasm to Create Institutional Change

  • University of Virginia (VA)

Universities are filled with students who are eager and excited to create sustainable change. Oftentimes, that enthusiasm helps put on grand events that gather large crowds and spark important conversations ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Sustainability in Higher Education as a Career Path

  • American University (DC)
  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • Southwestern University (TX)
  • University of Mississippi (MS)

Are you a student, graduate student, or young professional with a passion for sustainability in higher education? Are you unsure how to turn your passion into a collegiate career? You ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Sustainability in Universities: way to STARS

  • Universidad EAN

Several universities that have been implementing sustainability on their campuses are not yet part of the STARS system, but they can follow other indicators and sustainability management systems. The idea ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Come Help Shape the Sustainability Strategy of the Largest Higher Ed System in the Nation

  • San Mateo County Community College District Office (CA)

In May of 2019 the largest post secondary system in the nation unveiled a new Climate Action and Sustainability Policy. Some might consider this policy to be advanced, others may ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

The Staff Engagement Escalator: A Facilitated Discussion on Developing Human Potential

  • University of Virginia (VA)
  • McGill University (QC)

What are the clever ways we meet new staff members and pull them into the fold? --- Why do some staff members attend events but not engage beyond that? --- How do ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Big Schools, Big Headaches: Completing STARS and Catalyzing Change at Large Universities

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
  • AASHE (PA)

Large universities can pose large and unique challenges to completing a STARS (Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System) report and using the results to drive change. From siloed departments to ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

STARS Town Hall

  • Elon University (NC)
  • University of Calgary (AB)
  • AASHE (PA)

This session will provide an opportunity for attendees to participate in a high-level discussion about potential improvements to STARS. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Sustainability Offices of One

  • California State University, East Bay (CA)
  • University of Louisville (KY)

We all know that Sustainability Coordinators are amazingly talented and highly motivated. We can do anything, right? Well, the truth is that we cannot do EVERYTHING; and yet so many ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Canadian Networking Session & Exploring Sustainability Charters

  • University of Calgary (AB)
  • Fleming College (ON)
  • Bow Valley College (AB)

Meet with other Canadian conference attendees and discuss the effectiveness of sustainability charters with a focus on the SDG Accord through breakout groups. Put faces to some familiar names and ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

2021 Sustainable Campus Index

  • AASHE (PA)

The 2021 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI) recognizes top-performing colleges and universities overall by institution type and in 17 sustainability impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating ...


2021-26 Sustainability & Climate Action Plan

  • UMass Chan Medical School (MA)

The plan has four areas of focus:

  • Transportation
  • Buildings and energy
  • Grounds and water management
  • Materials and resource management

Each focus area has a schedule of specific initiatives to foster ...

  • Posted Oct. 29, 2021
  • Publications
  • View more

Campus Sustainability Progress Report - Fiscal Years 2019 & 2020

  • Tufts University (MA)

This progress report is a summary of Tufts University's progress on sustainability over two school years: 2018 - 2019 and 2019-2020. It includes qualitative and quantitative data on Academics & ...


Higher Education Telework and Flexible Work Survey

  • George Mason University (VA)

The “Higher Education Telework and Flexible Work Survey" was designed to address a general lack of understanding about how higher education institutions are approaching telework and flexible work as a ...


Sustainability Annual Report 2020

  • University of Sharjah

The Sustainability Office has announced the year of 2020 as the sustainability year, under the slogan of “Sustainability 2020”, in order to enhance and promote the concept of sustainability among ...


Sustainability Strategic Plan

  • Missouri State University (MO)

As a higher education institution, Missouri State is in a unique position to adopt and model sustainable actions to the surrounding community and to educate students in lifelong strategies for ...


Seattle Colleges Sustainability Plan

  • Seattle Colleges - District Office (WA)

The purpose of this plan is to outline the specific sustainability goals that the Colleges has committed to over the next five years. These goals represent ambitious, yet achievable, targets ...


Sustainability Vision

  • British Columbia Institute of Technology (BC)

Sustainability was a powerful theme throughout consultation for the development of the BCIT Strategic Plan 2019–2022 (Relevance. Reach. Renewal.). Building on this energy, we embarked on an intensive process ...


Climate Action Plan

  • University of Central Florida (FL)

In order of magnitude, UCF's main sources of emissions are: buildings, transportation, waste, and natural resources management. The long-term plan to lessen the university's environmental footprint focuses of ...


Climate Action Plan

  • Loyola Marymount University (CA)

LMU strives to infuse sustainability into all campus decision-making processes in order to promote economic, social, spiritual and environmental well-being. The lens of sustainability provides a powerful vision for community ...


Climate Action Plan Update

  • New Mexico State University (NM)

The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) is a highvisibility effort to address global climate disruption undertaken by a network of colleges and universities that have made institutional ...


Five-Year Strategic Plan

  • University of St. Thomas (MN)

Sustainability requires responsibly using and managing natural resources to meet our needs today without harming the possibilities of future generations meeting their own tomorrow. Sustainability is central to the University ...


Climate Action Plan

  • Seattle University (WA)

This Climate Action Plan (CAP) is intended to guide Seattle University in furthering its commitment to sustainability and to addressing climate change. The university envisions a campus community in which ...

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

PA 2: Sustainability Coordination

PA 3: Sustainability Coordination

PA 4: Reporting Assurance

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Coordination & Planning Partners